Instagram is a popular tool through which many businesses expand their customer base. However, the firm also has to constantly keep the attention of its users focused on the platform’s content. Such an approach requires communicating directly with creators and helping them to connect with their followers better. Therefore, the role of marketing communications for Instagram is two-fold. The firm must attract two different types of users to its website and create specific messages that appeal to each group.
As one of the largest social media platforms, Instagram is promoted primarily by the people who use it without significant direct involvement by the business itself. Therefore, the first and primary goal of the firm is to provide all the tools for creators who actively post new content to attract new and retain the existing audience. For example, in July 2022, Instagram began promoting its relatively new feature called Reels as the primary option for videos on the website (Instagram Business Team, 2022). The announcement plays both an informative and a persuading role as the company attempts to convince its customers that this format provides the best way of engagement for both creating and viewing content.
The second service promotion that Instagram employs utilizes a different social media platform. The company recognizes the need to connect with its users and provide an individualized experience. To communicate such a message, Instagram shares the most exciting topics with the audience exceeding its website. For example, Instagram has a Twitter account that often shares inspirational posts promoting self-expression through its services (“Instagram,” n.d.). Such a method of service marketing enables Instagram to transfer a portion of Twitter’s user base to its platform and also engage with people in an informal way.
While the efforts of marketing communication show noticeable results, the firm also experienced issues related to the changes it makes to content and algorithms. The adverse reaction from Instagram users toward the changes to the video format has caused several celebrities to boycott the website (Silberling, 2022). The resolution of this barrier to change reflects the values that Instagram represents, as the feedback was examined closely by the app’s developers. In order to prevent further deterioration of the public’s opinion on the social media platform, Instagram decided to roll back the most recent changes within days after releasing them and postpone its planned update (Silberling, 2022). Being a service provider that has to deal with different types of customers simultaneously, Instagram has to adjust its messages to suit the intended segment.
Another glaring problem for Instagram is its competitors and the audience that they attract from the platform. For example, with the rise of TikTok, short videos became a popular way of communication among younger generations, which prompted Instagram to push its Reels to feature to a new level of integration (Instagram Business Team, 2022). Such a solution may be seen as reactionary, yet its efficiency can not be underestimated. In spite of numerous accusations by some Instagram users directed to the platform simply copying a successful strategy, the company is determined to keep its new video format as a new primary tool for creators (Silberling, 2022). Communication of critical changes to the website’s algorithms and tools may play a detrimental role in the platform’s popularity in the future if Instagram’s news section remains poorly managed. The way of spreading information regarding such subjects through other websites is a viable solution, for which Instagram’s Twitter account is a feasible way ahead.
References
Instagram Business Team. (2022). Video content on Instagram will now be Instagram reels. Instagram. Web.
[@Instagram]. Instagram [Twitter profile]. (n.d.). Twitter. Web.
Silberling, A. (2022). Instagram makes a shocking revelation: It will ‘continue to support photos’. TechCrunch. Web.
