When working in marketing in New York, it's not an exaggeration to say that the day starts and ends with Instagram.

I find myself scrolling through my feed on the subway out of habit, checking stories while eating salad at a café for lunch, and reaching for Instagram again when I lie on my sofa at home after work.

Since I can't miss out on trends in my job, it's clear that times have changed when I see young people communicating via DMs instead of texts and searching for restaurants near home or date spots through hashtag searches. Searching for keywords like 'Manhattan pasta restaurant' brings up a flood of atmospheric photos, allowing for quick choices without reading long reviews.

Of course, Instagram isn't perfect. You can only see a few representative photos, and on mobile, you can only view the two most recent comments, which is quite limiting.

This is primarily for privacy protection and to prevent lurking. In a city like New York, where you can't tell who is sneakily viewing your feed, these limitations serve as a shield. I also feel less burdened when posting photos.

Nevertheless, the Instagram craze shows no signs of dying down.

Since late 2020, it has surpassed Facebook in market share and has completely dominated the demographic from teens to those in their 30s.

When brands open pop-up stores in New York, promoting on Instagram is far more effective than through their official websites.

People come in through hashtags, post their photos, and that structure naturally spreads word of mouth.

What's even more interesting is that Instagram has evolved from a simple communication tool to a means of making money.

There are three main ways. First is brand sponsorship.

If you have many followers and a beautiful feed, brands will directly DM you to offer products for free in exchange for promotion.

This can lead to growth into receiving advertising fees as well.

Second is affiliate marketing.

Through affiliate links, you earn commissions every time a follower makes a purchase.

This is actively utilized not only by Amazon and Sephora but also by startup brands.

Third is selling your own products or services directly.

It's common to see New York artists selling their works or yoga instructors taking class bookings through Instagram.

Moreover, with Instagram's own payment system, it has become much easier for influencers to run their online stores.

From my experience in marketing, I've realized that just having a large number of followers isn't enough.

Consistent uploads, genuine communication with followers, and unique personal branding are essential.

In a competitive city like New York, just pretty photos won't cut it; content that tells a story and has context moves people's hearts.

Once, Facebook was a symbol of global social networking, primarily among college students and those in their 20s, but now it has become a platform more used by the older generation.

Instagram has completely absorbed the teens, 20s, and even those like me in their 30s, becoming a new focal point.

At this point, it seems natural that the dominance of social media shifts across generations... Instagram has become a tool for maintaining relationships and creating new cultures, beyond just posting photos and liking them.

The older generation may find it hard to understand how we check friends' daily lives in real-time through stories, casually exchange greetings via DMs, and share our tastes through regrams.

Ultimately, Instagram is not just a space for sharing daily life; for some, it has become a new job and source of income.

I believe this trend will continue in the future.

For someone in their 30s like me, Instagram has become a platform for self-expression and, in some cases, a place to create new opportunities.

With just a few photos and a couple of comments, we laugh and cry, plan our day through hashtag searches, and collaborate with brands to earn money; this culture has deeply embedded itself in the lives of young people around the world, including in New York.

And at this moment, I firmly believe that Instagram is the most powerful tool for communication and revenue generation.