Instagone.Is it time to farewell
Over 100 million images and videos are uploaded every day on Instagram. One billion people use Instagram every month, that puts it third in line for reach after Facebook and YouTube. What began as a free platform for image sharing has become a media platform with a reach that makes that of TV, radio, print, and outdoor combined look puny. Instagram makes very little attempt to help business sell products. There is only one clickable link on an account – the link in the bio section. Sponsored posts are allowed one call-to-action button. But it has made its money from advertising since 2013 and, so far, that has been very successful. It is visual-first, which catches attention, and it’s a powerhouse for reach.
According to Merkle’s Digital Marketing Report for the second quarter of 2018, advertiser spending on Instagram for the period grew 177% year-on-year, compared to only 40% for Facebook. Impressions for Instagram in the same quarter grew by 209% year-on-year versus a negative 17% for Facebook. This is partly because of the surge in mobile usage and partly because Instagram’s algorithm to monetise its users’ attention is continually evolving. Video stories were introduced in 2016, carousel ads and shopping on Instagram in 2017, and IGTV in 2018. Advertisers can now even place an Instagram ad through Facebook without an Instagram account.
The problem that Instagram is confronting right now is that Instagram cheats are ruining its business. Mass-followers – businesses that follow “everything” to increase their own following, influencers who have bought followers, and massive hashtag users that look like spammers are all being targeted and punished by Instagram’s algorithm. Instagram’s main income source, the major brands, are turning away from influencers because they can’t be trusted to have
