Is Instagram Going Again to Images in 2023?
Technically talking, photographs by no means left.
Nonetheless, Reels and steered content material have been prioritized by Instagram over the previous few years.
That mentioned, following 2022’s “Make Instagram Nice Once more” marketing campaign, the platform’s CEO, Adam Mosseri, ensured that Instagram would keep dedicated to supporting photographs:
👋🏼 There’s so much occurring on Instagram proper now.
I needed to deal with a couple of issues we’re engaged on to make Instagram a greater expertise.
Please let me know what you suppose 👇🏼 pic.twitter.com/x1If5qrCyS
— Adam Mosseri (@mosseri) July 26, 2022
And in an AMA earlier this 12 months, he took that sentiment a step additional:
“We have been overfocused on video in 2022 and pushed rating too far, and principally confirmed too many movies and never sufficient photographs.
We’ve since balanced, so issues like how usually somebody likes photographs versus movies, and the way usually somebody feedback on photographs versus movies are roughly equal — which is an efficient signal that issues are balanced.”
So, are issues balanced?
Some creators like Jade Beason and Lucas O’Keefe say sure, and have been encouraging their followers to publish extra photograph content material.
Jade particularly performed an experiment (with the assistance of Later’s scheduling instruments!) and solely posted photographs over the course of 10 days.
The end result? “While photographs couldn’t compete with the attain I get from Reels, they acquired significantly extra engagement.”
And Later’s social crew has observed the same development:
“We publish a mean of 10 feed posts per week on Instagram — about half of that are photographs. And whereas our Reels views have been pretty constant over the previous six months, we’ve seen a significant shift with photograph content material.
Between static photographs and carousel posts, their collective engagement charges have elevated by 100%,” shares Later’s Social Media Supervisor, Christine Colling.
“Whereas they’re not as excessive as our engagement charges in earlier years, all indicators at present level to photographs getting into their comeback season,” she provides.
The takeaway?
Should you’re centered on model consciousness and reaching new audiences, Reels should be the best way to go.
Nonetheless, if engagement and community-building are your predominant objectives, sharing extra photographs (static or carousel) to your feed might encourage deeper conversations along with your followers.
Will Instagram Reels Be Deprioritized for Images and Carousel Posts?
In keeping with Adam Mosseri: No.
Final month, he addressed this query through his Instagram Tales:
“We’re not deprioritizing Reels. We nonetheless suppose Reels are extremely necessary… However we expect photographs and carousels are additionally an necessary a part of what we do at Instagram and they’re going to proceed to be – without end.”
In different phrases, preserve diversifying the kind of content material you publish on Instagram — from Tales to Reels to carousel posts.
Whereas photographs have re-joined the chat, the platform’s made it clear that video isn’t going anyplace both.
FYI: Later’s social media administration platform is trusted by over 4M social media managers, manufacturers, and creators to plan and schedule content material, analyze posts, and extra. Enroll in the present day – without spending a dime:
