Did you know that over 80% of Instagram users follow at least one business, with more than 200 million visiting at least one business profile every day? Instagram is no longer just a place to post pretty images. The platform is a space to engage with customers, share new experiences, and build a community of raving fans that keep coming back for more. After writing about how to use Instagram Stories in 2019, I wanted to know what other Instagram trends we should follow. The trends below will help you battle low engagement levels, increase your following, and help you track what content is most successful. I have found these trends in Lizzie Davey‘s article.
1. Instagram trends: Personalized content experiences
Instagram carefully curates a user’s individual feed by using data from other posts they have liked and interacted with. This provides users with a highly curated, personalized experience, but brands can also get creative and build personalized experiences for every user outside of Instagram’s algorithm. In fact, marketers see an average increase of 20% in sales when they create personalized experiences.
Use Instagram as the starting point for your personalized campaign. Direct users to a landing page where they can take a quiz or choose from several options to get a more personalized outcome. Use the information you have collected to promote specific and relevant products to the user.
2. Instagram trends: Brand customized AR filters
At Facebook’s F8 conference, the focus lay heavily on Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. And, although it seems like a feature of a futuristic sci-fi film, these types of technology are going to become the norm on social media.
Take the “cutesy” face filters that are already doing the rounds; these are a form of AR and show the creative possibilities this technology has. We will also see more custom stickers on Instagram as more and more businesses create their own GIPHYs and stickers that can be used in Stories to promote their brand.
Currently, brands have to work directly with Instagram to create their own branded filters. This will change over the next year when you will be able to create customized filters instantly. For now, start thinking about ways you can use AR and custom stickers to promote certain product lines.
3. Instagram trends: Instagram Shopping and product tagging
There are talks of a new shopping app that is coming to Instagram in the next couple of months. Instagram Shopping will let users scroll through products from brands that they follow before purchasing directly in the app. When you take into account that 4 out of 5 Instagram users follow at least one business, this could be huge news for brands on the platforms.
Shopping has become an increasingly popular activity on Instagram, and this new feature will take the frustration out of users having to navigate away from the platform to make a purchase. In fact, almost a third of online shoppers say they use social networks to browse for new items to buy, with Instagram taking the second spot after Facebook as the most popular channel to shop on.
If you cannot wait for this new app to come to fruition, there are other options. Tag products in Instagram posts and Stories by selecting a photo, tapping the products you want to tag in the photo, and entering their names. If you are a verified account on Instagram, you can use the “swipe up” feature in Stories to link directly to a landing page.
This will give brands the chance to share their latest lines with consumers.
4. Instagram trends: Instagram story ads
Four hundred million people watch Instagram Stories every single day. At the same time, Facebook advertising is increasing in cost, which means many brands are turning to Stories advertising. Although it is still early days with this form of advertising, it is already reaping huge results for brands and will likely be one of the biggest Instagram trends in 2019.
Connect your Instagram account to your Facebook Ads Manager. Create a new campaign in your Facebook Ads Manager, and click the option to display it in Stories. Choose an objective and demographics for your campaign. Create eye-catching graphics. Make your Stories ads as real as possible, so they blend in.
5. Creative use of Instagram Stories
Instagram originally limited its Stories feature to 15-second-long videos, but now, if you want to upload a longer video, the app will automatically slice it up into 15-second segments that seamlessly follow on from one another. This means you do not have to worry about timing your videos to the second. Instead, you can focus on creating epic content that your audience will love.
Upload your video as you normally would to a Story. If you’re happy with the way Instagram Stories has segmented the video, click the “Next” button to share it with your followers.
6. Instagram trends: Greater emphasis on user-generated content
Research shows posts that feature user-generated content have a 4.5% higher conversion rate on Instagram than those that do not. Therefore, you should be incorporating content made by your customers into your marketing plan. This kind of content, which might include reviews or images of your products taken by customers, is well-trusted by potential future buyers. Leveraging user-generated content also allows you to have quick access to lots of content that you have not had to create, fund, and distribute yourself.
Create a hashtag. Encourage your followers to post their images under this hashtag by announcing it in your posts, Stories, and other social media channels. Then, re-post the best content on your own feed or as Stories
7. Instagram trends: Niche content
70% of marketers are creating more content than ever before, and that number is only set to get higher. This means that there are increasingly more marketers fighting to win the attention of the same audience, which is no easy feat. As a result, we see more and more brands niching down their focus to target a very specific segment of their overall audience.
Consider the different segments of your audience. Rather than targeting everyone who might like your product or service, choose a specific segment to focus on.
8. Instagram trends: Influencer marketing with nano-influencers
Brands are increasingly choosing to side-step working with Instagram influencers with millions of followers. Instead, they are opting to collaborate with much smaller users, some of which have as little as 1,000 followers. According to a Nielsen report, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from individuals more than brands even if they do not know them. This means that, in 2019, we will see more brands opting to work with nano-influencers in an attempt to reach a more focused audience.
Identify key figures in your industry and look at engagement levels rather than follower count. Send these users a selection of your products to snap photos of or create an experience that they can share. Also, work with nano-influencers to come up with campaign ideas that fit their niche audiences.
9. Instagram trends: Instagram destinations
More and more “Instagram-friendly” venues are popping up all over the world. For instance, cafes are painting feature walls, and restaurants are placing more emphasis on the presentation of their food. These places are heavily focused on the Instagram shares they can get.
Set up a real-life, offline place where users can come to snap Insta-friendly photos. Encourage visitors to share pictures of your designated “destination” with posters and social media shout-outs. Then, share uploads from visitors with your followers by re-posting or including them in your Stories.
10. Customize nametags
Instagram’s newest feature, the Nametag, has taken off and is set to be one of the biggest Instagram trends of 2019. Instead of having to spell out your handle to potential followers you can now show or send them your Nametag to scan, which leads them straight to your profile and that all-important follow button.
However, like with anything on Instagram, brands are starting to get more creative with the way they use these Nametags. As well as personalizing them with selfies, cute emojis, and brand colors, you can also customize them to focus on specific annual events or holidays.
Gain followers faster by making it as easy as possible for potential leads and customers to follow your Instagram feed by displaying your Nametag wherever you deem appropriate.
Instagram tips
With more content being published than ever, it is time to get creative and stand out. It is safe to say that 2019 will be an exciting year for this ever-popular social media platform. You can follow these Instagram trends mentioned above, but you can also master the older tips I gave you. In 16 Killer Instagram Hacks and Features for the Entrepreneur, you will learn five ways to establish a consistent brand presence on Instagram as well as sixteen killer Instagram hacks and features. The Ultimate Guide to Hashtags on Instagram gives you tips and tools for hashtags on Instagram, allowing you to grow the reach of your posts and, ultimately, your company. I hope that helps!
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This article was written for Business 2 Community by James Spillane.
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