(lively music) (hands clapping)
- Rumor has it that Instagram is going back
to prioritizing photos in 2023.
It is not happening yet, but for those who appreciate
the old Instagram, it's back, baby.
So let's talk about how to grow on this platform in 2023.
(lively music)
This is a bit of a roadmap in terms of how to be successful
on Instagram in 2023.
So number one, we primarily wanna reach a new audience.
We wanna reach new people.
Then you wanna hopefully convert those people
into new followers.
Then you wanna take those followers and build a community.
So let's lay out the groundwork.
How is Instagram changing in 2023?
Well, Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram says.
- We're gonna focus on three things.
We're gonna focus on inspiring people to be creative.
- Okay, I'm on board with that one.
- We're also gonna help people discover things
that they love.
- Okay.
- And three, we're gonna hopefully spark connections
between people over what they find.
- Just like you know when CEOs are just like,
let's just find ways for synergy.
That's what that entire thing feels like.
What I do know is that the navigation bar
is changing to showcase their priorities.
So right in the center,
we are going to have the create option.
So creation is a big part of Instagram moving forward.
The shopping tab is now officially gone.
Thank you. No one used it.
So thank you for doing that.
And Reels has moved to the side.
So this is a great segue-way moving
into Instagram's primary focus, which is going to be Reels.
So remember earlier when we were talking
about reaching new audiences?
This is where reels come in.
Reels are gonna be the primary vehicle
for you to get in front of new eyeballs.
So if you want to reach new audiences and get more exposure,
you're gonna have to start making reels.
That's just what you're gonna have to do. Sorry.
You are reaching 300% more people by posting reels
over any other piece of content on Instagram.
And remember when we were talking
about converting those new eyeballs into followers?
Well, now you have to focus on content.
What is your value add?
Why is someone choosing to follow you at that point?
So when you're making content, you don't wanna always think
about reach and how far it can go.
Think about why am I making this piece of content
and why would someone wanna follow me after watching it?
The approach for a lot of content creators,
as well as Instagram itself
is going to be slower and longer reels.
Again, Instagram likes to copy TikTok.
TikTok has a longer format.
Now people are making longer content on that platform.
So Instagram was like, we should do the same thing.
So expect to see longer
and slower content on Instagram in 2023.
My little tip for you is,
it sounds so basic, is don't overthink it.
My friend Chris Brockhurst actually said that you should.
- Treat reels like stories.
- If you were to post it to your stories,
post that exact same story
to your Instagram reels because it's gonna go out
to a new audience versus your current audience.
And then number three is sometimes,
just like a simple iPhone clip is actually more effective
than something that is overly produced
'cause sometimes people might see that overproduced piece
of content and think, oh, is this an ad?
What are they they trying to do here?
It's too contrived.
Just keep it simple.
Reels will always get the most traction
on Instagram right now, but that doesn't mean
that you should neglect posting to the other places
on Instagram, including stories as well as in-feed posts.
Those are just as important and I'll tell you why.
(film whirring)
- Hey, Chris.
So a few things have changed in the past year.
First of all, being the rise of original content.
I have data that suggests people and the algorithm
prefer seeing originally produced content more than hopping
on trends and using trending audio.
However, I also have data that shows every once
in a while creating good content
that utilizes trending audio clips
can also help you get more exposure.
So it's all about finding that healthy balance.
Now, in my opinion, momentum is also really important
and quantity is a bit more important than quality.
So looking at my data, but we also see quality standards
slowly rise and people start preferring
purposefully created posts more and more.
And talk about photo posts,
by the way, Mosseri, the head of Instagram recently again
said they're going to start
to balance the reach issue for photos.
And I can definitely see it for some accounts
but to be honest, almost all photographers
that I work with right now grow because of reels.
Lastly, talking about hashtags, it's not so much
about getting lots of reach because of the hashtag,
hashtags that you use anymore, but to actually
give the algorithm context as to what your post is about
so it can recommend you to the right audience.
If you have the topic feature and find topics
that actually fit,
definitely use them in addition to a few hashtags just
to make sure the algorithm knows
what the post is really about.
Talking about the recommendation engine.
- Before we find out more
about how to grow on Instagram in 2023,
I would like to thank this week's sponsor Artlist.
Now, last week I was on a call with a commercial client
and they were like, "Chris, we have one big concern.
Is the music that you're gonna use
and the content you're producing for us
commercially available to you?"
I was like, don't you worry,
I got this website, it's called Artlist.
We got over 22,000 songs
and 27,000 sound effects that we can use
that are commercially available to download.
Plus songs are super easy to find.
You can sort by genre, mood, beats per minute, instrument.
And let's say you find a song that you really like.
You send it to the client and they're like, "Hmm,
I don't know about this one, Christopher.
Maybe we can find a couple other options."
They even have a find similar options
that will give you a couple other songs
in the same ballpark.
And that's why I've had a Creator Pro account
for the last five years.
Almost every commercial project that I work on,
I would say 90% of them use an Artlist song
because the music is actually good.
You can even find them
in this current YouTube video right now.
I mean, look at this timeline
it's just filled with Artlist songs and sound effects.
Plus this is a brand new feature.
Artlist even has an academy where you can learn to monetize
and produce better content from top creators.
And this is something that's gonna be available
for free for a limited time.
So if you sign up for an annual subscription plan,
you're also gonna get two months for free
if you use my link in the description below.
So click that link and go
and explore all the the different subscription plans
that could work for you.
So thank you, Art List
for supporting creators around the world,
this channel and sponsoring this week's episode.
Let's start with stories.
So remember when we were talking
about fostering a community before?
This is where stories plays a very big part.
Stories are your opportunity to share more of who you are.
Let people into your life.
Like yes, you have these nicely produced pieces
of content that brought them there, but also who are you?
Show more of your personality, let it be raw,
let it be more authentic,
and that's what's going to keep them there.
And ultimately, make them deeper fans of who you are.
And I would suggest posting anywhere
from two to three times on your stories per day.
I have a few tips for you in terms
of how to maximize your reach on Instagram's stories.
Number one, use the engagement tools that are built
in the Instagram app to your stories
but don't overuse them.
Number two, make use of your Instagram highlights
and make sure they're curated really nicely.
And number three, edit your stories ahead of time
and then post them to Instagram,
rather than editing them in the app.
Other little pro tips that I've noticed
through my experiences is let your stories expire
from the previous day and then post your new stories
once they've expired or delete them from the previous day.
So you're starting fresh.
And last but not is we're gonna focus
on photo and in-feed posts.
They're not useless.
Let me tell you why.
You have to remember that the people that are looking
at your in-feed posts are probably gonna be
your current fan base right now.
So treat this as like an opportunity
for announcements and updates
to your current audience rather than like a new audience.
You might already know this at this point
but carousel posts have larger reach
than single photo posts on Instagram.
And there's two reasons for this.
Number one, you're increasing the opportunity
for someone to like your piece of content.
But number two, and most importantly,
TikTok is actually making carousel posts a priority.
So what does Instagram like to do?
They like to copy TikTok.
So anything they're doing, expect to see
on Instagram a few months afterwards and then use that
as a strategy to be successful on the program.
On the program?
Oh man, I'm so old on the app.
A thing to consider when you're posting a carousel post
is try to tell a story
in three to 10 frames and have it be mixed media.
Both photo and video content will increase your chances
of people engaging with that piece of content,
which will ultimately push it out to more of your community.
I think it's just really important to remember
that Instagram is not going anywhere, it is not dying,
it is still alive and well.
When people meet you,
usually they ask for your Instagram handle
in order to stay in contact with you.
So this is ultimately your new hub in terms
of communication with your community and/or friends.
Number two is that you can still build a career
on this platform
and be very successful and have lots of opportunities.
Last year I was paid and flown out to amazing places
because of Instagram and the brand that I've built there.
So there is still tons
of opportunity to reach so many people.
So just remember that Instagram is not dead.
This is still a great platform to connect
with so many people around the world
and it's still growing in 2023.
Just some food for thought there.
If you wanna support this channel,
please consider subscribing.
That would actually mean the world to me
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will push this video to more people.
Drop your handle in the comment section below
and hopefully we can connect on Instagram.
Bye, everybody. Thanks for watching.