There are more than 200 million business accounts on Instagram, which means there’s a ton of competition if you want to make your brand stand out. Don’t worry! Keeping up with the latest Instagram trends in 2023 can help you create a marketing strategy that catches people’s attention and promotes growth. Throughout this article, we’re going to cover the top trends on Instagram for 2023. So, you can seamlessly incorporate them into your own strategies. Let’s look at each example to explore how you can emulate these trends for your own audience.
1. Reels beat images on Instagram’s popularity charts
Ever since their debut, Instagram Reels have been all the rage. Try scrolling through the first 10-15 posts on your Instagram app. And you’ll likely find that most of them are Reels.
Launched in 2020 to take on Snapchat and TikTok, this micro-video feature has steadily gained popularity. Brands and creators are even repurposing their Reels on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts.
In 2022, Instagram began prioritizing Reels over photos. Although content discovery is the new focus for 2023, it’s clear that Reels are still a top priority.
But here’s the question: does prioritizing Reels also impact your account’s reach? One content creator on TikTok experimented by posting a Reel on Instagram every day for a month, and her followers increased by 33% (from 8,500 to 11.4k).
While it might not be feasible to post Reels every day, it’s worth considering adding them to your content calendar more frequently.
Check out these examples of how to utilize Reels for your brand:
Bloomscape, an e-commerce plant store, showcased three massive plants for plant parents and linked to the products from their Instagram shop.
AYBL, a fitness clothing brand, shared a workout routine featuring their activewear.
Visme, a graphic design tool, uses Instagram Reels to demonstrate real-world applications of some of their best features.
Incorporating Instagram Reels can benefit your brand in three ways. Firstly, it can help you reach a wider audience. Then it can increase your number of followers and help you stay relevant on the app. So, don’t miss out on Reel – one of the most important Instagram trends in 2023.
2. “Add Yours” Story stickers generate interest and UGC
There are numerous interactive stickers available to add to your stories, one of which is the “Add Yours” sticker, which is relatively new.
Incorporating stickers like polls, quizzes, and questions engages your audience. They spend more time interacting with your account. This increases the likelihood of your Stories appearing towards the front of their feed. As a result, your business stays at the forefront of their minds.
To get started, select the “Add Yours” option from the available stickers and enter a prompt that is both relevant to your business and easy for viewers to respond to. For instance, “What are you reading?” “Outfit of the day,” or “Your favorite feature” are all great options to encourage viewers to share their own photos on their stories.
3. Form partnerships through collaborative posts
Instagram’s new feature allows users to invite collaborators to a post, making collaborative posts a growing trend. This feature also enables brands to tag each other in paid partnerships, resulting in the post appearing on both profiles.
To invite a collaborator, go through the steps of creating a post, then select “Tag People.” You can add a tag or invite a collaborator from the pop-up window that appears.
Select the user you’re working with on your post and press the publish button. Instagram, on the other hand, will not sow the tag or post to the collaborator’s profile until they approve the tag.
Here’s an example of this in action, where a travel guide collaborated with a local brewery to host an Instagram giveaway.
As Instagram unveiled a feature to identify sponsored content, collaborative posts will now be included in paid partnerships. The new feature enables content creators to tag the sponsoring brand within their Instagram posts. Prior to publishing, influencers will need to navigate to the Advanced settings section and utilize the Paid partnership feature to tag the relevant brands. It is important to note that brands must give their approval before being publicly tagged in the post.
To enhance your Instagram content and increase your reach, utilize the platform’s tools when collaborating with other brands or influencers.
4. Instagram social justice movements
Instagram’s two largest age groups are Millennials (25-34) and Gen Z (18-24), each accounting for roughly 31% of the platform’s users. As younger generations become increasingly socially conscious, they are taking an interest in brands that are making a positive impact in the world.
Although only 30% of Gen Z is eligible to vote presently, they are an activist community that is following brands on Instagram that are outspoken about social justice issues and accessibility. Gen Z is making purchases from brands and influencers that align with their values.
Therefore, it is recommended for brands to openly support causes and social issues they believe in. Demonstrating authenticity and commitment to social good can go a long way in building customer loyalty.