Instagram Updates for 2025: What Marketers Need to Know
Oct 17, 2024
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Chelsea Peitz, an expert in social media for service industry professionals and author of "What to Post," shares her insights on Instagram's latest updates and how they can revolutionize marketing. She discusses exciting new features like the comments sticker for stories, enhanced carousel posts, and product tagging improvements. Chelsea also dives into the potential of Instagram's broadcast channels, upgraded Reels editing tools, and AI collaboration options, all aimed at boosting engagement and sales for brands!
Instagram is a crucial platform for marketers as 90% of users follow businesses, enhancing engagement and lead generation.
The enhanced Stories feature with new commenting options allows marketers to facilitate public discussions and gather immediate feedback.
Instagram's expanded carousel posts and live video capabilities offer marketers deeper storytelling and real-time audience engagement opportunities.
Deep dives
The Importance of Instagram for Marketers
Instagram is a vital platform that marketers should consider integrating into their strategies, even if they currently focus on other social media platforms. A significant 90% of users on Instagram follow at least one business account, making it a fertile ground for brand engagement. Furthermore, 70% of Instagram users discover new products through the platform, and about half of users will visit a website or make a purchase directly after interacting with an Instagram ad. This underscores the platform's potential for lead generation and brand awareness, especially as the algorithm promotes discovery and recommendation, allowing marketers to reach wider audiences.
New Features in Instagram Stories
Instagram continues to evolve its Stories feature, now providing a new commenting option that allows users to interact publicly with different posts rather than only through direct messages. This change is designed to enhance audience engagement by fostering discussions around stories. Marketers can utilize this feature to gather immediate feedback on products or ideas, enabling a community dialog about their content. Additionally, the new stickers—such as 'Add Yours' and 'Reveal'—offer creative ways for users to engage, including sharing personal content and teasing product launches, enhancing interaction during the storytelling process.
Enhanced Carousel Posts for Improved Storytelling
Instagram has recently increased the maximum number of images and videos in carousel posts from 10 to 20, allowing for deeper storytelling and marketing opportunities. This feature is especially beneficial for industries like real estate and retail, where showcasing multiple products or perspectives enhances customer engagement. Furthermore, marketers can now add text directly onto carousel images, eliminating the need for third-party tools and streamlining content creation. This capability not only saves time but also ensures a more cohesive and visually appealing presentation tailored for Instagram’s native audience.
Live Video and Broadcast Channels for Direct Engagement
Instagram’s live video capabilities have expanded to allow users to broadcast within their dedicated channels, offering a personalized way to engage with select audiences. This feature is particularly useful for brands and marketers with more than 10,000 followers, as it allows them to send updates to a subscribed audience without the interference of algorithms. The capability to interact in real-time fosters a sense of community and enhances marketing efforts for exclusive events or product launches. Additionally, audience members can now reply directly to specific messages, paving the way for more interactive communication.
AI Integration in Instagram for Marketers
The integration of AI tools into Instagram, particularly through the Meta AI function, presents significant opportunities for marketers to enhance their strategies. Users can engage with the AI to receive tailored insights, such as top hashtags relevant to their industry, which aids in content optimization. Furthermore, testing is underway for features that allow users to create customized AI personas, simulating interactions based on specific queries or brand contexts. This integration facilitates a more streamlined user experience by providing instant feedback and guidance directly within the app, simplifying content planning and engagement efforts.
Feeling left behind by Instagram's rapid evolution? Need help understanding how recent updates can benefit your business? To explore some of Instagram’s newest features and what they mean to marketers, I interview Chelsea Peitz.