Updating on Instagram is possible, as information is getting smarter, both in terms of how it is produced and the tools used to tell a news story and how it is enjoyed. Newspaper homepages are changing; just take a look at Enrico Mentana’s new creature, Open, to realize how smartphones have revolutionized the way news is discovered.

The use of news apps for professionals is also growing. At the same time, news contaminates all digital environments frequented by readers. Yes, we are talking about social networks and, in particular, Instagram, which tops the preferences of Italian users.

According to data from the Digital News Report, our country ranks third on a global scale among those where this platform is used as a source of news. It is done by 17% of subscribers, 4% more than last year. And, what is even more interesting, to be “successful” as sources of information are, for the most part, new accounts: digital publishing projects, such as Will Media and Torcha, or ordinary people who have started to use their accounts to deal with popularization to the point of building a significant following and, above all, some credibility.

We have seen some valuable tips for journalists on Instagram, while today we are recommending eight accounts that take advantage of the potential of social, and stories, to make news.

The Instagram accounts we selected

Without being afraid to put their faces on it and, indeed, with a good talking point, here are the protagonists of the accounts we selected. In life there are those who study, those who work as speakers, those who do journalism and those who do anything but. The profiles we have chosen are linked by the fact that each of them has invented a personal column to tell about something, or has been able to build a coherent narrative on a topic, just online.

It is nothing but an unconventional way of reporting, with the care given by transparency and the effectiveness of spontaneity. Let’s get to know today’s eight protagonists better.

#unaltrarotta by @martine.ce

During the summer of 2018, Martina Cera embarked on a journey of discovery through Italy. Her goal, however, was not so much the scenic or cultural wonders as the places of migrant reception. Thus was born #unaltrarotta, a journey to see “directly,” through the eyes of social media, one of the most discussed phenomena of recent years.

Now Martina speaks not only about immigration, but also about current and foreign affairs. In simple and direct language, Martina explains to her nearly 14,400 followers how the conference on Libya in Palermo went, or the most useful tools to get informed about terrorism on a global scale.

#parlagourmet by @florenciafacose

Florencia Di Stefano-Abichain is a true volcano of ideas, projects and contents. As radio speaker for Radio Popolare, she is one of the two voices of Ordinary Girls, one of the most beloved and followed female-led podcasts produced by Storytel. Her love of language, written and spoken, has led her to carve out a small and useful column with the mouthwatering title: #ParlaGourmet.

Have you ever wondered where the word “tamarind” comes from, or why we say “making toast”? Florencia answers punctually, even giving useful anecdotes to spend during your next dinner with friends.

Monday’s (non)review by @grand_erre

You cannot miss, among the accounts to follow, a press review. Which is also an essential tool to discover and integrate into one’s business strategy. In this regard, here an in-depth look at the service dedicated to the Press Review curated by L’Eco della Stampa. Back to us, the one that Rachele produces, every Monday, is original because it deals with relevant news, but which often ends up at the bottom of the newspaper pages.

We talk about foreign affairs in a broad sense, from Trump’s policies to environmental disasters in Asia, but also about Italy between politics and social issues. In a handful of stories, once a week, it is possible to keep abreast of what is happening in the world and draw some valuable insights to then open a newspaper for real.

The economy for dummies by @imenjane

Imen Boulahrajane is the familiar name in this selection. When we started journalism on Instagram in late 2018, Imen had “only” 13,700 followers. Today, almost two years later, she has more than 300,000. In the meantime, a lot has happened in the life of the young, class of 1995, aspiring economist: from institutional meetings to the founding of Will, to the controversy triggered by a newspaper article that pointed out that – despite proclaiming herself to be one – she had not (yet, at least) earned a degree in economics.

The “case” of @imenjane is also interesting because, despite the media storm, she has not seen her number of followers drop drastically. And, indeed, after a period of silence, she has resumed posting in stories the content that made her famous and followed: the telling of current events and economics in simple language. For her very young community, she remains a credible reference point, and that, on social, is a strength.

America gets close with @francescocosta

Of course, in our in-depth look at accounts to follow on Instagram to get informed, one cannot miss Francesco Costa, deputy editor of Il Post and curator of the project “From Coast to Coast.” An experiment in cross-media storytelling of the contemporary United States between podcasts, newsletters, a book published by Mondadori and – for the past year or so – also Instagram. Costa was among the first journalists to appeal to his colleagues to tell more about themselves on this social network, and to set a good example, he began declining news about the United States in posts and stories. A successful experiment, the numbers also confirm it: by now, over 90,000 followers of Francis.

From South America to Italy with @ceciliasala

Cecilia Sala is a brilliant young Italian journalist. Included by Forbes among the Under 30 most influential in Europe, she has made a name for herself through her reportages, published on Rai Tre, Vanity Fair and L’Espresso, from Iran and Venezuela. What is interesting is that she has been able – and continues to do so – to very effectively combine a more traditional communication with the use of Instagram to tell different audiences about her everyday work.

With @valerionicolosi on the border

Also very interesting is the online account of Valerio Nicolosi, a freelance journalist, photojournalist and filmmaker who works mainly in at-risk areas. The added value of what we find on his profile is precisely the opportunity to reach where normally most of us cannot. Through posts, videos, and stories, Nicolosi shows what happens on the margins, on the borders, including those nearby that are behind our homes but about which we often don’t know much. Instagram turns out to be a particularly powerful medium for this kind of reporting that the journalist is, progressively, exploring more and more.

A #zerowaste life with @4_ourearth

We conclude our roundup of Instagram accounts to follow for information with @4_ourearth. That the consequences of climate change are now a reality is not news. The question is what to do concretely? Here you will find some simple answers and proposals, dropped into daily life for a #zerowaste and as #plasticfree life as possible. Many small daily gestures that can make a difference and that we can find at our fingertips, between a friend’s photo and a relative’s boomerang.

Do you follow accounts of “regular” people who put one of their expertise to use to inform? Let us know in the comments!