My team and I always say to each other, “I bet this is the next update on Instagram” or “Wouldn’t it be helpful if Instagram did this …” So we came up with this 2020 Instagram for Business wish list. Yep, if I was able to call up Instagram and say, “The Instagram Expert would like these improvements for 2020.”
Here are the four things I’d put at the top of my Instagram wish list, plus my Instagram prediction that came true.
#1 Instagram Direct Message Insights
There is so much you can learn from your Instagram analytics, whether it’s the demographics of your followers or your top performing content. Wouldn’t it be great if you had those same insights for your Instagram Direct Messages? Just like this discovery data you can use for your Instagram account.
I’m talking about quantitative data that you could use to improve your Instagram Direct Message strategy. For example, you could see how many people opened your Direct Messages or clicked the links you share. Even a pie chart with the demographics of people sending you messages would be so helpful.
Another update I’d like to see for Instagram Direct Message groups is the ability to pin a comment at the top of the feed. Facebook already offers this feature, and it’s really helpful so new members of the chat group can know exactly what you’re talking about.
#2 Creative Elements for Captions
Now, this is an Instagram wish list item that I know all of my fellow creatives would love. My team and I predict that this caption feature might roll out in the near future. But we’d love to see it sooner rather than later since better captions are one of the best ways to increase engagement.
Creative elements could include being able to change your type style without having to use a third-party app. Or even the ability to bold, italicize, or change the size of your Instagram caption font.
Plus, customization for Instagram captions could help a ton of people avoid these common caption mistakes.
#3 Hex Colors for Instagram Stories
Time is money, and if there’s one thing that seems to take too much of my time it’s looking for my brand colors in Instagram Stories. Having a consistent color scheme in your Stories is critical to having a strong Instagram branding strategy.
I cannot tell you the amount of times I’ve tried to find the perfect shade of purple, blue, or yellow. It feels like more of an art than a science. Instead of mindlessly scrolling through the color wheel, Instagram should allow you to save your hex colors in the app.
#4 Shoppable Services
When Instagram launched shoppable posts in 2018, brands and businesses were elated. Finally, they could promote and sell their products and people didn’t even have to leave the app.
In 2020, my team and I would love to see Instagram expand this feature to include shoppable services. This would be a huge boost for brands and businesses to tap into, and a huge new source of revenue for Instagram. It’s a win-win.
My Instagram Prediction that Came True
Last year, I predicted that IGTV would become a big part of effective Instagram marketing strategies. Guess what? I was totally right.
IGTV views this year weren’t just higher in 2019 – they exceeded all expectations. Since Instagram rolled out the one-minute preview in the Instagram feed, views on IGTV videos increased by 300-1000%.
If you’re not already sharing IGTV content, now is the time to practice, practice, practice. Long-form video content isn’t going away on Instagram any time soon, and is likely to gain even more momentum this year.
Looking for More Ways to Up Your Instagram Strategy in 2020?
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