Instagram Marketing Trends for 2021

It’s that time of year again! When the next year is finally in sight and the strategy sessions are (hopefully) in full effect. We saw major changes most notably in the way that Instagram is being used (think Reels over Posts) and with whom its being used by – shout out to all the 30-49’ers keeping up with the times 😉.
Between new features and new audiences, the way we use IG is changing. Here is a compiled list of trends to look out for in 2021 that we hope you, or your social media manager, finds helpful in your marketing strategies.

Honestly, videos are one of the most interactive and effective ways to engage with your customers and generate new business- period. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth two. So no matter how you prefer to make content- try to opt for videos at least 20% of the time.

IGTV allows you to post videos up to 10 minutes long and then share previews via a post. This preview allows your audience to select “keep watching” and then takes them to your IGTV “channel” to watch any other video content you may have. Another awesome feature of IGTV is the ability to link from your stories. Simply create an eye-catching story, link your IGTV video in the elements tab, and tell people to “swipe up” to gain access to the video. Pretty fancy, huh?

One Instagram feature that has totally taken off this year is IG Reels. This feature was released in August 2020 and is expected to be a close competitor to TikTok in 2021. It works similarly to TikTok where you upload a 15 sec high-impact video (found when creating a Story) and then add layers of music, stickers, texts, effects, and more.

The content and hashtags will determine if your video secures a spot on the “Explore” tab which is a great way to gain even more exposure. It is important to note if you share a Reel to your story, it will get deleted after 24 hours (as stories do) and not be featured in your Reels feed or get the chance to be on the Explore page. Audiences are craving this type of fast-paced entertainment, so it will only benefit your brand by being active on Reels.

Did you know that over HALF of Instagram users use this feature at least once a month? This corner of the app is deliberate in sharing fresh content (chosen by algorithms). This is where users often go to find new content or search hashtags. So, this can be a mega lead generator for your business. IG favors video, like Reels, and popular hashtags to be featured on this page. It is a good idea to see what other accounts are doing that are on the Explore tab, and seek to use similar hashtags or post strategies that are specific to your niche. Posting at optimal times for your ideal audience will also increase the chance of your videos showing up on this page.

Tip: be sure to create direct call-to-actions in your videos to take advantage of any new traffic you may receive from this!

The days of simply posting aesthetically appealing, highly edited, photos on Instagram is gone. While IG is still a very visual network, edited photos just don’t make you stand out from the crowd anymore. With a smartphone in everybody’s hands, content is by the dozen and it may be hard to stand out on the feed. So how do we do it in 2021? Originality.