Barbara Streisand did this at 72, here are six reasons why you should too…

Instagram. It’s something most of us have already heard of, perhaps the grandkids have talked about it? Or you’ve heard about it on the news? Or you’ve seen it being spoken about during celebrity gossip shows. It seems like the trendy, young and hip new social media tool going around, but the truth is, it’s awesome for over 60s too.

This week one of our fellow over 60s, Barbara Streisand got Instagram. Beautiful Barbs is 72 now so she has joined a great group of over 60s in using Instagram and sharing her photos with the world. And, for those of you who aren’t sure, that is all Instagram is for – sharing photos.

Some people believe that ones Instagram page defines who they are visually. Some believe that an Instagram page lets you keep others updated about the happenings of your life and others just love to show off their fancy food and clothes. But, whatever reason they have for using Instagram, they all love it. And here are six reasons you should too…

It lets you keep up to date on the Grandkids

So many people have become Facebook users that young people often become highly selective about their posts. But on Instagram, you can see exactly what they’re up to whenever they post a photo. It’s a great way to keep up to date on what they are doing, who they are friends with and the things they like.

You can follow your favourite celebrities

Most celebrities (or their PR agents!) have an Instagram page. So if you love someone in particular, say Meryl Streep, then all you have to do is follow her to get an insight into the glamorous and every day musings of her life. Some Instagram favourites include Meryl Streep and the Maggie Beer Farm Shop.

Find inspiration for everything

If you’ve played around on Pinterest, you’ll know just how exciting it can be when you find things you love or that inspire you. Whether it’s a new recipe, a gorgeous outfit, fabulous DIY craft, a great party theme or beautiful interior design, you can head straight to Instagram and get your daily dose of inspiration for a colourful and happy life.

Never miss out on a sale from your favourite brands

Most of the big brands (fashion, homewares, lifestyle, department stores) all have Instagram pages and they often share their sale details on Instagram before anywhere else. Sometimes, they will exclusively have a sale for Instagram users and give you a discount code to use at the checkout… You can make some great savings!

Win competitions and get free stuff

This is pretty exciting too. Many brands will have ‘giveaway competitions’ where you ‘regram’ (take a screenshot by holding down the top button and the centre button on your iPhone at the same time) and share a photo on your page.  Some brands have awesome competitions for fashion and homewares items.

Share your story

There’s nothing better than being able to share your stories with friends and family. So, get an Instagram account and you can do just that, all through pictures. They say a picture says one thousand words so you can share your life through photos for both your and other peoples’ enjoyment.

 So tell us, have you got Instagram? Would you get it? Would you like us to share some more information on the social media platform to help you get started? Tell us in the comments below…