Although we don’t know who gave physicists permission to create laws of the natural world, we would love to offer a new unshakeable truth: “When Instagram trends are concerned, the only constant that matters is change.”
That’s true for social media trends as a whole — digital platforms, and how they are used, are constantly changing and evolving. But you’re reading this story because it’s important to know what’s happening in Instagram Story trends in 2022. It’s definitely different from last year, or even last month.
The classic Instagram. Always keeping us on our toes.
Social media marketers cannot afford to be complacent. It doesn’t matter if you act on Instagram marketing trends; it is vital to stay informed so that you can build a social media strategy for your brand and a content calendar. You can be flexible if you stay informed.
For 2022, here are the top Instagram trends that marketers must know.
Get the complete Social Trends Report to see the in-depth analysis and data needed to plan your 2022 social strategy.
12 top Instagram trends you need to know by 2022
The dance revolution continues
TikTok was originally a lip-syncing app. Music and dancing are now part of the company’s DNA. As the platform has grown to be a major social media platform, its trends have begun to spread to other outlets.
This means that dance and dance challenges are now a regular feature on Instagram. Users can also perform moves on Stories, Reels and main.
This post is on Instagram
Tours & Tips (@best_of_ireland)
Instagram’s 2022 Trend Report shares that one in three of its teenage users is “excited” to see more dance challenges in 2022. This means you can expect more complex routines and evolving styles, as well as high engagement from brands who take part in or kickstart dance challenges.
The Instagram shop-athon has become the norm
Instagram Shopping was born in 2021 as part of an ecommerce boom that resulted from improved digital tools and pandemic habits. Instagram Shopping lets customers choose and buy products directly from the app, rather than redirecting them to your website.
Each month, more than 130 million people tap on an Instagram Shopping Post — foot traffic that brick-and-mortar shop owners can only dream about.
All indications point to a continuing shop-a-thon over the coming years. eMarketer predicts that social commerce will grow to $80 billion by 2025. Instagram’s 2022 Trend Report revealed that almost 44% of its Gen Z users plan to shop via their Instagram feeds.
Learn how to create an Instagram shop. When you return, this article will be waiting for you.
Creators are kings
Four out of five Gen Z Instagram users agree with the statement that creators have as great an influence as traditional celebrities on culture. With the growth of the creator economy in the wake of the pandemic there are now 50 million content wizards on Instagram.
According to the U.S., 72.5% marketers will use influencer marketing by 2022. Instagram’s Collabs feature and Branded Content ads make it easier for brands to collaborate. These platforms’ latest tools enable creators to list brands that they are interested in working with and allow brands the ability to filter and search to find the best-fit creators for specific campaigns.
This post is on Instagram
An Instagram post by @Creators (@creators).
Instagram wants to be your matchmaker and is doing everything it can to make it easy for you guys. It is now easier to communicate with potential collaborators via direct messages.
The ability to make affiliate income from Instagram shops and set up shops on their own, in partnership with brands, is currently in development.
This post is on Instagram
An Instagram post by @Creators (@creators).
Check out our guide to creating an influencer marketing campaign.
RIP, IGTV
Instagram announced that IGTV, the company’s exclusive long-form video format, was being retired in October 2021. Users can now post content of up to 60 minutes directly to their main Insta feed.
This post is on Instagram
A post shared by Instagram for Business (@instagramforbusiness)
Feed videos as well as IGTV videos can be viewed via a single tab from profile pages. Reels will have their own tab. The IGTV app is being rebranded as Instagram TV.
And that’s it! You can still make long-form videos on Instagram if you like it. Our tips for mastering this form are still applicable!
Reels are here to stay
Reels was launched by Instagram, a short-form video format that was designed to rival TikTok. It feels both yesterday and a long time ago. Reels are now a key part of the new Instagram experience thanks to an aggressive algorithmic push and a prominent spot in the app’s navigation.
This post is on Instagram
Stacey McLachlan shared this post (@stacey_mclachlan).
This is in keeping with a wider social trend towards shorter-form content. Youtube even has a “Shorts” section.
Reels is a great way to get started if you haven’t already. Instagram will likely reward Reels users as TikTok continues its dominance in the social media sphere. This could lead to an increase in engagement or exposure for those who play with the format. Here are our tips on how to use Instagram Reels for business.
Stories for everyone
Instagram introduced swipe-up links to accounts with more than 10,000 followers in the past few years. But, this fall, links have become more inclusive. Anyone can now use the link stickers. You can now add a link sticker on your story. This opens up a vast opportunity for small brands looking to drive traffic to other sites or platforms.
We’re going to see more people take advantage of this new feature as we progress into 2022. Simply tap the “add sticker” icon in create mode to add an external link to your story. Then, select the “link sticker”. If you wish, you can customize the text of the sticker text by tapping on the “add sticker” icon in create mode.
2020 marked a significant turning point in social justice. However, in 2022, there is still a lot of interest in advocacy, activism, and engagement. Instagram reports that social justice advocates are some of its most active users.
This post is on Instagram
ON CANADA PROJECT (@oncanadaproject), shared this post
Gen Z expects to donate more money to social causes in 2022 than previous years. Additionally, 28 percent of respondents plan to follow additional social justice social media accounts. It’s a great opportunity to connect with charities, causes, or other non-profits and to share your values.
Organic reach is not enough
Hootsuite’s annual survey of social media trends found that 43% of respondents said their greatest challenge was the “declination of organic reach” and the “need to increase paid advertising funds.”
It can be difficult to keep up with Instagram’s ever-changing algorithm. The decline in organic reach is well-documented over years. You may be at the top of the charts one minute and then your engagement drops so low that you are wondering if you have been shadow-banned.
You will need to train someone in your team to master audience targeting if you want to increase your Instagram reach by 2022. Are you unsure where to begin? Hootsuite Social advertising allows you to post ads on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and then track the performance of those ads in one dashboard.
Check out our guide on how to use Instagram ads in five steps.
Live streaming it on Instagram Live
Between 2020 and 2021, Instagram Live saw a significant increase in usage. (Thanks, pandemic.) In 2022, it’s likely that we will need to stay at home and use our phones to communicate with others. Brands with strong Instagram Live content plans are well-positioned to connect to their followers.
80 percent of viewers would rather watch livestreams than read blog posts. Give people what they want!
Get the complete Social Trends Report to see the in-depth analysis and data needed to plan and prioritize your social strategy for 2022.
This is our step-by–step guide for getting started with Instagram live. We also have more inspiration to help you stream on social media like a pro.
The return to the chronological feed
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by Instagram’s algorithm, 2022 could be your year. Instagram announced that it is experimenting with a return to a chronological feed. Users will have the ability to choose which posts are most important or relevant.
We want everyone to be able to control their experience. We have been testing Favorites, which allows you to choose which posts you wish to see higher up. Another option is to see posts by people you follow chronologically.
December 8, 2021 — Instagram Comms (@InstagramComms).
Another tweet clarified that this will not be a forced change (if it does happen), but an option for those who want to have more control over what is displayed in their feeds.
We want to make it clear that we are creating new options. This allows people to choose what is best for them. Not switching back to a chronological feed. More information will be forthcoming in the new year.
December 8, 2021 — Instagram Comms (@InstagramComms).
“Add Yours” collaborative albums
In the fall of 2021, new “Add Yours” stickers began appearing in Instagram Stories. These stickers asked users to create their own Stories around a particular theme. This could be the last picture in your camera roll, the person that you are in love with, or a photo that represents 2021.
Clicking on the sticker will take you to a collection photos of everyone who has agreed to the theme’s request. If you like, it can be called a thread or an album.
Add Yours = A sticker that creates public threads on Stories
You can share the sticker with public responses and custom prompts. pic.twitter.com/C9AXiFEo92
— Instagram (@instagram), November 1, 2021
These Add Yours stickers provide a structure and filing system to organize and file what was happening already across Stories and Posts. Although Instagram didn’t create the concept of video or photo challenges, these stickers help to codify it.
You can make a new theme using these stickers. Consider this a challenge for you brand to set a challenge that your fans can take on and share with your followers.
Reels: Reply
Following TikTok’s video-response feature and other Reels, Instagram has announced a new way for Reels to be commented on: with another Reel.
We are a huge fan of the Instagram communities created by creators.
Reels Visual Replies is a new feature that allows you to interact with your audience. Reels now allows you to reply to comments and your comment will appear as a sticker. pic.twitter.com/dA3qj1lAwE
Instagram (@instagram), December 10, 2021
Reels Visual Replies allows users create their own video responses to other people’s Reels. You’ll find the option to create your own Reel in the comment section. This will appear as a sticker.
This interactive tool allows fans to interact with creators in a visually stunning way. We’re curious to see how brands use it in 2022. Visual Replies will likely be a popular feature on Insta, if the success of TikTok’s video reply function proves it.
However, the truth of the matter at the start of 2022 could change significantly over the course of a calendar year. Consider this your starting point. Stay tuned to Hootsuite’s blog to see the most recent Instagram trends and expert guides for new features.
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