There’s been talk about Twitter losing a bit of popularity to its fellow social media platforms. And while there’s always an up-and-comer threatening to edge out the old standbys, the focus of this particular post is Instagram. In the next two years, the percentage of US companies with 100+ employees using Instagram for marketing is expected to jump from 32 to 71 [CNBC]. That’s quite a leap. So what is it about this platform that attracts marketers? And perhaps more importantly, what about it is so intriguing to consumers?
- It’s visually appealing. Instagram has an aesthetically pleasing layout, which is a draw for users and a major plus for marketers. When you’re scrolling through your Instagram feed, only one image appears on your screen at a time. One image. It’s not very often in today’s cluttered cybersphere that marketers can get that kind of undivided attention, even if it’s only for a second.
- It’s phone-centric. You’ve likely noticed that Instagram is very much geared toward mobile use. In fact, you can’t even post from a desktop (without the purchase of a special program). This means that not only is the app accessible from anywhere, but users actually prefer to use it on their phone. With mobile media usage exceeding desktop by 9 percent – a number that is only going to increase – that’s a market you don’t want to miss.
- It’s Facebook-approved. Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012, presenting all sorts of opportunities for marketers looking to buy ad space on both platforms. For instance, we’ll soon be able to use information from Facebook to further target ads on Instagram [Business Insider].
Does this mean that Twitter is going to disappear? Probably not…but we may catch it trying out a couple new #filters.
Image by YashilG is licensed under CC0 Public Domain.