Instagram trends could make or break your social marketing strategy. That’s why it is vital to stay on top of them.
Brands that keep up with the top trends on Instagram could benefit from new features and beta tools ahead of their rivals. Additionally, they show their fans they know what’s up.
With added pressure from TikTok and a new head of the firm, Instagram is rolling out a lot of new innovations, features, and tools.
These are the top trends on Instagram we are watching right now.
14 top Instagram trends to watch for
1. More Instagram Stories, fewer posts
Instagram Stories have taken over, with more than 500 million viewers daily.
They’ve additionally become the place where people hold tabs on their family and friends, based on Instagram research.
On the other hand, Instagram feed is primarily related to polished content and discovery.
Getting rid of the chronological feed has only reinforced that perception. Posts now should be slightly more evergreen. Stories seem extra real-time in contrast.
The majority of users see Instagram feed as a place to seek out info and uncover products and brands.
While that is great news for brands, regular users discover it tougher to imagine their content in the mix. Some have viewed Instagram’s decision to test hiding likes as an attempt to spur more sharing from those that feel intimidated by the feed.
2. Growth of the Explore tab
Over 200 million Instagrammers check the Explore grid daily and that number is expected to increase this year.
The feed’s new navigation bar now gives shortcuts to IGTV and Store. From there, people could delve into their niche pursuits, like beauty, journey, food, or art.
Or, they could get lost in a choice of Stories that can now be algorithmically fed into the Explore feed.
3. Sound on for Instagram Stories
It is still vital to design for sound off environments. However, a recent Fb (and Instagram) research discovered that viewers like voiceover and music. 80% of Stories with voiceover or music performed greater than adverts without.
At present 60% of Instagram Stories are seen with sound on.
Possibly TikTok’s musical platform has helped turn up the volume across social media channels. Either method, expect TikTok to affect more Instagram trends to come.
4. Strategic stickers in Instagram Stories
Stickers are popular on Instagram Stories, however, companies have had mixed results with them. That’s going to change this year, although.
Expect to see fewer pointless and generic stickers and extra polished and original branded stickers over 2019.
5. More interactive Instagram Stories
While stickers have been a combined bag for companies, interactive stickers have been a hit.
Questions, poll, countdown, and emoji-slider stickers do not just prompt more engagement, they make Instagram Stories extra sticky. In other words, people stick round longer if there is something for them to interact with.
For example, Instagram internal data illustrates that nine times out of 10, the polling sticker rise video views.
Look for Instagram to unveil for interactive parts over the coming year.
6. Simpler ways to buy on Instagram
With over 70% of shopping fans utilizing Instagram to discover brands, Instagram now rivals Pinterest as a platform for product discovery.
Over the past year, Instagram launched product tags in feed posts, product stickers in Stories, and a shopping feed through the Explore tab.
With over 130 million taps on those tags each month, a direct buying option is the logical next step. In March 2019, Instagram rolled out a beta in-app Checkout feature which it is testing with 20 brands, consisting of Adidas, Burberry, Nike, and Revolve.
Instagram charges merchants a selling charge to use Checkout. However, if it spikes enough sales, the price will not stop more brands and influencers from getting in on the action.
7. Shoppable influencers
Instagram influencers face a barrage of comments and DMs that usually ask the same query: Where’d you get that?
To save influencers’ time, Instagram now lets creators tag products in their posts, which could be bought directly with Instagram Checkout.
Only a chosen few at present have access to the function, including Kylie Jenner, Chiara Ferragni, and Vogue.
Right now, they could only tag companies participating in the beta Checkout program. However, more shall be available soon.
8. More realness and representation
Authenticity is so final year. 2019 is all about #nofilter.
Celeb influencers such as Jameela Jamil have waged a war on airbrushing, photoshopping, filtering, body shaming, and non-inclusive creative.
Expect to see stretch marks, zits, and further from brands, particularly in Instagram Stories. And with it expect to see more actual talk about mental health, body insecurities, and other vital things.
Actually, Jamil’s radically inclusive @i_weigh account continues to attract fans. And with a follow from @sussexroyal, the official account of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, I WEIGH’s profile will by royally amplified.
Expect brands to more regularly sub-models for real people. You also need to see more diverse creative.
Aerie has earned major social Klout for its “Retouching free since 2014” aesthetic. This goes for influencer partnerships, too. See IKEA’s partnership with the rainbow Amina Mucciolo being @studiomucci.
9. Rise of relatable influencers
Users are searching for authenticity from their influencers, too. The unrealistic lifestyles and picture-perfect aesthetics of certain Instagram influencers have given rise to Instagram vs. Reality memes. Out of that has come a new breed of influencer: the relatable influencer.
For instance, Laura Izumikawa who is mommy blogger shares the ups and the downs of parenting. Joana Ceddia channels her awkwardness into humor. Jen Gotch talks about anxiety and bipolar disorder. These influencers attract fans who’re going through similar experiences.
As Izumikawa shares, “People are on social media to connect—or at the very least—relate to others. Being open and transparent will go a long way that will help you connect with your viewers.”
10. More channel-to-channel sharing
With posts in Stories and IGTV videos in the feed, Instagram has been toying with an increased linkage between its different formats. Expect to see extra crossover from brands who’re trying to boost views in different streams.
For instance, when Instagram changed its feed algorithm, we saw more people sharing “new post” alerts in their Stories. Additionally, one-minute IGTV teasers have been popping up in the feed to direct viewers to the main channel.
Stories are not contained to the top of the app either. Now, they will show up in the Explore grid too.
The grid will provide personalized Stories suggestions, reminiscent of TikTok.
Instagram is reportedly testing including direct links for Instagram Stories, too.
11. Sharing Twitter takes on Instagram
Hot takes have taken over Twitter, and they are showing up on Instagram increasingly.
It is true, @fuckjerry’s been stealing (ahem, now crediting) Tweet memes for years. However, accounts like @will_ent show that this Instagram trends isn’t letting up.
As The Verge author Megan Farokhmanesh notes, “For some meme creators, Twitter and Tumblr are a canvas, while Instagram is the wall where they show their work.”
Look for Tweets appearing in more Instagram-friendly templates, from branded backgrounds to cleaner, cropped screenshots.
Expect additionally to see more text-a-gramming, too, ranging from Rupi Kaur-esque poems to more type-moding in Instagram Stories.
12. Increased social activism
With heightened activism spurred by social unrest and the upcoming elections in Canada and the US, people are sharing their thinking on social media more than ever.
Text-friendly platforms like Fb and Twitter have traditionally been related to social activism. However, Instagrammers now have a stronger-than-ever grasp of the way to use the platform to share and amplify their views.
From “I voted” stickers to climate change memes, it’s become more and more common and sometimes inescapable for people and brands to take a stand on the platform.
Activism on all fronts usually involves calls for donations to nonprofits.
In February, Instagram launched a donation sticker that coul be added to Stories. While the function isn’t but available to everybody, people will be capable of choosing a nonprofit and even customize the name of their fundraiser.
13. Crackdown on Instagram bots
Fb and Twitter have been below the microscope for their function in influencing elections and harboring hate speech. And extra recent reports are uncovering the role Instagram has played, too.
Over the coming year, we will likely see Instagram take steps to combat abuse on its platform. We have already seen a few, including rising access to verification and the addition of “About this Account” to profiles with massive followings.
Bans on Fb might begin to apply to Instagram, too. For instance, far-right figures Louis Farrakhan, Alex Jones, Milo Yiannopoulos, Paul Joseph Watson, and Laura Loomer were removed from both websites this month.
However before there were any headlines about Russian meddling, Instagram already had a bot issue. Fake engagement bots have long been the scourge of the app, and Fb has already begun the year off by slamming bot sellers with lawsuits.
More purges, enhanced security, and increased scrutiny will likely follow in 2019.
14. Changes to Instagram Direct
Rumors that Instagram would completely push direct messaging to its standalone Direct app could lastly be put to rest, at least for now.
With Direct gone, i is likely that Instagram users will see some changes or improvements to the in-app messaging function instead.
GIFs were introduced last year, and the Quick Replies tool was added to assist companies quickly reply regularly asked questions. It’s possible that Instagram will offer more filtering options for business and common accounts.
For instance, the option to make a Close Friends list for Instagram Stories makes it simpler to direct message a group of friends at once. There are additionally rumors that Instagram will make direct messaging available on desktop.
