Posting to keep the city posted: Exploring the Around Cooper City Instagram account

BY JULIA SAFRIN

A blog run by an anonymous person is what seems like a stereotypical feature of the small towns that appear in movies and TV shows. Although Cooper City is a small town of reality, it is stereotypical and even equipped with an anonymously-ran Instagram account, @around_cooper_city. Many residents follow Around Cooper City in order to stay updated on events occurring in the city.    

The account was started in June 2017, playing up an already used idea. There are many accounts on Facebook similar to Around Cooper City, like Cooper City Neighbors and Friends. However, before Around Cooper City, there weren’t any on Instagram. The owners of the account, who wish to remain anonymous, realized that Instagram is the perfect platform for reaching a younger audience.

“We started this account because we thought Cooper City residents needed useful information,” Around Cooper City said. “There are quite a few groups on Facebook for Cooper City, but there [weren’t] any on Instagram. With Instagram, you can also connect to a younger crowd.”

The account was started to provide useful information to the community, and has since branched beyond that to include advertisements and posters of lost pets. Even as the goals of the account have expanded, one main objective has remained at the center of it all.

“Our goal with the account is to share good information along with services, lost and found and entertainment,” Around Cooper City said. “But, at the end of the day, our main goal is to help the community.”

“We started this account because we thought Cooper City residents needed useful information.”

Running an anonymous account that many Cooper City residents follow doesn’t come without its challenges and constant curiosity about the faces behind the screen.

“Once in a while we get some rude private messages and one of the main challenges is to decide which messages are worth answering and which are not,” Around Cooper City said. “Luckily, most of the messages are positive.”

Running the account has ups and downs like anything else. In this case, however, the good outweighs the bad in the account owners’ eyes.

“The best part about running the account is when we realize that we are actually posting helpful information. For example, during Hurricane Irma we were sharing information about where to find gas, about the portable water condition, what supermarkets were open, et cetera,” Around Cooper City said. “We got lots of appreciation from our followers. The worst part about running the account is to have to keep posting while we are on vacation, but the appreciation and the knowledge that we are helping neighbors and friends is worth the strict commitment.”

“The appreciation and the knowledge that we are helping neighbors and friends is worth the strict commitment.”

Around Cooper City’s first post was on June 26, 2017. Over the last year and a half, the account has accumulated over 1,000 followers and has posted over 200 pictures. The information posted on the account is always accurate and posted in a timely manner.

“I follow the account because it’s nice to know what fun events are going [on] around Cooper,” junior Poria Hong said. “I personally love the account and like to talk to the person who runs it. I find it amazing how quickly they get their information.”

Their schedule of posting information is an independent job that proves to be working out.

“We manage the account ourselves and find the information we post ourselves by keeping an eye open for anything that pertains to Cooper City. We get it from flyers, the internet and by paying attention to what’s happening around town,” Around Cooper City said. “We also get requests from followers to post information regarding their business or event.”

“We do receive many private messages asking who runs the account, however, we’ve never answered those messages.”

Many Cooper City residents who are on Instagram stay updated through the account. Since the account became popular, the question of who runs it has become even more pressing in the minds of followers. Although the account owners share a wide variety of information that is seen by over 1,000 people, their identity is one thing they will keep a tight lip on.

“We do receive many private messages asking who runs the account, however, we’ve never answered those messages and the question still remains because it’s good to remain anonymous,” Around Cooper City said. “That way we avoid taking any comments personally and we know that any comments and likes we receive are genuine and not just people trying to please us.”

Likes and comments on the account don’t go unnoticed. The owners of Around Cooper City appreciate all of the positive feedback followers have provided.

“We thank our followers and will continue to keep them posted with new, exciting, interesting and relevant happenings in Cooper City,” Around Cooper City said.

Around Cooper City is an account here to stay. While the information posted on the account is known to all, it seems the face behind the account never will be. Around Cooper City is focused on one thing: posting information to keep the city informed.

Photo courtesy of Sun-Sentinel