What Businesses Need to Know About Instagram's Upcoming Changes

Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. Designed to help people share images and videos with their family members and friends, the platform has become a popular way for businesses to reach their potential customers and clients. Recently, the CEO of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, shared a video on his personal Instagram and Twitter accounts, stating that Instagram might no longer be a photo-sharing app after the recent round of Instagram updates. The company is looking to lean more into the video and entertainment world in an effort to keep up with competitors such as YouTube and TikTok. What does this mean for the future?

Changing the Way People Think About Instagram

In describing some of the changes that Instagram is making, it is clear that the platform is aiming for a more immersive experience that dominates the entire screen. The goal is to get the audience more involved in the entertainment world. In doing so, Instagram wants to jettison the reputation of being a “square photo app meant for sharing images” and instead wants to be a general entertainment platform that is driven by algorithms and videos, diversifying the options that are available to the users. Even though the methodology is a bit vague, Instagram has had a full-screen experience for some time thanks to reels and stories. Even so, Mosseri wants the platform to embrace the broader video experience.

What Do Businesses Need To Know About the Switch?

Instagram has become a major priority for companies that are trying to reach their customers and clients. With the updates rolling out soon, companies need to start planning now if they want to stay ahead of their competitors and take full advantage of Instagram’s digital marketing capabilities. There are four key areas that businesses need to know. They include:
•    Videos: The first priority is creators, which includes businesses. There are going to be new monetization features that businesses can use when they share videos on the app. The monetization features on Instagram could be similar to YouTube and TikTok.
•    Shopping: The pandemic has accelerated a shift that was already taking place in the world of commerce. Now, many people are looking to buy products and services online, and Instagram is going to capitalize on that trend. Businesses should be ready to provide products and services to their customers online through Instagram.
•    Messaging: Finally, Mosseri is also thinking about messaging. This has become the primary way that people connect with each other as well as businesses. Communication has started to shift away from broader feed posts and toward direct contact. Businesses should prepare to use Instagram to develop stronger, more personal relationships with the target market.
Instagram will also be adding something called a creators fund to encourage people to share videos on the platform. Mark Zuckerburg, CEO of Facebook (which owns Instagram), announced that $1 billion is going to go toward creators through 2022, incentivizing creators to post content on the platforms early and often.

If companies are able to think about these changes ahead of time, they should position themselves well to build on the new platform and effectively reach their customers and clients.

Considering the Algorithms

As Instagram rolls out these updates, businesses should expect that the company is going to be toying with its algorithms as well to make sure their users get the best experience possible. Expect to see full-screen, immersive, mobile-first entertainment. Companies need to make sure that everything they post is optimized for mobile devices if they want to rank highly on Instagram’s new algorithms. Marketing professionals must stay on top of these changes.

Looking to the Future of Instagram

Even though there are some major changes coming to Instagram in the near future, it will remain a powerful digital marketing platform. Companies simply need to adjust the way they use it. If they can stay informed on Instagram’s changes, they should be able to respond faster than their competitors and make a bigger impact on their target markets.

If you need help building out a solid social media strategy or creating great content reach out to us here.