Vivanco Images wrote:
...How important is Instagram?...

George the generally accepted definition of "Important" is

to be of great significance or value; likely to have a profound effect on success, survival, or well-being

That's a fairly high bar for Instagram to clear...  I would recommend that you query the Photographer's Forum on exactly how many shooter's primary revenue stream is derived from work they have booked off their Instagram presence... I believe you'll find the answer you are actually seeking...

However nearly all the agency represented talent and/or agency approved photographers I've collaborated with say the same thing... Tear Sheets trump everything... i.e. being published which for a photographer is indeed a major rite of passage...  Very close to this is your client list... Clients want to know who you have worked for... The more high end clients the better...

That said much depends on your mission purpose... for fashion shooters they seriously need to work directly with every emerging designer possible in their market... and this doesn't equate to shooting runway events... this means shooting entire collections, look-books and major campaigns...

Final thoughts... You are not likely to garner much respect by spamming the Stylist Forum... This is a Professional Forum which is limited to industry related questions... While asking about instagram may be germane however embedding blatant solicitations are consider in poor taste... There already is an Instagram Thread in the Stylist Form... Might consider posting there, k?

Thanks for your thoughtful consideration...