When Instagram first appeared on the scene in 2010, it was like any other social platform: full of selfies, pets, and food photos.
2022 is the year of transformation: Instagram is no longer just a photo-sharing app, but a complete marketing channel.
Just look at some of the platform’s latest features! In the past year alone, Instagram has released dozens of new tools for businesses and new ways to target traffic from Instagram stories and the reel format.
Whether you work in e-commerce or any other field, it’s now essential to have a presence on this social network; if you want to stand out, you can’t leave everything to chance and need to know the platform and your audience. Learn with us about Instagram’s must-have new features and build the best strategy for your brand:
Instagram’s algorithm
Instagram’s algorithm is a set of instructions on how and when any given user views a given piece of content and depends on hundreds of factors such as history, location, profile, device, popularity, relevance, etc.
As algorithms revolutionize, marketing tactics must be modified. Yesterday’s techniques may be less effective tomorrow, so your social strategy must also constantly evolve.
On Instagram in particular, posting regularly with the right hashtags does not necessarily guarantee that your new content will always reach the audience you want; instead, you will have to work in synergy with new updates and always ride on the new features offered by the platform, shaking up your approach to marketing on Instagram.
Although it is essential to keep in mind that the new algorithm is subject to constant change, these three main ranking factors can still help you define your Instagram strategy:
- Relationship with users.
If users have interacted with many of your past Instagram content, they will be more likely to see your future content. You will understand how important it is to build a loyal audience. - Interest shown by the user.
Users interacting with content similar to yours are more likely to see your posts. - Relevance of the post.
When you publish a post on Instagram, the algorithm assigns it a relevance score that affects visibility in the feed.
The new trends of 2022
Dance as a communication model
TikTok has evolved significantly in the past year, and music and dancing have become integral to its DNA. From a small startup to a significant social media giant in a few years, Instagram is trying to replicate the model on its platform.
However, the best strategy to adopt is to intercept trends on TikTok and bring them directly back to Instagram, anticipating trends.
Instagram shop
This tool became an essential part of social media in 2021, coinciding with the surge in e-commerce derived from new post-pandemic shopping habits. To date, more than 130 million users click on an Instagram Shop post each month, generating significant traffic for all who take advantage of this tool on their business profiles.
Not in all countries is it possible to complete a purchase directly on Instagram, but the platform confirms its desire to implement this feature in the future.
eMarketer predicts that social commerce will be an $80 billion industry by 2025, and Instagram’s 2022 Trend Report announced that nearly 1 in 4 Gen Z users expect to shop through their social feeds. If you haven’t yet enabled the shopping feature on your account, what are you waiting for?
Creators are key
Four out of five Generation Z Instagram users agree that creators have as much as or more influence than celebrities.
In the United States, 72.5% of marketers are expected to use influencer marketing by 2022, and Instagram’s tools are making it easier for brands to collaborate. The platform’s latest tools allow creators to list the brands they are interested in working with and allow brands to filter and search for creators that are best suited for specific campaigns.
Goodbye IGTV
In October 2021, Instagram announced the retirement of IGTV, its exclusive long-form video format. Users can now post content up to 60 minutes directly to the main Insta feed.
A step backward by the platform makes us realize how better-performing videos will increasingly coincide with short, engaging content.
If you want to make long-form videos, start considering landing on another social network such as YouTube or Twitch.
Long live reels
It seems like reels have been part of Instagram forever, yet it is the newest format on the platform and, according to rumors and data, would be the most rewarded content.
The reel is a short-form video format made to compete with TikTok.
If you have not yet started with Reels, there is no time to waste! TikTok continues to dominate as a social, so Instagram will likely reward users who create Reels, causing increased exposure and engagement.
Links in stories for everyone
Instagram first introduced swipe-up links in stories for accounts with 10,000 or more followers a few years ago, but the link became more equitable last fall. Now anyone can add a link sticker to their story, which opens up a huge opportunity for smaller brands that want to drive traffic to another site or platform.
The return of the chronological feed
Instagram announced in December 2021 that it was experimenting with a possible return to a chronological feed, allowing users to determine which posts are most relevant or important.
And so it has. Users can now have a feed in chronological order or with their favorites.
Collab posts
A perfect innovation for joining the forces of two profiles. Thanks to the “tag collab” feature, you can post a piece of content (photo or video) in collaboration with another profile and benefit from the latter’s popularity. A tool created for traditional profiles, but with a lot of scope for experimentation when used to boost collaborations with influencers and content creators.
Of course, there has been a lot of controversy among Instagram users: with all these new features they have found themselves displaced in front of a social network that they no longer feel is close to their needs. We will see whether 2023 Instagram will take a step back or continue introducing small innovations to make it more appealing to Gen Z.
For a digital entrepreneur like you, staying up-to-date on all platform developments is critical. The only way to succeed on social networks is to ride the wave of changes and experiment as much as possible!
If you want to start selling on social, find out how to do it HERE and make money on social networks by selling dropshipping products using only your smartphone.
Also, don’t miss our tips, “Learn how to sell on social media in an original way using the right tools.” and find out “How to sell online thanks to Social Selling“.
