BY: AMY BLASCO
For years, Instagram has been known as the place to share and comment on beautiful photos. That insanely gorgeous sunset. Vacationing with the fam. Adventures in foodie land. But that’s all changing.
The Facebook-owned brand has been shifting to a video-first platform in order to compete with TikTok and YouTube. The most recent change: Doing away with IGTV. Now everything but Reels will be combined into Instagram Video. Instagram users can now find both long- and short-form videos on one new “Video” tab.
So what does this mean for your destination or Business Improvement District? A couple of things, actually, and most of it is good news.
- Combining all video under one tab will make it easier for people to find your content. One of the biggest complaints about IGTV was that it created clutter and confusion for users.
- Content creators can upload non-Reels videos the same way as usual. Instagram is also adding new features for trimming video, adding filters and tagging people and locations,
- IGTV Ads, typically used for longer videos, are now called “In-Stream” video ads. However, boosted posts can’t be longer than 60 seconds.
- Content creators will still be able to cross promote videos through Stories, tappable, time-sensitive videos presented in a banner at the top of each user’s profile.
That last point is perhaps the most important because Stories are arguably the most popular feature on Instagram. Users like them because they’re short, sweet and highly interactive. And brands like them because they’re an easy, budget-friendly way to engage with your audience.
Here are Verdin’s tips for making great Stories for your BID:
- Make it fun. People are on Instagram to laugh, smile, and learn something new. Take advantage of the unique features Stories offers, such as quizzes, polls and questions, to make interacting with your brand more enjoyable.
- Make it educational. People want to know what’s going on in the world around them. Promote what stakeholders in your district are doing in the community by giving behind-the-scenes looks at businesses or attractions.
- Make it timely. Got a big announcement to make? Keep your followers in the loop with breaking news, time-sensitive deals and teasers of upcoming events or products.
Need help developing content for your BID? The marketing experts at Verdin are here to help. Reach out to us at www.verdinmarketing.com/contact/ and follow us on Instagram.