Rise of the Instagram City

Cities have become obsessed with going viral.

2 minute read

January 3, 2018, 7:00 AM PST

By Elana Eden


Los Angeles Sunset

James Brasuell / Instagram

If you want to test your city's brand power—that is, its tourism appeal—try searching its name on Instagram. Social media impressions have become a valuable currency for cities seeking to beef up their tourism economies, and to build this particular form of marketing clout, many major cities are investing heavily in outsized, iconic displays designed to function as the perfect backdrop for highly shareable selfies.

"In urban space, our desire to photograph and share virtually everything has spawned a new genre of urban pleasure grounds. They specialize in Instagram bait, a hybrid of ultra-popular immersive art … and increasingly ubiquitous brand activations," Benjamin Schneider writes in CityLab. "These social factories, as they might be called, tone down the art and branding aspects, leaving their social media appeal to do the heavy lifting."

Schneider's definition is part of CityLab's tongue-in-cheek "guide to the #GrammableCity," a collaborative analysis of the photo-friendly public art trends cities are adopting to drum up social media attention and attract ever more tourists. (Among the more fashionable choices: larger-than-life letter sculptures, faux street art in rainbow palettes, and ubiquitous decorative lights.) The writers also explore the phenomenon's broader implications for art, civic institutions, and infrastructure: Cities' obsession with social media tourism, Kriston Capps writes, has grown to the point that some have eschewed crucial city lifelines in favor of flashy new visuals—as when New York chose to outfit MTA bridges with LEDs over funding basic repairs to the crumbling system.

The civic craze over easily replicable, eminently consumable "Instagram bait" isn't likely to wind down in the near future, CityLab authors agree. Rather, as Schneider writes, "Every part of the real world stands to be 'socialized.'"

Friday, December 29, 2017 in CityLab

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

July 11 - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

July 11 - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

July 11 - Cities Today