Instagram has gone from an app that shares puppy photos with vintage-themed filters, to a marketing tool that savvy businesses are taking advantage of. The photo-sharing giant has a billion monthly active users, making it an ideal online marketplace.

From being an emerging app that allows sharing photos of puppies in vintage-themed filters, Instagram has transformed into a marketing tool that savvy businesses ought to have. The photo-sharing giant now has more than 500 million users, making it an ideal online marketplace.