9 Instagram Marketing Trends To Leverage in 2022
If you thought 2021 was a busy year for social media platforms, 2022 is going to be even busier.
It’s a well-known fact that the only constant thing in social media is change. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula that works with all your audience at all times. The key to winning is to continually follow up on trends that excite the audience the most.
Being one of the most popular social media platforms, Instagram experiences constant changes in trends and what users expect. This article will throw light on some of the Instagram marketing trends to leverage in 2022.
Instagram Stories May Become Longer
The 15-second stories may feel like a big restriction to most. To enhance the freedom offered by the platform to content creators, Instagram is testing 60-second stories. This means that you can upload a single video instead of four 15-second chunks.
This is a great opportunity for marketers to offer a better experience with fewer interruptions. Along with this, you can add music and effects to the 60-second video. As this feature is being tested since November 2021, it’s highly likely it will become a common feature this year.
Instagram Link Stickers Is Becoming Popular
A year ago, the swipe-up feature was most marketers’ go-to strategy to quickly convert the audience into customers. However, this feature was removed in August 2021 with the introduction of link stickers.
As the name suggests, they are hyperlinks in the form of stickers that enable brands to link out to products or external sources. Similar to most Instagram stickers, link stickers typically have a consistent look. When users tap on the sticker, they’re redirected to the chosen web page. Although initially it was made available only to accounts with more than 10,000 followers, Instagram has now made it available to everyone.
In-App Shopping
Another Instagram marketing trend to watch out for in 2022 is the increase in in-app shopping content. Since a good percentage of shoppers use Instagram to find new products, it makes more sense to introduce new ways to enable users to shop without leaving the app.
Such posts are called shoppable posts and the easiest way to identify them is by checking for a little shopping bag in the lower-left corner. Users can tap on the post to see more information.
Reels Is Becoming More Popular
Instagram Reels, which is considered Instagram’s answer to TikTok, is becoming more popular. Reels allows users to create short-form video content of 15 seconds and is currently available in more than 50 countries.
Reels are a great way to create TikTok-style content and follow similar trends without having to go through the efforts of building your audience on TikTok. Since Reels is a feature integrated into the Instagram app and not a standalone application, marketers should plan to create Reels content in their Instagram marketing strategy. You can use an online video maker to create entertaining content and win the Reels game.
Video Memes Will Rule
Memes are a great way to increase your brand’s awareness. Although static memes can do wonders, video memes can do even more. More precisely, they’re the next phase of evolution for memes. It’s a more engaging and dynamic format than static memes and can also impact your audience deeper.
Instagram Drops
Ever wondered how you can use Instagram to generate buzz for an upcoming product launch? Instagram Drops is the answer you’re looking for. Launched in May 2021, the Drops feature enables brands to tease their new product lines, generate interest, and increase awareness before they become available for purchase.
Users can tap on products to browse in advance and also tap the remind button to get a notification when the product line launches. Once the products are launched, users can buy them on the Instagram app itself.
User-Generated Content Will Become Even More Important
User-generated content, or simply UGC, as the name suggests, is content created by users. They already have a huge impact on building trust and are a reliable source of social proof. Consumers trust UGC more than the content generated by companies and this is true in the case of all types of user-generated content.
User-generated content is incredibly useful to increase the trustworthiness of your brand. It increases the desirability of your products and can also be seen as a form of influencer marketing.
Rise of Relatable Nano Influencers
Influencer marketing has long been a significant aspect of Instagram marketing. However, gone are the days when companies only worked with celebrities to increase brand awareness. Today’s customers trust nano influencers more than celebrities. This means that influencer marketing doesn’t always have to be about spending thousands of dollars on celebrity endorsements.
As the name suggests, nano influencers are those with smaller but loyal followings. They have closer and better relationships with their audience, unlike celebrities. It’s a cost-effective influencer marketing approach that’s highly likely to give a better return on investment.
Instagram Guides
Although Instagram Guides has been around for quite some time, it will gain more significance in 2022. The Guides feature is an easy way to share scrollable content on Instagram. It’s a useful format if businesses want to share tips, step-by-step guides, and recommendations. There are three different Guide formats: Places, Products, and Posts.
The Guides feature is an excellent tool for brands looking to add additional context or commentary to their shoppable posts on Instagram. This feature can also open up new opportunities for influencers as they can use it to curate a list of recommendations.
In Conclusion
The biggest thing about Instagram in 2022 is that it’s no more a photo-sharing app. It has grown to become an immersive platform that lets you engage with large numbers of potential customers. Of course, this list of trends is not an exhaustive list of what you’ll see in 2022. The best thing to do as a marketer is to continually research trends and understand the likes and dislikes of your target audience.
