These latest Instagram updates are about to change the game for marketers
The limitations of Instagram have long frustrated brands looking to boost their reach and engagement through Influencer Marketing. But the social media platform is in the midst of an exciting shake-up that’s set to change all that. And the future is BRIGHT!
Engaging influencers to drive your marketing and sales outcomes is great in theory, right? It allows your brand to benefit from high quality, cost-effective content driven by talented creators with a proven following.
But there’s always been a couple of sore points for brands looking to leverage Influencer Marketing on Instagram. Namely:
• How can you see the type of audience interacting with the content?
• How can you determine a return on investment?
• How can you empower influencers to directly drive sales and turn content into purchases?
• How can you boost the exposure of your top performing posts?
Thankfully, Instagram has released two exciting new features to benefit everyone: brands, influencers and consumers.
Brands now have access to analytics and the ability to boost posts
In June 2019, Instagram officially announced the launch of its Branded Content Ads. This comes after the introduction of a Paid Partnership Tool in 2017, which allows influencers to tag a brand in their post so it explicitly states ‘Paid partnership with [brand name]’ under their account name.
Importantly, this means that content creators no longer need to tag #ad to meet disclosure regulations, which have varied from country-to-country.
When an influencer hits the toggle to turn on partnership settings, they’re handing the reins over to your brand in many ways. You’ll be able to view that post from your Facebook Ads account, along with audience demographics. This provides a much more in-depth view of engagement and performance, far beyond a post’s likes and comments. You can see audience data such as age, gender, location and more.
You’re also able to boost posts that perform particularly well, putting them in front of an even wider audience for greater impact. Choose to share a post either from the content creator’s account, or from your brand account.
Early adopters of Branded Content Ads have reported positively on the feature. Liat Weingarten, VP of Brand Communications at brand Old Navy said, “Promoting content directly from an influencer's handle inherently gives the post more authenticity than coming from a brand handle, and we're seeing significantly higher engagement rates using this strategy.”
Influencers can help followers click through to buy products
With no ability to embed links in Instagram captions, creators and brands have had to treasure the valuable real estate of that one precious link in their bio. And while users with over 10,000 followers have been able to add a ‘swipe up’ link function to stories, there’s never before been an effective way to help consumers make purchases from the platform.
Influencers have previously provided product details in the caption of their post, or answered individual questions from followers in their comments or direct messages. But from a sales perspective, there’s been no way from a company to tell when purchasing customers have come from an influencer post directly.
Shoppable Tags, introduced as early as 2016, allowed brands to start tagging products within posts. This then directs consumers to the brand’s website to make purchases. Now, they’ve taken it a step further.
In March 2019, Instagram launched its new Checkout feature. This opens the door for brands to sell products directly through their influencers’ feeds.
The Instagram Checkout feature makes it easier for consumers to purchase products – and they don’t even need to leave the app! People can select size and colour, and enter payment information directly. As Instagram describes it, “people can go from inspiration to information and purchase in just a few taps, and do so in a way that's organic to the Instagram experience”.
The Instagram Checkout feature makes it easier for consumers to purchase products – and they don’t even need to leave the app! People can select size and colour, and enter payment information directly. As Instagram describes it, “people can go from inspiration to information and purchase in just a few taps, and do so in a way that's organic to the Instagram experience”.
Is it time to ramp up your Influencer Marketing efforts?
Influencer Marketing. Whether you’re an avid fan already, or you haven’t ventured there yet, now is a great time to be involved in the space. Instagrams limitations and lack of visibility has held brands up, but times are changing. With a lot of the barriers to success being alleviated by Branded Content Ads and Instagram Checkout, it’s only getting easier and more convenient for brands to use Influencer Marketing.
TRIBE can help you navigate your first campaign.
