Whether you started using Instagram as a consumer or a marketer, you know that the app has been through several changes since it was first established in 2010. Through all of these changes, 2022 may be the year that Instagram will be changing the most as it plans to roll out some of its most requested, innovative, and transformative changes yet. But will these changes affect your marketing strategy moving forward? Here’s your guide to the changes that we know of so far.

Feed Viewing Options

While the average social media user may have gotten used to algorithms on several different platforms, Instagram now wants to ensure that it is always the user’s choice when it comes to what they decide to view. To do this, Instagram now has three different feed options, Home, Favorites, and Following. 

In the top left of your screen, when you open the app, users will be able to click “Instagram” and choose what kind of experience they want at that moment — “Following” or “Favorites.” These two options are in chronological order, which was a widely requested suggestion from many IG users who missed the way Instagram used to be, but the main goal now is for users to enjoy the feed any way they want to at that moment. 

The default option will remain the Instagram algorithm as you know it, which will feed you posts that the platform deems most important to you based on your activity as well as a ton of recommendations. Then, we users have the option to choose Favorites — a select number of people or pages (up to 50) that will appear higher in your feed so you don’t miss out — or the option to view Following, which shows every account that you follow in chronological order for a chronological feed with no recommendations. As a marketer, you’ll want to make sure that your Favorites page includes accounts that you want to engage with strategically and view regularly for inspiration. Bringing value to your followers is more important than ever, so content strategies will need to incorporate this new method in the future.

More Weight on Video

Remember when Instagram was strictly an image-sharing platform? Well, the priorities have shifted! Incorporating video content into your marketing strategy will be more important than ever moving forward, as the platform will be pushing this content to consumers first and foremost. Things like Reels, Reels remixes, and Live videos will be pertinent to include often as this content is engaging, real (no pun intended), and effective. Replying to a Reel with a Reel is going to be a new way to interact as well as side by side (remixes) and reactions which can be important for community building, customer interaction, and UGC.

Long-form videos will also be important to plan for strategically, although the form of “IGTV” is fizzling out. Videos will be taking over screen space in the app, so be ready to bring your business to life with engaging video content.

Business-Focused Features

Advertising and selling can be tricky these days, but Instagram wants to be in on helping creators and businesses monetize. They want to reward hard work with several new features. Every user can now have link stickers in their stories, while before, “swiping up” to links was reserved only for accounts with a large enough following. Additionally, accounts can schedule live videos and include this scheduling in a post so that followers know when to tune in. They can even turn on notifications to be reminded when a Live begins. They want to make it easy to keep the audience’s attention and see the things that they want to see while building trust and connection with followers.

Another exclusivity-based feature is “subscriptions,” which will allow creators to monetize and have “subscriber-only” live videos, stories, and badges. Users will pay to subscribe to a client’s or account’s page and receive access to things others can’t see. Plus, subscribers will get a badge (almost like a blue check) next to their name, so everyone knows when they interact with who they subscribe to! We predict this feature will be popular and make consumers feel special, and we can’t wait for this one to roll out along with the aforementioned.

Privacy and Security

As far as security goes, Instagram wants to ensure that users can manage what they see and who sees their information and content. Misinformation is an unfortunate norm these days, but they are doing their best to monitor accounts with a history of sharing misinformation. An update will allow users to report any post that includes hate speech, bullying, or incitement of violence and incorporate a “rage shake” feature where you can shake your phone to report a problem.

To protect teens, Instagram is adding some new features for the well-being of their experience. Parental controls will be increased and parents will be able to see and control their children’s time on the app, setting limitations. Also, a “Take a Break” feature will remind not only children but everyone when it may be a good time to put the phone down for a break from screen time. It will be essential to be aware of these new features when creating content and trying to stay relevant, but overall, it will help the platform be a healthier and safer place.

So whether you are a business, marketer, advertiser, influencer, or consumer, we hope this overview helps you stay in the know with this ever-changing app and brings you insight into how quickly and hopefully effectively this can change how we use Instagram.