Embracing the Future on Instagram
Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, recently announced that Instagram is no longer “just a square photo-sharing app.” For those following the platform’s progress over the past few years, the Instagram Update 2021 news isn’t such a surprise. Instagram has added several features including Stories, Reels, and IGTV geared specifically towards increasingly popular video content. However, Instagram’s announcement is part of a larger trend. Video sharing apps like YouTube and TikTok are gaining traction in the social media sphere. As Mosseri mentions in his announcement video, the pandemic accelerated the shift of commerce from offline to online, and all social media platforms are adjusting to provide more opportunities for brands to engage with consumers on social media.
What Instagram’s Update Entails for Brands
The 2021 Instagram update, slated for implementation by the end of this summer, will be tailored entirely to video content. The update’s main changes include showing users recommendations for topics they can follow, offering sponsored and promoted content on users’ feeds and making video content more immersive by offering a broader full-screen experience (rather than Instagram’s defining square format). The update will also introduce a new algorithm that will prioritize video content over photo content, making the need to switch up your Instagram strategy essential.
While the change came as a shock to many, the focus on video content allows brands to exercise a greater deal of creativity and harnesses several new ways to advertise. Influencers and creative marketing tactics are already wildly successful, particularly on TikTok where brands like Aerie and Zara are driving users directly to their products for a direct impact on sales, as are many smaller-scale artists and designers. Real-time experiences are shown directly to users for a more conversational and personal touch for brand interaction and introduction. Whether trying out a new product, visiting a restaurant as we return to in-person activities and much more, these personal promotions lend a tone of authentic fandom.
Utilizing Instagram’s Featured for Brand Strategy
Whether looking to build on influencer strategies, upgrade current content, or simply keep up with the changing social realm, here is what you need to know about Instagram’s video-centric features:
Instagram
Reels allow users to create 15- to 30-second multi-clip videos with audio, special effects and creative tools all accessible within the app, like TikTok. These tools are, in simplest terms, applied like a filter but more intricate and with many more options for creating custom content. Reels allow users to showcase their true personalities and in turn, provide more engaging content that results in expanded reach. With the Instagram update’s new algorithm, this will only be more pertinent. Check out these 20 tips to make the best Instagram Reels.
Instagram Stories
Stories and live videos are arguably the best way to capture content in the moment, which is trending right now. Posting videos in real-time pertinent to your brand is a quick way to generate an easy glimpse into your brand in real-time. It even welcomes the opportunity for increased click-through rates to your brand’s profile. In order to remain a consistent and reliable brand presence, it’s best to agree internally to set brand guidelines for stories including the topic of the content, style of video, and even preset themes to post and save to Instagram Highlights. Saving this content allows users to revisit your stories at the top of your profile, even after the 24-hour window for any story has elapsed.
Instagram Live
“Going live” is a popular way to increase brand exposure and give followers direct engagement. Like live radio once was, Instagram Live is a means of speaking directly to users who tune in to your live session. The main benefit from this feature is that when a user “goes live,” followers are alerted via notification and the “Live” appears at the front of the stories feed. One of the best ways to gain traction with this feature is to host Live sessions with another harmonious brand. Your session will be jointly promoted to all of your combined followers allowing for cross-exposure to new users. While on Instagram Live, users who have tuned in can comment directly, which creates an ideal format for Q&As, product reveals, location tours and more.
IGTV
IGTV is a feature for sharing long-form video on Instagram. While short form and long-form content mean different lengths depending on the platform, with IGTV, you can upload up to 60 minutes of video. This is one way in which Instagram is allowing for far more content than TikTok where content is limited to three minutes at maximum for select creators. IGTV opens the door to more in-depth brand content. Using IGTV, brands can expand visibility into products, services and topics. And to be frank, a lot can be said and done within 60 minutes. Reusing popular video content, repurposing blog posts, emails or social posts and utilizing tutorials and how-to videos are among the most effective ways for businesses to use IGTV.
No matter what your strategy on Instagram and across all social platforms has been up to this point, it’s clear that video is the way of the future. Fortunately, this new Instagram update presents a laundry list of advantages for video users when it comes to exposure, engagement and creativity.
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Wondering how your brand can implement more video content into your social media strategy? Relevance International’s digital division can help.
