Google Launches An Instagram Account

Instagram is so hot that no one can resist joining in. Not even Google. The search giant, in a joint-celebration over the 40th anniversary of the Rubik’s Cube (??), has today launched its own Instagram account.

So far there is one video post, showing today’s time-sinking Google Doodle. In other words, Google’s first Instagram is kind of, sort of (though not technically), a regram. Come on, Google. Get original!

The company announced the account via Twitter, and its Instagram already has nearly 5,000 followers.

Consumers follow brands and celebrities to get a window into a more realistic world than the tabloids and endless promotional tweets can offer. Google, for all intents and purposes, is building the future of our world, from projects like driverless cars to Google Glass to smarthome implementation.

Plus, Google’s brand perception has changed considerably since launching more than a decade ago. In the late 90s, Google was the little startup with a big dream, and that little startup has now grown to be the most powerful and influential technology company in the world.

Giving users a window into the company’s mission statement, as it’s played out every day by makers and engineers and futurists, can bring back some of the magic of that grassroots effort at the heart of Google.

It’s also worth noting that Google has seemingly killed off Google+ as a true social network play, so there’s relatively less for Google and Facebook to fight over right now.