Instagram is one of the most dynamic social media marketing platforms with over 1 billion monthly active users. A few years ago, marketing on this photo-sharing application was limited to content and posts only. With the addition of new features, like Instagram stories, business owners found a great format to market their brand. IGTV, a recent feature in Insta, provides the users with an option to post captivating vertical videos.
With such a dynamic nature of the platform, it is a bit challenging to gauge how it will impact marketing trends. Here, we have created a list of six trends that will shape the future of Instagram marketing in 2021 and beyond. Let’s get started!
Interactive Content
There should be no surprise that content still reigns; thus, it is the most important thing to consider while planning an Instagram marketing strategy. Different forms of interactive content are gaining popularity to drive audience engagement. For example, Instagram stories allow you to create and share interactive content with your audience.
Some of the ways to make your Instagram content more interactive are-
- Try new interactive Instagram stories stickers.
- Create a quiz, or contest relevant to your niche.
- Share teasers or start a countdown to an upcoming event or product launch.
- Create polls using Instagram stories stickers.
- Ask a question, etc.
A Boom In Instagram E-Commerce
Amid the pandemic, Instagram grew into a digital storefront for businesses. ‘Instagram Shop’ feature provides the users with a better way to discover shoppable products; they can use ‘Browse Shops,’ check ‘Editors’ Picks,’ etc. In addition, Instagram has also released e-commerce tools, like Shopping from Creators, Live Shopping, Stories Stickers, etc.
Thus, what was once an application for sharing photos has become a top-notch e-commerce platform for brands and businesses. The visual style of the platform makes it easy for brands to present their products to the audience, further making it easy for the customers and sellers to connect.
Short-Form Video Content
TikTok took the world by storm in 2020 and became a perfect escape for people during lockdowns or quarantine. Instagram took notice of it, and its result was ‘Instagram Reels.’ While Instagram Reels is relatively a new feature, users are enjoying the short video content a lot. This short-form content is easy to share and can go viral within minutes.
With Instagram reels, brands can create informative, useful content and increase their fanbase. Even if you are just starting with Instagram marketing, you can take advantage of Insta reels. Besides, you can also buy Instagram followers in order to grow your profile.
Memes And Tweets
In 2021, there has been a rise in funny content being posted on Instagram. Several Insta accounts post humorous content exclusively. Memes and tweets have become a very popular type of humorous Instagram content; they will grow further in 2021 and beyond. Even more? People post screenshots of funny tweets as stories on Instagram. Marketers are taking advantage of this growing trend. As people love to see humorous content, marketers use their own tweets or post their audience’s tweets to grow their accounts.
Instagram Stories Ads
Insta stories Ads appear in between stories in a user’s feed. People often mistake them for native content; thus, they work better than other Ads types that stand out as sponsored content. Marketers are leveraging it as an opportunity to boost their profiles. More and more businesses are investing in Instagram stories, and this trend seems to grow in 2021 and beyond. You can create Instagram stories in three different forms, i.e., videos, images, and carousels.
Increased Use Of Explore Tab Content
Earlier, the ‘Explore’ tab used to be generic with a number of post suggestions. But now, it’s quite easier to search for new content on Instagram. In addition to a list of post suggestions, one can also search for content by category. Instagram marketers can optimize their Insta profile and content to improve their rank in the categories. Just like we use SEO for improving Google searches, there will be SEO tips for Insta searches too.
These are some of the top Instagram marketing trends you will in 2021 and beyond.
