Social Media Updates: Instagram

Instagram Feature

Recently, Instagram has rolled out new features that are solidifying its dominance in the social media world. For brands looking to develop a focused social media strategy, this video and photo-sharing app is a prime place to start. Now, Instagram’s new features ‘IGTV’ and shoppable stories are bringing even more influential potential to brands and creators.

TV Meet Instagram

Video is consuming the internet and Instagram is attempting to claim a seat at the table. If you haven’t noticed already, Instagram has introduced a new long-form video app named ‘IGTV’. Housed in the top right corner of the Instagram app, this new platform hosts vertical videos up to an hour long, compared to the limit of 60 seconds for videos in the main feed. 

The key differentiator of this platform is that it resides locally in Instagram itself and is not a standalone app (like Facebook Messenger). And given the growing popularity of Instagram, reaching 1 billion active users in 2018, the platform is poised for success. With pictures, stories and now long-form video, Instagram is an all-in-one app for creators, consumers and brands. Brands looking to amplify their message need to take advantage of IGTV as quickly as possible.

Stories of a Shopaholic

As we have mentioned before, Instagram is moving further and further into the e-commerce space. Now, Instagram is continuing to consolidate its power with the introduction of shoppable stories. According to Mashable, the app now provides brands with the capability of featuring a product by tagging the item in their story and allowing users to click to shop.

With this addition, Instagram is becoming easier and easier for brands to monetize, especially with stories becoming an increasingly popular way to share and consume content. Like their in-feed shopping, this option seamlessly moves consumers from mere interest in a product to actually taking action and final purchase.

We are interested to see how influencers and brands will use these new features to promote products, and how they will impact their sales.

Allowing your brand’s voice to be heard can be a tough task. Our duty as marketers is to provide our clients with every resource available, including the most up-to-date social media tools and tips. With our expertise and these innovations, we’ll keep your business growing. Contact or stay social with us! We’re just one call, like, follow, retweet, favorite and DM away.