The head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, announced that Instagram would henceforth be more focused on video content and entertainment. The decision was influenced by the experience of TikTok and Youtube, which Mosseri considers to be direct competitors. Instagram will now display full-screen videos in the feed along with Reels and IGTV.
“We’re no longer just a square photo-sharing app. At Instagram we’re always trying to build new features that help you get the most out of your experience. Right now we’re focused on four key areas: Creators, Video, Shopping and Messaging”, Mosseri noted.
He mentioned the example of TikTok and Youtube, which have succeeded in the video and entertainment market, and stressed that the social network intends to develop in the same direction.
Back in August 2020, a new feature was launched on the Instagram platform - Reels. It allows users to record 15-second clips and add musical and visual effects just like on TikTok.
Instagram is also working on paid stories! The Exclusive story feature will only be available to subscribed users. From screenshots circulated on social media and confirmed by Instagram, we know that the new Exclusive Stories will be coloured purple.
What Does It Mean for Marketing?
If you haven’t leveraged videos on your Instagram marketing strategy before, now is the right time to do so.
With the growing popularity of Instagram video content and a big desire of Instagram management to outrun TikTok and Youtube, it’s clear that users will now be forced to create more and more video content to be able to get discovered by new audiences.
The implementation of Reels has already shown this: a new Reel gets its thousand views in seconds after it’s been uploaded on Instagram. It means that Instagram does its best to push video content. You have surely noticed Reels on the Explore page and an increasing number of Reels made by influencers and brands. This is just the first step.
Besides, it’s worth noting that if you upload a TikTok video that contains a TikTok watermark to Reels, Instagram will not be so happy about it and won’t show your Reel to many people. So try to upload original content to Reels, upload videos first to Reels and then TikTok or at least download your TikTok videos without a watermark.
With the new Instagram development path catering for videos, you should make adjustments to your content plan as well. Do not limit your posts with photos, carousels and stories alone any longer, now add some Reels too.
Stay on top of “Reels trends” and try to make content that you see gets attention from your competitors’ audience.