What Does the Future of Instagram Look Like?

Since its debut in 2010, Instagram has been rapidly changing and evolving in order to keep up with technological advancements. With the arrival of the new decade, many people are wondering what Instagram has in store for the future.

While originally launched as a platform for people to share pictures with their friends and family, Instagram has grown into a powerhouse platform for business marketing and brand growth in recent years. Our research shows that the future of Instagram will only make online marketing easier and better than ever.

Buying Followers

With many businesses and influencers spilling the beans on how they've racked up so many followers, more Instagrammers are choosing to take this route. Buying followers can often help to enhance social proof for businesses, which is a necessary part of obtaining brand partnerships.

More and more people have caught on that they can boost their online presence and engagement when they choose to buy Instagram followers. This because people are more likely to follow and engage with brands and businesses that have more followers.

With countless services for buying followers popping up every, its a market that is sure to change the way businesses advertise on Instagram in the years to come. It is an easy and efficient way to beef up your following with targeted followers.

Goodbye Newsfeed, Hello Stories!

Stories have consistently risen in popularity since being introduced in the summer of 2016. More than half of businesses using Instagram use Stories as a way to drive up engagement, increase likes and views, and attract more followers.

Over 300 million people use Stories every day, which makes it a prime advertising space. Over 60% of Instagram users have also stated that they were more interested in brands after seeing them appear in Stories.

In new updates, Stories are set to become bigger and better than ever, which can only stand to benefit brands. It is expected that in the next few years, Stories will eclipse the traditional newsfeed, and become the new method of online sharing. Instagram is consistently posting new content on the Stories page which keeps things fun and new for Instagram users.

In the past, Stories have been a great way for brands and businesses to develop positive relationships with followers in a visual way. We are excited to see what the future has in store for Instagram Stories and how it will change the way brands do business on Instagram.

In-app Purchasing Options

While consumers can already shop through Instagram with the introduction of shoppable posts, the future of Instagram may make this even easier. Currently, shoppable posts provide product information, price, and a link to buy directly from the brand's online store.

Going forward, it's reported that we will soon be able to shop our favorite brands right from Instagram. While it is true that some businesses on Instagram, such as H&M and M.A.C. Cosmetics, already have this ability on their profiles, most businesses still require customers to make purchases from their online stores.

The addition of in-app shopping options will be a gamechanger for businesses on Instagram. Consumers will now be able to research brands, compare prices and ultimately make their purchasing without ever leaving Instagram.

Threads

As 2019 came to a close, Instagram celebrated the end of the decade by introducing its new messaging app Threads. Threads interact with Instagram in a way similar to Facebook and Facebook Messenger. Threads is a camera first app that opens to your camera and allows you to send photos, videos, and messages to people on your 'close friends' list.

Though the app was designed as a way for close friends to keep in better touch with each other through their days, businesses certainly stand to benefit from Threads. Because of the exclusive nature of Threads, businesses can use this app as a way to share special content with VIP members and keep in contact with other brands and partners.

According to ViralRace, since Threads is still in its newborn stage the features are pretty limited right now, but we expect there will be new updates to the app soon. With the promising benefits Threads offers businesses, we are anxious to see how new developments to the platform will continue to change the way that Instagram users interact with each other, and with businesses.

IGTV

Though IGTV wasn't as popular as Instagram had initially hoped, with the new year comes new updates. With the new updates, IGTV stands to set a new standard for video marketing, and businesses are jumping on board. As it stands, approximately 1 in 4 businesses currently use IGTV as a marketing tool, though this number could potentially double after the coming updates.

IGTV has already become a successful platform for sharing long-form videos, such as webinars and tutorial videos, with your followers. IGTV is also a great way to recycle older content and push it to a new demographic of people. With a few clicks, you can also post your videos from Youtube and Facebook in order to make it easier for your followers to find them.

The new updates will offer an option for uploading videos in a horizontal format, making it easier to use the service. The updates will also include an option to add branded content tags, to increase engagement and draw in followers. As the new updates come into place, we will see just how IGTV plays into Instagram marketing.

The Future

Instagram has skyrocketed to the top of the social media ladder over the last ten years and doesn't seem to have any plans of slowing down anytime soon. With new updates coming out consistently, the photo-sharing app has become the landmark for what a successful social media business looks like.

The social media giant has already played a huge role in the way the people all of the world now communicate with each other. Now it is changing the way consumers research brands, shop for products, and interact with the companies they support.