Instagram is Evolving
Instagram has grown to be one of the most influential social media platforms in the world. With over 1 billion users, it now has the power to generate some of the highest engagement rates we have seen in digital marketing. However, the platform is not only continuing to grow – it is also evolving.
Last night Instagram’s head honcho, Adam Mosseri, announced that the platform is “no longer a photo-sharing app or a square photo-sharing app”. Instead, the company will be making fundamental changes to what people see when they open the app. One of these changes is showing people full-screen videos in their feeds, rather than allowing them to scroll through pictures taken by their friends alone.
The decision to move away from the square photos that helped build the app was influenced by market research which found that most people come to Instagram to be “entertained”. Mosseri also said that competition from TikTok and YouTube is fuelling the increased focus on video. These comments suggest that Instagram will work even harder to take on TikTok, which it has already done with the introduction of Reels mid-last year, which replicated many of TikTok’s core features.
What do the changes mean for you?
Instagram’s change in content presentation will align the platform in more direct competition with TikTok. The shift will encourage Instagram users to make the most of longer and more frequently posted video content, which means you will likely find yourself spending more time in the app. This will create more opportunities for advertisers and sponsored content posts.
On Instagram, it is also expected that users will have less control over what they see in their feeds, meaning more content from accounts users don’t necessarily follow. From a user perspective, it may sound like Instagram will be disrupting your ability to stay connected with friends by filling your feed with irrelevant posts. However, Instagram will still be relying on its algorithm to ensure users remain happy and engaged with the content it presents.
Instagram is evolving, and the platform we know today might not look, feel, or be used the same once these changes take effect. But, with these changes come opportunities to test new features and get more out of the app, both as an advertiser and creator.
