Дsome readers are ready to argue that Instagram will become the main platform for sales. Yes, Amazon is still the leader: 23 thousand retail stores in the UK are expected to close in 2019 due to the company's activities (even Marks & Spencer and Debenhams are planning to close some stores). Let's think about the future...
Why Instagram will become the #1 platform
A purchase on Amazon (and other online platforms) goes something like this: a person knows what they need, goes to the site and searches for a product. It turns out that this is a premeditated action: there is no need to offer anything to a person - they know their needs and will visit the site only when they decide to make a purchase. This is the main problem with online stores: a person will not visit an online store if they are not planning to buy.
But sales on Instagram are organized differently: according to statistics, the average user logs into the app 25 times a day, and this number is only growing every year. It turns out that a person enters a social network to like a photo, shoot a story or see the popularity of his post, he comes across targeted advertising for products that he is interested in ... and the likelihood of an unplanned purchase increases, doesn't it? And with the new shopping tags, the purchase is made in just a couple of clicks.
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Instagram adapts to the user, and the user adapts to Instagram
Imagine that there are two restaurants with the same quality of service, prices, and menus. In one, you can take cool photos, and in the other, the photos will be boring. Where will girls go? Of course, they will wipe their phone cameras and go to a photogenic place to eat. Maybe even vice versa: take photos and then eat.
Evgeny Chichvarkin's Hide restaurant is perfect for those who like to take pictures (by the way, the restaurant has received a Michelin star). The idea of different lighting is implemented there: one for a comfortable meal, the other for good quality photos.
There are many such examples of the interaction between the world and Instagram. For example, the Village Marketing agency recently opened the first penthouse for rent for photo shoots. Imagine: a luxury apartment in the historic district of New York City turned into a huge Instagram studio. Doesn't it sound crazy? Of course it is. Only a week after the opening, the studio was booked a month in advance.
But the Australian bureau Vale Architects has released a whole guide Instagram Design Guide. And no, it's not about the social network. The 46 pages contain tips on how to make your premises "Instagrammable" and make your business friends with the social network.
Visitors evaluate cafes and restaurants not only by the quality of service and prices. If your establishment doesn't want to be photographed, it's a bad sign.
Augmented reality
Masks in stories are AR filters. It would seem that there is nothing left to surprise users, but don't rush to judgment. The deeper implementation of AR technologies has already begun. One example is Kylie Jenner's cosmetics on Instagram, which you can try out for yourself. Now imagine this feature combined with shopping tags. So you see a product, try it on, and buy it right away. Sounds perfect, doesn't it?
In previous articles, we have already written about an app from IKEA that allows you to evaluate how new furniture will fit into the interior of your home. No one is stopping Instagram from using such technologies. Previously, augmented reality was not implemented due to the low performance of devices, but today this problem does not exist: some smartphones are more powerful than PCs, so augmented reality is about to revolutionize the world of applications.
Read also:10 trends in internet marketing 2019
Instagram continues to capture competitors' niches
Уже сьогодні функція IGTV є головним конкурентом YouTube, а листування в Direct цілком замінюють месенджери. Неспроста ж розробники додають в додаток гіфки і відеодзвінки?
Можливо, в майбутньому буде кілька додатків від Instagram як це зробив Facebook: один додаток для перегляду стрічки новин і лайків, друге — месенджер. Тільки у випадку з Instagram додатків буде більше: одне для відео і стрімінга, друге — для спілкування, третє — для фото.
Instagram is still not perfect. One of the main problems of the app is the terrible indexing of content through hashtags. It's still difficult to find the right product or person through the app's search, but the company's owners are working on it.Due to the poor search engine, IGTV is losing out to YouTube, which is second in the world after Google in terms of search queries. That's why content on YouTube remains popular, while on IGTV it gets lost among other materials.
New targeting opportunities
Why did Santa Claus always give you exactly what you wanted when you were a kid? It's simple: you told your parents your gift options. This is exactly how Instagram will work in the future.
Wishlist will be added to the app: users will save posts with shopping tags, and the network will collect statistics on interests and offer similar products.
What else to expect?
Kevin Systrom (former CEO of the company) was replaced by Adam Mosser (former VP of Product), who works closely with Mark Zuckerberg. Most likely, there will be new tools to monetize the product and increase Instagram's profits.
Do you remember Fb reach, when brands had to pay for followers to see your posts? Perhaps Instagram will launch similar reach. Average users are unlikely to feel the difference, but bloggers and brands will have to be nervous?
Instead of conclusions
Instagram has long gone beyond being a social network for posting photos. Today, the platform is one of the main tools for finding a target audience and making sales. Now imagine deep integration of shopping tags, wishlist, and AR technologies. Still doubt that this is the main marketplace of the future?
