Instagram Marketing Trends to Add to Your Marketing Strategy
With the constant advances in digital technology, social media is constantly evolving. And Instagram, with over two billion monthly active users, is no exception.
Image via Statista
By remaining ignorant of the latest Instagram marketing trends, you miss out on a chance to get the most out of your content creation efforts.
This is because 70% of shoppers turn to Instagram for inspiration on their next purchase.
So, what Instagram marketing trends should guide your content calendar this year?
Let’s find out.
Top Instagram Marketing Trends for 2022
Here are the latest Instagram marketing trends that should be on your radar.
1. Instagram Link Stickers Will Keep Growing
Image via Instagram
Instagram has made it easier for brands to include hyperlinks in their Stories in the form of interactive link stickers.
A swipe up link feature was previously available to specific account sizes only. But now, links in Stories are enabled for all Instagram accounts.
The stickers have a catchy look—a rectangular block on a white background.
They can be in an attractive color of your choice and you have the option to position them anywhere on your Story.
You can add a URL to the sticker and once a user taps on it, it takes them to the linked web page.
What makes it one of the best Instagram marketing trends is that it makes it easy for small and new businesses to drive traffic to their website and generate leads.
2. Use of Shopping Features Will Dominate the Platform
Image via Instagram
More consumers are turning to social media to shop.
In 2020, there were 256 million digital buyers in the U.S alone, and this number is predicted to increase to 291.2 million by 2025.
To match this growth, Instagram has added shopping features that make it possible for users to shop without leaving the platform.
It’s easier than ever for you to integrate products into your content too with Instagram Shop.
You can use Instagram as an ecommerce channel and not just a marketing tool. And this is one of the Instagram marketing trends for 2022 you ought to employ.
The shopping in Instagram Stories, for instance, helps businesses add product stickers that enable their audience to shop from the Stories they post.
When an individual taps on the sticker, it redirects them to the product page where they can get more details about the item. And hopefully, make a purchase. Shoppable posts, on the other hand, help you make the sale through Instagram directly.
3. Instagram Reels Are Here to Stay
Image via Instagram
These short entertaining videos provide a platform for brands to entertain and show their creativity.
But why should you commit to making more Reels in 2022?
Social media has changed how most people consume information.
Young consumers, in particular, use short-form videos for entertainment and stay informed. Short videos also appeal to the short attention spans of most people.
These are some of the reasons why TikTok, a short-form video platform, has grown to have over a billion monthly active users worldwide as of September 2021. Up from slightly over 55 million in January 2018.
Image via Statista
Many other major social media platforms have hopped on the bandwagon.
YouTube, for instance, launched “YouTube Shorts.” With over 6.5 billion daily views globally, this feature has become quite popular.
By making more YouTube Shorts and TikTok-style content this year in the form of Reels, you increase your chances of getting significantly more views, exposure, and engagement.
4. Consumers Want Authentic and Engaging Content
Content retains its throne in 2022. But consumers will be more responsive to authenticity.
You’ve probably noticed more influencers sharing their failures, unposed and unfiltered photos, and showing more of their imperfections.
People want to see less polished content and more of your brand’s human side.
See how Whole Foods Market does it.
Image via Instagram
These citruses are not edited to appear “perfect”. They’re unfiltered and appear as they do in grocery stores and markets.
Similarly, you can share behind-the-scenes content and relatable memes that bring your personality in front of your audience.
Don’t just focus on creating aesthetic visuals.
Focus on building a community by encouraging conversations and boosting engagement.
And how do you manage this? Just the way you can automate your emails with autoresponder software, you can automate your Instagram posting as well with social media tools. However, make sure you don’t automate your comments, as that’d be very apparent.
If your hands are full, hire social media managers to help manage your accounts or you could merge them to manage them better.
5. Partnering with Influencers is Important
Instagram is one of the best platforms for influencer marketing and rightly so. With features like shoppable posts, you can easily get influencers to promote your products and generate sales funnel.
The key, however, would be to go for micro-influencers who have a strong bond with their followers. This can both be affordable and great for driving your marketing campaigns.
But why micro-influencers?
According to the Instagram 2022 Trend report, most Instagram users, especially young people, are looking to connect with influencers based on shared interests and not popularity. This makes micro-influencers the go-to option for you.
Image via Instagram 2022 Trend Report
Which of These Instagram Marketing Trends Are You Excited About?
Do you keep using the same Instagram marketing strategies year in, year out? You’re likely to find yourself stuck in a rut.
Create a winning strategy for 2022 by having these 5 Instagram marketing trends at the core.
Have any questions related to the above-mentioned trends? Ask them in the comments below.
