Instagram has been one of the most popular social media platforms for sharing photos and videos for many years. However, in recent times, the platform has been experimenting with its focus on different types of content, particularly videos. Last year, the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, announced that the platform was moving away from being a photo-sharing app and instead focusing on video. However, it seems that Instagram has since changed its tune and is now trying to balance the focus between photos and videos.
The reason for this change in strategy is that Instagram was trying to cash in on the success of TikTok, which had become a hugely popular platform for short-form videos. Instagram saw the trend and wanted to capitalise on it, so they started to push videos more heavily in the feed and on the explore page. However, this move backfired as many users were not happy with the increased number of videos in their feed, and they wanted to see more photos.
Instagram’s direction for 2023
As a result, Instagram is promising a more balanced focus in 2023.
Instagram head, Adam Mosseri has announced via his account that the platform has gone too hard on videos.
“I think we were overfocused on video in 2022 and pushed ranking too far, and basically showed too many videos and not enough photos. We’ve since balanced, so things like how often someone likes photos versus videos, and how often someone comments on photos versus videos, are roughly equal, which is a good sign that things are balanced.”
However, this flip-flopping strategy raises the question of whether Instagram has a clear strategy or if they are just trying to embrace trends in order to cash in on the success of other platforms. It seems that Instagram should be focusing on its niche, which is photo-sharing, and not trying to be something it’s not.
Lessons your business can learn from Instagram’s mistakes
One lesson that can be learned from this is that brands need to find their niche and stick to it. This is especially true for social media platforms like Instagram, which have a specific audience and purpose. The one reason people follow a brand on social media is to see content that is relevant to their interests and aligns with their values. When a brand strays too far from its niche, it can lose the trust and loyalty of its audience.
In the case of Instagram, it has been clear that the platform has lost its way at times and become too influenced by the latest trends. Instead of establishing or maintaining its own niche, it has tried to be all things to all people. This has led to confusion and dissatisfaction among users, who expect a certain type of content when they follow a brand.
The takeaway
The takeaway for brands is to remember that success on social media is not about trying to be everything to everyone, but rather about staying true to their niche and providing value to their target audience. By understanding their audience and what they want to see, brands can build trust and loyalty and establish a strong and consistent brand identity.
Instagram’s focus on video is a reflection of the trend in the industry and their attempt to capitalise on it. But as we see, they have now balanced the focus between photos and videos, which is a good sign that they are listening to their users. It’s important for big brands like Instagram to focus on what they do best, and that is photo-sharing. This way they will be able to maintain their niche and attract a loyal audience.
Take control of your social media strategy
Don’t make the same mistakes as Instagram, take control of your social media strategy by finding your niche and sticking to it. Boost Social can help you establish and maintain a strong brand identity on social media. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you succeed on social media.
