Crucial Instagram Marketing Strategy in 2021.
What does the future of Instagram hold? From snackable videos such as Instagram Reels through cause-driven content to the inevitable explosion of Instagram shopping, 2021 is set to be a big one for our favourite social media platform.
In the ever-changing Instagram landscape, it’s probably a little ambitious (or foolhardy) to take a punt at what’s on the horizon.
Hey, there’s nothing like a list of social media predictions to boost your website SEO, so here we go!
Below are 5 trends and predictions to look out for plus practical ways to implement these trends into your own Instagram strategy.
5 INSTAGRAM TRENDS TO WATCH IN 2021
TREND 1: INTRODUCTION OF REELS
No surprises here, but short-form video – Instagram Reels in particular – is here to stay. Combine ever-shortening attention spans with increased competition from rival social media platforms, such as TikTok, and you can rest assured that fast-paced video content is set to explode in 2021.
Interestingly, this time last year IGTV’s long-format videos were firmly placed as the front runner for Instagram video content (due to Instagram’s plans to monetize IGTV by paying content creators). While IGTV will still have its place (see trend 3: Instagram SEO), the introduction of Reels in August 2020 and the subsequent re-formatting of the app to put Reels tab front-and-centre on the main navigation bar is a sure sign that snackable, short-form video is where your focus should be in 2021.
STRATEGY 1: GET SET REELING!
Add Reels to your content schedule, like, yesterday! Reels are currently experiencing high reach which allow you to get in front of new audiences and they are the best way to grow your account organically at this time. While detailed Instagram Reels Insights data isn’t available yet, watch time (or re-watch time) is a strong precursor to “going viral”. Keep users on your content longer by making your Reels short and snappy and by experimenting with the inbuilt editing features to create a visual feast for your followers.
TREND 2: INSTAGRAM SHOPPING OPPORTUNITIES
According to businessinsider.com Instagram shopping could be worth $10 billion in 2021 thanks to advances in its shopping features – allowing users to purchase to their heart’s content without leaving the app.
As with Reels, the fact that Instagram has positioned the shopping tab on the main navigation bar is a strong indication that Facebook (Instagram) means business when it comes to shopping.
In addition, the rise in Micro-influencers (users with 10-100K followers) and Nano-influencers (less than 20K), means that shopping opportunities will be lurking on even the most inconspicuous accounts as more and more small-time users are invited to showcase sponsored content.
STRATEGY 2: GROWING NETWORKS
If you have an e-commerce store or product-based business, set up shopping ASAP.
Collaborate with small-time influencers to have your products seen by more people and a wide variety of audiences. As well as being much more affordable than working with seasoned influencers, Micro- and Nano-influencers often tend to have a more loyal fanbase and engaged audience who are willing to accept their endorsements.
Finally, try Instagram Guides as a method to boost shopping. Instagram recently made Guides available to all English speaking countries. You can now create Product guides from your own Instagram shop and from other users’ shops. There is also a handy Wishlist feature.
Not only do Guides provide another avenue to showcase your own wares, they provide a great opportunity to collaborate with other businesses. Expect to see gift guides galore in the year 2021.
TREND 3: INSTAGRAM SEO
We suspect that Instagram SEO will be one of the most important trends for 2021. The introduction of keyword search provides another avenue for users to discover new content, aside from hashtags. This move reflects a trend away from 1- or 2-word search queries to users inputting full phrases and questions – as seen with other search engines (such as Google).
Will keyword search mean the end of hashtags? Probably not just yet but their importance for content performance does appear to be diminishing as other tactics and ranking signals come into play including geo-tagging and Alt-text (more on that later).
Currently, keyword search results only display Instagram feed posts, but it is likely that other content with captions, such as IGTV videos and Reels, will soon be added to the mix.
STRATEGY 3: UPGRADE YOUR INSTAGRAM PROFILE
Set yourself up for success by incorporating keywords that you want to rank for into (all of) your captions now and optimise your Instagram profile for search.
TREND 4: INCREASE IN CAROUSEL POSTS
Multi-photo carousel posts have grown in popularity in 2020 and will continue to be widely shared in 2021. While they can be time-consuming to create, high-quality carousel posts pay dividends in terms of reach and engagement making them a useful account performance driver.
STRATEGY 4: SHARE WEEKLY UPDATED CAROUSELS
Incorporate high-value carousels into your weekly content plan that include a call to action to share. Shares are a top ranking signal to the Instagram algorithm that your content is high quality, ensuring it will be pushed out to a wider audience. In addition, the nature of carousels keeps users on your content for longer than a single image post, for example. Time spent on your content is another Algorithm ranking signal.
TREND 5: ETHICAL MARKETING + INCLUSIVE + ACCESSIBLE
If nothing else, the veritable bin fire that was 2020 brought to the forefront the need for positive change.
Content with conscience is set to make waves this year, raising awareness for causes old and new. Businesses are diversifying their content creation efforts to be more inclusive – including images, videos, and captions that better represent and celebrate the wider community. There is also a trend toward incorporating social justice causes into online campaigns.
Similarly, ableism is out and accessibility is now a major focus. There is a greater emphasis on inclusive, neurodiversity and accessible content and ethical marketing practises.
STRATEGY 5: KEEP SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENTABLE
Pump up the diversity in your marketing and consider investing in training from specialists to learn how to create content that caters to, and is representative of, all of your customers or clients.
Here are a few simple ways to make your Instagram content more accessible:
- Add subtitles to videos and image descriptions to captions
- Use CamelCase for hashtags with more than one word to assist e-reading software e.g. #CamelCase.
- Add alt-text to images to visually describe
- Take care with fancy fonts – this can be tough for some e-reading software to pick up.
Conclusion:
Check out www.finplus.co.in. Our amazing team can help create a customized Instagram marketing strategy that is fit for your business. Write to us at enquiry@finplus.co.in or call us at 022 6698 8952 Mobile : +91 932 690 6669 .
