Social Media Breakdown: Instagram

Two weeks ago we launched a new blog series focused on breaking down some of the most popular social media platforms. As we said in our first entry, each social media platform has its advantages and disadvantages, but when used well, businesses can use these platforms to improve their customer service, generate leads, and even establish themselves as authorities in their chosen fields. We began with the behemoth that is Facebook, and this week we’ll venture into another Meta owned social media platform: Instagram. 

THE BACKGROUND:

I personally always find it fascinating to evaluate the beginnings of a platform, and Instagram is no exception. While the Instagram app was officially launched by Kevin Systrom in October of 2010, the idea for this type of application had been stirring for a while. Systrom actually started with an app called Burbn, which allowed users to check in, post their plans, and share photos. After some increased financing and the meeting of Mike Krieger, the two focused on having the app focus on photography specifically taken on mobile devices. This allowed them to strip down Burbn to only its photo, commenting, and “liking” functions and rebrand it as Instagram - a fun combination of the words “instant” and “telegram.” 

After eight weeks of fine-tuning, they beta-tested, and after resolving some errors, the app was ready to launch in October of 2010. Instagram acquired 25,000 users in one day, and by the end of its first week, the app had been downloaded 100,000 times. It only took until December for the users to reach the one million threshold, and understandably, it began to draw the attention of other social media network founders. 

By April of 2012, Facebook (now Meta) made an offer to purchase Instagram for around $1 billion in cash and stock with the agreement that it would be independently managed. The biggest change since being acquired by Facebook is that the platform is no longer just about photos. Video has become a crucial part of Instagram’s current DNA through the use of stories, reels, Instagram Live, and at one point even InstagramTV. 

THE STATS: 

Instagram today is the 4th most-used social media platform behind Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp, and it averages around 1.3 million daily active users around the world. These users range from preteens to users in the 65+ age group. We recently created an infographic on the percentages of people per age group using the different social media platforms, so you can note Instagram’s numbers in the graphic to your right.

Here are a few other prevalent facts that businesses might find helpful that come to us via HootSuite:

• 1.22 billion people use Instagram each month

• 18-34 year olds make up the biggest share of Instagram's audience (around 60%)

• Gen X males (55-64 year olds) are the fasting growing Instagram audience 

• Instagram’s audience is split evenly between males and females 

• 59% of U.S. adults use Instagram daily

• Adult instagram users are on the app nearly 30 minutes per day 

• 9 out of 10 users watch Instagram videos weekly 

• 58% of users say they’re more interested in a brand after seeing it in a story

• 90% of Instagram users follow at least one business

• The average Instagram business account grows its followers by 1.69% each month

• 50% of people use Instagram to discover new brands, products, or services 

• Instagram’s advertising reach has outpaced Facebook this past year 

THE FEATURES: 

Much like Facebook, Instagram offers the choice of a personal account or a business account. Through a business account, you have access to advertising tools and insights into accounts reached or engaged, followers, or even audience demographics if you have enough engagements. These insights cover not only regularly posted content but also stories, reels, and live videos. 

So, since the two profile offerings are pretty basic, we’re going to break down the kind of content you can share on Instagram instead: 

• Posts

  This is the most basic feature of Instagram and the thing that has been around since its launch in 2010. Its creator might have intended for people to share their photography from mobile devices, but now you can do more than that on a regular Instagram post. You can post a carousel of up to ten photos on a single post, and of course, you can share videos. These are all posts that will pop up on the basic feed for followers, and of course, you can add hashtags to categorize your posts and hopefully gain a wider audience. 

• Stories

  Instagram Stories are a feature that allows a post to stay live for 24 hours from the time it’s posted. Stories can be a variety of things - photos, polls, videos, etc. As you’re constructing a story, you can add embellishments from Instagram’s database like music, emojis, or text, and even if you don’t have a photo or video to use as a background, you can select a plain or gradient colored one for your post. 

  Now, more often than not, you’ll see people sharing videos on Instagram Stories. At the time of writing this, videos must be under 60 seconds total for stories, but they will be broken up into 15-second clips. Instagram will do this for you, but if you want to make sure your clips upload in the right order, we suggest breaking it up into 15-second clips beforehand and then uploading them. 

  Keep in mind that all Instagram Story content is in a vertical format. You can also establish playlists for your stories, so if you don’t want to project it to the public or all of your followers, you can post it only for the accounts you’ve deemed as close friends. 

• Reels

  One of the most popular offerings on Instagram at the moment, though, are Instagram Reels. They are short-form, vertical videos that can be up to 60 seconds long. Instagram users can record and edit together video and photo clips set to music and share them to their Feed, their Stories, and the Reels explore page. Posting a Reel is different because it doesn’t just become available to your followers; users see Reels from all Instagram accounts on the Reels tab. 

• Live Video

  Live video is exactly what it sounds like. You can share live video on your stories, which is particularly helpful for live events or if you have an announcement to make as a company/organization. 

PROS: 

• Potential Reach

  As you can tell from the stats listed above, Instagram provides a great opportunity for businesses to reach larger audiences through single posts. Also, while their numbers are not as high as Facebook’s, it is one of the better platforms to reach a wider range of age groups. 

• Advertising Tools

  Much like Facebook, Instagram makes it easy to create advertising campaigns that can reach the demographics of your target audience. You can make all of these through the Meta Business Suite on Facebook, but the whole process is fairly simple and cost-effective. We should also bundle the analytics tools into this point because those insights directly within the app are helpful and can inform future marketing decisions. 

• Visuals Based

  I realize that this may not be a pro for some, but for most companies, having the opportunity to showcase your products or services visually is an asset. That’s what this platform was created for, so it provides an excellent opportunity for businesses to showcase their high-quality photos, graphics, and videos.  

CONS: 

• Posts Don’t Support Clickable Links

  Perhaps the greatest detriment to Instagram for businesses is that its description for posts don’t support clickable links. You can somewhat get around this lack of post links by having the link in your bio, but it is a bit of a hassle at times to not have this convenience. Although, you can have clickable links in your stories using the link sticker. 

• Some Limitations on Content

  The main limitation on content as you could probably guess is the length of videos. 60 seconds is the golden rule, and we suggest that you stick to it. Also, while there is plenty of room in your post captions, fewer words is preferred. The best posts tend to contain only 125-150 characters. Some even find the square-shaped ads a little constricting since that doesn’t leave much room for text on your visual. 

• Requires Consistent Work

  This is probably the universal negative aspect of every social media platform: consistency. If you want to build a foothold, engage your audience, and continue to reach others, consistency is the key. Instagram is no different. We don’t have access to all the ins and outs of their algorithms, but the more consistently you create content, the better chance you have of others seeing it. 

At the end of the day, whether Instagram is a good idea for your business boils down to your field and your intended audience. Instagram was designed as a primarily visual platform, so that kind of content thrives. Also, if you’re trying to target customers primarily in the 25+ age range, then Instagram can still give a pretty decent audience (even if it doesn’t have quite the draw that Facebook does). However, keep in mind that much like Facebook, paid content will be the best way for your content to cast a wide net.  

If you’re interested in expanding your social media presence on Instagram or other social media platforms, we are more than happy to help you navigate that world. You can find out more information here or contact us here.