Instagram is No Longer a Photo Sharing App
For those of you who don’t know, Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced the radical changes coming to the platform over the next few months. In a candid post on IGTV, Mosseri says the app is no longer a photo-sharing app, but will shift to “entertainment”, short-length videos, and shopping.
“The number on reason people say they use Instagram, in research, is to be entertained.” He went on to explain that he recently told the company that this data is encouraging them to lean in to the current trend of video content. Think about it, TikTok and youTube are BIG competitors in the world of social media right now. Of course, there’s hundreds of thousands of key creators on Instagram, but a large portion of them have a following because they’re celebrities, or started their influence on another platform (like TikTok). In order for Instagram to stay relevant and on top of the latest trend, it needs to evolve into something new.
“And so people are looking to Instagram to be entertained, and there’s stiff competition, and there is more to do, and we have to embrace that,” he continues. “And that means change.”
To read more on the story, view PetaPixels article.
So what does this mean for businesses/bloggers?
F*ck.
I love Instagram, it’s the absolute lifeblood of this blog - It’s where I get most of my website clicks and how most of my clients have found me. My personal profile is where I’ve tested out new concepts and marketing ideas to use on my brand and my clients. The idea of it completely flipping to become a video-based app is a little scary.
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As a marketer, you’re used to changed your strategy every few months to soothe the ever-changing algorithm. But such a drastic change is unusual for any social media platform. I know a fair few businesses, and clients that have adopted reels and IGTV at the drop of a hat. But there’s countless others who haven’t even dipped a toe in video-content. Personally, i’ve tested out reels on my blog account a lot, and I’ve began to work on reels for clients. But the time and energy it takes to produce video content is just way to much for anyone managing other platforms.
As always, changes like this are unavoidable, and in a world where content is king, you have to adapt to whatever curveballs are thrown in your direction.
User needs, and the rules on engaging your audience are always evolving. If you want to get the most out of your social media account, you have to keep on track of the latests news and updates. If you love what you do it’s worth the effort, but if you’re not willing to put the time in. Is there much point?