While TikTok’s growth is unprecedented with an almost estimated 85 million users expected in 2022, Instagram is coming up with new and creative ways to compete. Initially, Instagram was in known as a place to share pretty photos. In 2022, it’s prioritizing video like never before. Younger users are its focus too. We’ll walk you through three significant 2022 Instagram changes and how you can prepare for them. Here’s a hint: Instagram is helping creators monetize too!
2022 Instagram Changes
Instagram Feed Changes
Just like Facebook, Instagram’s algorithm prioritizes the most engaging posts and shows them most often in a user’s feed. While it benefits the app to keep showing you popular posts to stay engaged, an algorithm can deprive you of seeing posts from some of your favorite accounts.
Coming in 2022, Instagram is planning to provide a chronological feed option, among others.
This could do a few things. It could help your Instagram posts exposure to people who haven’t seen you in a while. They could stay engaged, but it could also give them a reason to unfollow your account.
Instagram’s head Adam Mosseri gave users a glimpse of the three feed changes at the beginning of 2022. He said: “We’re going to give you more control over your Instagram experience.” The Instagram feed options that are rolling out to U.S. users in early 2022 include:
- Home – this is where the algorithm will show you what’s popping and popular based on your interests.
- Favorites – this is where you list and prioritize your friends, your family, your tribe.
- Following – this is the chronological option.
Mosseri explained “Following will be a chronological list of the accounts you follow, just because home is going to have more and more recommendations over time.”
Quick tip: Make sure you create an Instagram post reminding your viewers to add you to favorites so you won’t get lost in the feed changes.
Subscription Option
As if the feed changes aren’t enough, Instagram is creating a subscription option for creators. This is your opportunity to ask followers to pay and subscribe to get your content on Instagram. Mosseri pointed out “Subscriptions are one of the best ways to have a predictable income. A way that’s not attached to how much reach you’ll get on any post.”
Subscriptions be tested in the United States first. These features will be expanded to integrate with other apps and systems to allow you to engage even more with your subscribers. Think about ways to add them to your newsletter list or push them to an e-course platform.
Listen as Adam Mosseri describes how Instagram’s subscription options will work for Instagram live, stories and badges.
Video Reels
Is your Instagram feed filled with video reels? Get ready for even more video content there.
Mosseri said “2022 is going to be an even bigger year. We’re going to have to rethink about what Instagram is. Because the world is changing quickly and we’re going to have to change with it.” Regarding Reels he added, “We’re going to double down on our focus on video. We’re no longer just a photo-sharing app and we’ll consolidate all of our video formats around Reels and continue to grow that product.”
How are you getting ready for the 2022 Instagram changes? What can the subscription option do for your income as an influencer?
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