Social media is continually changing and evolving. Each new year brings new algorithm updates and emerging trends that dictate how we interact online.
This brings us to the question: how can you make sure you’re getting the most out of your Instagram?
The last thing you want to do is to waste your time using the wrong filters and annoying GIFs that aren’t going to do anything for your ROI. With a vast audience available to look at your content, you don’t want to miss out on what’s ahead.
Let’s take a look at what you need to know about Instagram in 2019.
1. The Birth of IGTV
IGTV is the newest online video-platform for smartphone users.
Instagram created this platform as a way for users to share videos that are longer than a few seconds. This isn’t the type of video platform that’s going to replace YouTube. Rather, it gives advertisers a way to connect directly with their audience through video playback online.
IGTV gives brands the opportunity to create longer form content. This reflects the new stats that show that the younger generation loves being able to live stream their favorite influences straight from their smartphones.
You can use IGTV yourself to share new and upcoming changes in your brand, as well as creating a series of videos that are going to keep your audience engaged and interested.
2. Expanding Your Social Narrative with Instagram Stories
There are many different components to your Instagram page. One of these is your Instagram stories. Instagram stories play a vital part in any brands Instagram marketing strategy.
Instagram statistics have shown this year that people have been moving closer towards video as their preferred media online – which is why IGTV is going to be so popular in 2019.
An important thing to remember when you use your Instagram stories to draw in your audience is that they don’t have to be complicated. You can show simple things to your followers through your stories.
These may include a behind the scenes peek at your daily routine or how you work at the office. You can also use Instagram stories to create polls and ask your audience their opinion on certain products.
As we ring in the New Year, Instagram has been adding a number of different tools to their stories feature. These include stories polls like we mentioned, stories ads and stories re-share.
3. Keeping Up with Your Engagement
With features like stories polls becoming more popular, it’s no surprise that engagement is still one of the most critical aspects of running a successful Instagram page.
As Instagram grows in popularity, more Instagram experts and influencers are making the most of outsourcing their engagement so that they can have time to focus on other parts of their branding.
While Instagram engagement is important, it’s also one of the most time-consuming tasks when creating and running a brand on Instagram. This is why it’s a good idea to recruit the help of trustworthy third-parties who can share their expertise and advice while growing your engagement for you.
The more you engage with your audience, the more likely they are to engage with you back. Instagram is bringing out an emoji slider feature in 2019, which like a poll will let users decide how much they like or dislike something.
4. Shopping Posts are Popular
In recent months, Instagram has been growing steadily more appealing to sellers, businesses and e-commerce brands. Marketing on this social media platform has reached new heights as companies have discovered that up to 70 percent of Instagram users use their smartphone to purchase products.
Instagram is expanding their shoppable posts features with more formats and countries included as we head into 2019.
Helping your customers purchase your product through your posts is one of the best forms of engagement currently online. If you are integrating shoppable posts on your Instagram and your stories, then you’re making it easy for your audience to buy your product.
All your followers have to do is click on the ‘shop now’ button on your shoppable posts. While this feature has been around for a little while now, it’s being updated all the time which means that it’s a feature to look out for in 2019.
5. Pay to Play Takes Over Instagram
Up to eight out of ten Instagram users follow at least one business account currently, with this statistic projected to increase as we go into 2019. Luckily, you can explore the benefits of paid promotion to increases your chances of success on Instagram.
While promoting your posts isn’t necessarily the same as an ad campaign, there are still things you can do to make sure that your content is going to stand out from the crowd.
To do so, make sure that you know your aggregated reach data available on your Instagram like the back of your hand. It’s also worth promoting a post and then tracking its success so that you know where to put your money the most.
While organic reach will still be somewhat relevant in 2019, you will struggle to gain engagement without implementing paid promotions.
Final Thoughts
As each year passes, Instagram becomes more appealing to both consumers and businesses.
However, unless you adapt and adjust to the changes that are continually occurring on the platform, you won’t be able to keep up with what your target audience needs.
With the right tools and a good level of commitment, it’ll be a lot easier for you to stay on top of a social media platform that’s ever-evolving.
