When Was Instagram Created? Let’s Unpack the App’s History!

You love this app so much, but do you know its history? You might be too young to remember when Instagram first hit the scene. But some of us were still struggling on Facebook when this breath of fresh air came. So, when was Instagram created?

This article aims to give you a brief synopsis of the beginning of this app. We discuss the masterminds behind this amazing creation and explain how they met. It may inspire you to take a leap of faith.

You might be one social event and venture capitalist away from your own app. Of course, an Ivy League education wouldn’t hurt either. 

Keep reading this article to find out what we mean!

Meet the Founders of Instagram

We can’t talk about the history of Instagram without mentioning the founders. Kevin Systrom (@kevin) and Mike Krieger (@mikeyk) are the founders of Instagram. Let’s discuss how they birthed the social media giant we know today.

Before he worked as the CEO of Instagram for eight years, Kevin was a Stanford University graduate. He was working at Nextstop. You may have heard of this start-up business that focuses on travel recommendations. 

Additionally, he had a background in tech from Google. He also had a hand in Odeo, the first iteration of X.

With his coding knowledge, he built an app called Burbn. It was an app that let users post photos. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? He graduated in 2009. It would be in the spring of 2010, and things would change drastically for him. 

Kevin went to an event where he met venture capitalists. He was able to secure half of $1 million in funding. With this injection of capital, he brought on people with serious engineering capabilities.

This part is where Mike Krieger comes in. Mike was a graduate of Stanford as well. From that university, he secured an MS in Symbolic Systems. He was already working as a user experience designer and front-end engineer at Meebo.

Mike’s qualifications and experience in engineering allowed him to serve as head of engineering at Instagram. He did this for eight years until he left the company in 2018.

Together, this pair created a social media titan. It would form the paradigm that other social media platforms would follow. So, we understand how the pair met. But when did they officially create this social media giant?

When Was Instagram Created?

Kevin and Mike officially created Instagram in October 2010. After Kevin received the funding in the Spring of 2012, he brought Mike on. They moved with such enthusiasm that they launched Instagram several months later.

Kevin and Mike were the first users of their app. They played around with simple posts of scenery, food, and dogs. Perhaps they knew that Instagram would soon be a place for photos of all of these things. The first-ever Instagram post would be of the South Beach Harbor Marina.

In true Instagram vintage fashion, the mobile photography donned heavy filters. They used this time after they co-founded Instagram to work out the bugs on the app. By October, they launched it for public use.

Of course, the app now is nothing like it was at the outset. Since its creation, it boasts new features like the following:

• Instagram Direct Messages
• Instagram Live 
• Instagram Stories

Who Is the Head of Instagram Now?

Currently, Adam Mosseri (@mosseri) is the head of Instagram. He is in charge of virtually all the functions of the business. He has a hand in product and operations, engineering, and even addresses the public on behalf of the company. 

Content creators follow his Instagram account for updates on the app’s new features.

He also uses the platform to share personal updates on his life in San Francisco. He balances the content he shares on his profile. This view is consistent with his vision for what this app should be. He wants Instagram to be a place for authentic communication, as it was in the beginning.

According to Instagram, he’s been with the Facebook family for over ten years now. His experience in tech spans decades. He has shared his knowledge with many other tech operations. However, he has spent a noticeably long time with Instagram.

By his social media posting, it would appear that he listens to the concerns of the user base. He answers questions concerning the future of the app. He even notes criticism.

When Instagram gets ready to do something drastic, expect some correspondence from this guy. When Instagram Reels became the new norm, he spoke to all the concerned creators.

Many social media growth gurus can make guesses about the Instagram algorithm. It is this guy whose word is essentially law. He’s the most credible source regarding Instagram’s plans.

Frequently Asked Questions About When Instagram Was Founded

The advent of Instagram seems so long ago. There are questions about its origins. Here are the answers to some popular IG questions.

FAQ: What year did Instagram become Popular?

Instagram officially started in October 2010, and it was instantly popular. When the public accessed this app, 25,000 users joined in a day. Within two months of its creation, it amassed about 1 million active users. 

Within the year, 10 million users were on the platform. At the end of 2018, Instagram would see 1 billion accounts. This platform has seen non-stop popularity since its inception. Even though apps have subsequently entered the market, Instagram has never lost its popularity.

FAQ: Who is number 1 on Instagram?

The soccer player Christian Ronaldo (@cristiano) has the most-followed Instagram account. He boasts an upward of 630 million followers. He amassed his extreme fame playing sports. 

His fans naturally wanted a way to keep up with his life. Instagram was a perfect location for them to see photos and videos. He shares his carousel posts and Instagram Reels of his work and family.

FAQ: When did Instagram come out for everyone?

On October 6, 2010, Kevin and Mike launched Instagram for the public. It was available for use on iPhones. On April 3, 2012, they made the app available on Android mobile devices.

Before the app was public, Mike and Kevin experimented with their posts. Of course, they would be the only ones to see these posts then.

Instagram Is Here. Let’s Make the Best of It! 

Was it inspiring to read about creators who took a risk? Because they ventured into something new, we have the social media app we have today. Have you considered taking a risk as well? Are you playing it with your Instagram account?

We think you have a lot of untapped potential. Your social media account could be so much bigger than what it is. You just need a little professional help. Plixi can offer you this help.

We are a long-standing social media growth site. We use AI technology to grow our clients’ social media platforms. We have an in-house platform for Instagram influencers like yourself.

It’s your turn to make a huge social impact. You just need a strong following to do it. We know just how to do that.

Now, you know the answer to the question, “When was Instagram created?” But we have a question for you. “When will you live up to all you can be?” We think that day is today. 

Are you ready to increase your social media following? Sign up with Plixi today!