Instagram is a great place to showcase brands. It provides a wide range of possibilities to reach new customers. Undoubtedly, if you use Instagram for your business, you should keep abreast of the trends. Here are the latest Instagram trends, which help you develop a killer social media strategy.
Stories
Last year Instagram Stories proved to be a big deal for all users. In 2018, Stories seem to retain, possibly to increase, their popularity. This feature is a really significant development, mostly due to its huge marketing possibilities. For example, business accounts with more than 10000 followers can add a direct link to their Stories.
User-created content
More brands are expected to focus on user-generated content. Therefore, they obviously need to develop implementing systems that can make sharing users’ content both legal and easy. The result of this will be a convenient access for SMM managers to trusted content.
Visual Search
The search feature on Instagram is currently being updated. Thanks to the updates, brands will be found not only by hashtags, but also by images. According to studies, visual search significantly improves sales effectiveness. So, it will be extremely useful for all companies.
Shopping Tags
Instagram’s next gift for brands is an expansion of Shopping Tags. The feature will allow companies to add all needed information, such as prices and description of goods, to their products images.
Analytics Tools
Users dislike content that is irrelevant to their needs. If a brand doesn't appeal to users after several posts, they just unfollow it. It is for this reason that improved personalization for audiences is expected to be a noticeable trend. This year, we can hope that analytics tools will start providing more detailed and valuable information to marketers.
Generation Z
Generation Z includes people from the mid 1990s to the early 2000s. They have already started their careers and, therefore, have money of their own for purchases. Representatives of Generation Z are massive and influential group of Instagram users. In 2018, brands will invest more time and money into them.
Videos
Undoubtedly, videos are one of the most engaging type of content. They have always been very popular and widely used to promote brands. This year will not be an exception. In 2017, Instagram Stories feature gave marketers an easy way to create and share videos with brand followers. Who knows, maybe, the year 2018 will bring some new opportunities in this field.
Influencer Marketing
The number of brands that use social media influencers in their marketing continues to grow. This is understandable, as influencers can easy reach new consumers and make a good impression about a brand. Influencer marketing is likely to be an important trend of 2018, and beyond.