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Like the millions of people working-from-home because of the current pandemic, my screen time has increased a lot. And like many working people, I spend a good time on LinkedIn and Instagram every day.
The engagement on the two applications has grown exponentially and more or less for the same reason: work-from-home culture. On both platforms, people are looking to engage and share what other people have to offer. However, the approach and audience differ.
LinkedIn has got this cute affair with positivity. People posting on the platform are the most intelligent and generous people around or at least they think of themselves to be. Usually, full of positivity and enthusiasm. Reminds of the endings of old-Bollywood films. A happy family, good things, and, a lot of emotions. It would have been perfect if this was the case for all. But just like the low-budget films in Bollywood, content takes the back seat. In certain cases, low-budget films do a good business but we still have to see a rise in them.
Instagram, has started its journey to becoming Twitter for the new generation. Be it a story about oppression in the USA, or the killing of an animal in India or the famine situation in Yemen, Instagram has a popular video for everything. There are people who care about the issue, there are people who simply jump on the bandwagon and then, there are people who watch and share things because of conformity. And then, there are people who do something about the issue; people who calls out others for not doing something about the issue and the people who call out people for calling out other people. The cycle goes on and on.
Instagram seems to be on a break with its long-time relationship with positivity. Those aesthetic objects, travel pictures, good food, and good life. And replaced by people out there realizing their duty towards the nation, world, mother nature, humanity, and their profile. Anyway, LinkedIn is filling up for it, being the helpful mate it is. With its grateful posts of people who were let go by their companies, the huge (read: required by law & PR) support provided to people by big organizations and the never-ending learning opportunities on Webinars.
Twitter is playing the role of Bollywood writers pretty well. It is here the story begins but we rarely know it until it comes to the limelight (read: Instagram). Nevertheless, some nerds still prefer the original source, and yes, the ones who call for Books are better than their movie counterparts.
Facebook is thinking out loud about its game, however, some of its old allies are losing confidence. In Bollywood, it fits quite well with the role of producer or a production house. That reminds us of the recent bet it has placed on an Indian telecommunications company. Facebook knows how to take most of every opportunity.
Seems like, all this while, major applications were playing UNO and the cards have been swapped between LinkedIn and Instagram. Facebook, being the player it is, is trying hard to play fair and the one getting highly influenced by its decisions, is none but Twitter.