Joseph's "Just My Thoughts"

Need and desire are distinct concepts. Instagram serves to fulfill desires rather than needs. For example, saying “I want to eat because I’m hungry” illustrates a “need,” whereas “I’m hungry, so I want a beautiful table setting for the family meal from my mom” depicts a “desire.” If you cannot differentiate between these two ideas and grasp their fundamental meanings, consider stepping away from Instagram for marketing purposes. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Previously, the medium held exclusive power over the message, making its truth unquestionable.  Now, with digital technology enabling individual media creation, anyone can craft a message.  Essentially, messages have transformed into their own mediums.  When you produce a shareable message, you effectively become a medium yourself.  However, the significance of sending messages is often overlooked.  The perceived value of a message shifts dramatically when people trust the messenger’s identity.  Therefore, to manage Instagram effectively, prioritize establishing a credible identity and consistently sharing valuable content. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

In the future, those who effectively manage the “signifiant” as opposed to the “signifié” will prevail. For instance, if you post food content on Instagram, viewers are not interested in every single menu item. Such details can be found anywhere. Even a self-boarded student prepares and enjoys their meals. If the food represents the “signifié,” then the arrangement of the food itself is the “signifiant.” What users engage with on Instagram is not merely the food but rather the presentation that signifies it. Without a message that stands out, your Instagram is likely to get lost among countless other posts. Remember, the medium is the message, and the message is the medium. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

When you look out from inside your house, you can see your yard. This is known as the “right of view.” If your view is obstructed, then your yard may feel limited to that boundary. Some people even take legal action to protect their right of view. Cliffs, on the other hand, hold little property value due to their danger and high construction costs. Nevertheless, if you build a house on a cliff, your yard extends as far as the eye can see. For instance, when you purchase land on a coastal cliff and install an infinity pool, the seamless horizon and sky beyond the pool become part of your front yard. It’s essential to bring nature into your home and blend your living space with the blue sea and sky, even if you have only open cliffs and modest infinity pools. Perceived space often holds more value than physical space. Many scenic images on Instagram illustrate this concept of perceived space. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

When a prominent cultural innovator escapes monotony and creates an alleyway that embodies a fresh cultural identity, a new attraction emerges, making latecomers envious of this hideout. As the number of visitors grows through word of mouth, real estate prices in the area rise, and landlords are quick to seize this opportunity. Ironically, while the initial pioneers revive the area, gentrification follows due to increased rents that force them out. Landlords hike the prices, often unaware of what prompted the rise, leading to another phase of desolation for the neighborhood. The area gains popularity as visitors share photos on Instagram, highlighting that the surge in property values is fueled by social media rather than by the building’s owner. Ultimately, symbols overshadow actual substance. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Media shapes a “perceived space,” which exists not in the physical realm but within our imagination. Businesses that once thrived on in-person gatherings will need to adapt their perception of space to survive in the future. Traditionally, aggregation has served as a primary profit model. However, even in a distributed setting, if a cognitive connection can be established, a cognitive space emerges. While aggregation and variance are tied to physical realities, these distinctions lose relevance in cognitive terms. For instance, cafés inside train stations hold economic value due to the relatively short travel distance compared to those outside. Yet, a café just outside the station, equipped with an LED display providing boarding information, effectively extends the perceived economic value of the train station space. Instagram exemplifies this concept; to reiterate, media creates a perceived space. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Even though a country's total population is decreasing, the economic situation could be improved by increasing the total economic activity of the remaining population after the decrease. Of course, there is a statistical population threshold below which this effect occurs. Nevertheless, this effect would not work in the case of a force majeure, such as a natural disaster or the outbreak of war, however, this assumption would be valid because a rapid population decline is a highly exceptional event that would not normally occur. Therefore, an increase in the economic activity of this population should be required during an economic recession. Applying this perspective, for building a solid relationship with your followers on Instagram, the number of followers is less important than the activity between them and you. This is called the "Engagement Rate (ER)". - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”