Instagram has been proving that it's not just about sharing sepia-toned photos of your breakfast. With over 75 million active daily users, this photo-sharing network has been offering users a sense of community; a creative outlet that lets users document and share while also seeing what their friends and family have been up too.
But sometimes it is about pictures of breakfast. If you are following celebrities, it feels like you're getting a secret view into the lives of the rich and famous. Celebrities like Rihanna (12.2 million followers) Justin Bieber (14.7 million followers) and Beyonce (10.6 million followers) are all huge on Instagram.
What about the really powerful: business and political leaders? Like the rest of us, they put up photos from airplanes windows, pics of their favorite dishes, and of course a selfie here and there. Let's check out a few who are sharing their photos (and lives) with the users of Instagram.
First Lady Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama has close to 675,000 followers because she has great content and knows her audience. This account gives you an insider's view of the goings on around The White House. Between photos of Bo and Sunny (the White House dogs) and videos of Michelle's many appearances (remember her #MomDancing on Jimmy Fallon?), there is plenty to see. Although she doesn't always run this account, you can see photos straight from Michelle Obama are signed -mo. How cool is that? You can be scrolling through your Instagram feed, full of photos from friends and family when suddenly you see the First Lady has taken over her account. That person who you've seen in newspapers and on TV becomes a real person whom you feel connected with.
John Legere: CEO of T-Mobile
John Legere is known as one of the few CEOs to actually have a personal presence on social media channels. You may have seen his Twitter conversation winning over a potential T-Mobile customer, and his Instagram account is no different. Even though it was only started roughly a month ago, Legere has been posting wintery shots from New York, photos of himself in a Batman robe, and a whole lot of smiles in pics with employees.
Dennis Crowley Co-Founder at Foursquare
You may know Dennis Crowley as the co-founder of social network Foursquare, or because of his awesome Twitter account. As a runner in the Boston Marathon last year, he live-tweeted what was going on during the bombing, and has been watching Foursquare grow in leaps and bounds. Now on Instagram, he shares photos of his exciting life in New York City. He shares photos of his runs on Williamsburg Bridge, trips to the catskills and pics with friends and loved ones. Crowley's account will make you wish that your own account (and life) could look even half as fun.
Micky Arison: Chairman of Carnival Corporation and Owner of the Miami Heat
I'll give you two guesses of what photos are on Micky Arison's Instagram account... If you think cruise ships (and amazing looking beaches) and basketball you are totally correct. Micky loves to #regram some of the amazing pictures @Carnvial and the @miamiheat release. Following his account also means following him around the world; seeing him snap pics from the Turks & Caicos to New York City.
Oprah
Did you know Oprah had a killer Instagram account? That's right, with over 2.5 million followers, Oprah has some real clout in the Instagram community. Her feed is full of activities that she obviously loves: cooking, harvesting avocados and other greens (perhaps from her Maui ranch?) and hanging out with friends like Snoop, Kanye, Diddy and even Mick Jagger. Getting an insiders view of Oprah's life may just inspire you to get involved and embrace your day-to-day grind just as she does.
Kevin Systrom: CEO of Instagram
If you are one of the million followers Kevin Systrom has, there is one thing you know for sure: this guy sure does travel... a lot. From San Fran to New York to Tokyo then Berlin, London, Paris... Instagram's co-founder and CEO is really on the move. He snaps amazing images from all over the world which get thousands of 'likes' each.
All of his photos are beautiful; whether it's a shot of the sunset, the most perfect milk design in a cup of coffee, or a picture of a dog he passed on the street. His pictures give us a real sense of what this Master of the Instagram Universe does day-to-day. I mean, if there should be anyone succeeding on this social network, it's probably the CEO.
Naheed Nenshi: Mayor of Calgary
Nenshi is a force on social media. In June 2013, Nenshi used social media to keep Calgary, AB residents informed and safe during the flood emergency, and was later crowned online hero. He also can be seen engaging on Twitter, sharing links on Facebook and even doing an AMA on Reddit. Lately, you can find Nenshi on Instagram taking photos of supporters, food, and a whole bunch of purple converse (shoe pics are his fav). Although he is already popular on other social networks, this account is just icing on the cake.