Instagram Trends Are Serving Us Fruit, What's That About?

Instagram trends want you to know that fruit is the latest greatest accessory. Wait, what?

Every time I open Instagram to catch up on what my favorite tastemakers have published, there it is without fail: a flood of fruity posts greeting me as though I had special-ordered them. Not complaining, I love a good vitamin intake, no matter the consumption method. But it's got us thinking here at Dash Hudson, what's with all the fruit on Insta?

Instagram Trends Never Saw This Coming

We actually first identified this trend last summer, and unlike other content fads, this one is still going strong. Stronger than ever, in fact. It's everywhere, from style influencers using it as a fashion accessory, to wellness bloggers throwing them in their tubs for a relaxing soak sesh, to artists using them as props to liven up a still life.

We've seen this trend manifested through many a varietal: peaches, pineapples, cherries, berries, and more omnipresently, citrus in all forms. Whether a lemon, clementine, orange, or grapefruit, the sweet and tangy rind-ridden spheres have been showcased whole, halved, pieced, and ripped on the 'Gram more times than it is feasible to count.

But what gives? I've been scratching my head as to how this image composition movement first arised, and why it's having such a nice long run. Not one day goes by without the birth and the demise of various Instagram trends. Few things ever reach this level of staying power, let alone ubiquity—unless you're the monstera leaf or millennial pink (Glossier pink?). Fatality typically awaits any major craze once its fifteen minutes are up.

Wait, But Why?

Fruit seems a little random, doesn't it? Sure, it's nature's candy, but it's also a pretty mundane comestible item that no one ever thinks twice about unless they're trying to satisfy a sweet tooth without over-indulging.

That said, in the age of pic-or-it-didn't happen, where the most precious currency is a beautiful image shared on social channels, it wasn't that hard to comprehend why sweet produce began permeating our social feeds. Fruit feels fresh, fun, playful. It's pretty, punchy, and furnishes a photo quite nicely. Basically it's an ideal prop to put in a shot you're aiming to share on the 'Gram.

Now here are just a handful of thoughts explaining why we suspect that sweet cucurbits and edible bromeliads appear every time you open Instagram for a scroll sesh.

• It's super photogenic.

Seriously though, can you think of anything that the camera loves more than a delicious-looking, juicy piece of fruit? It has this innate ability to add a point of interest to a frame without upstaging the main act. Plainly put, it's really pretty.

• It adds a pop of color.

It goes without saying: if your still lives are lacking some oomph, a simple fruit can jazz them right up. Pop! goes the vegetation's offspring, without fail.

• It can swing niche or go mainstream.

It's the truth and nothing but: some fruits are appropriate for those with a more niche point of view, like citrus and peaches, while some have a broader mass appeal, like pineapple and berries. The former offers effortless playfulness and subtle hues, while the latter telegraphs less understated and more overt. Conclusion: there is a fruit for every Instagram penchant.

• It feels unexpected and it's intriguing.

When you spot that subdued orange from a peach or bright red revealing a strawberry, all kinds of thoughts probably spring to mind. Such as: "Oh, how fun!" and "Hmm, I wonder why she is carrying a bag full of fruit while dressed fresh af?" or "There's got to be more to this story than just a pair of earrings with an few berries strewn amok..." Right?! Always leave them wanting more (this also applies as a life tip, fyi).

• Tropical places are its natural habitat and that's where influencers go.

In the instance that you've been living under a rock, let us tell you the tale of the modern tastemaker: she flocks to the tropics with the goal of documentation. And with that said, we might have elucidated the mysterious rise of tasty botany—that fruitful photo life may have stemmed from the jet set generation. Could the first sightings of this trend be traced back to globetrotting instagrammers in their natural habitat? Nothing says exotic paradise like a slice of nature's candy, and they've spread the word on Insa.

Is There More to This Tho?

Of course there is. Looking pretty in a pic is one thing, but actually utilizing Instagram trends to bolster your strategy and boost overall content performance is another. And that is precisely what you can do with the fruity fellas we've been going on and on about.

Now that you've read through all that jibber-jabber about fruit being all the rage (bless), we're finally getting to the juicy stuff (pun intended): posting images with fruits in them increases engagement by an average of 35.64%. Say what?! That's right, add a bowl of clementines to you product shot and await the subsequent deluge of double-tabs.

Here's a visual representation of that for it to really sink in:

So there you have it. Fruit has never been so chic and it seems it's here for the long haul. Might be time to do a grocery store run.