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Mar 6, 2023
Instagram is switching things up in 2023. Mosseri did an Instagram Live drop in January, announcing how the platform is going to ease up on its video-first strategy and focus more on photos this year.
Here’s what he had to say:
“We definitely have a number of photographers who have been upset. I want to be clear: though we are leaning into video, we still value photos. Photos will always be a part of Instagram. I think we were overfocused on video in 2022 and pushed ranking too far and basically showed too many videos and not enough photos. We’ve since balanced…”
To be clear, Instagram isn’t ditching video completely. The announcement is more reassurance that photos aren’t going anywhere, as well as that the algorithm may have pushed video a bit too strongly in 2022.
Moserri says the ranking is more balanced now, which can be observed through the roughly equal ratio of likes and comments across videos and photos.
The amount of video on Instagram will likely increase over time due to its high engagement rate relative to still photo content, but Moserri assures creators that there will always be an audience for photos on Instagram and that still photos will remain a priority for the platform.
So, what does this mean for our Instagram strategies going forward?
Maybe. From this announcement, it’s safe to assume that your engagement won’t take a hit if you choose to post more photo content.
However, while photos and videos are getting the same amount of engagement across all of Instagram’s content, your individual metrics may not reflect that average.
The short answer is no. Moserri was clear about how video continues to get high engagement on the platform. If you’ve been posting video content regularly and getting good results, stopping now would likely hurt your metrics.
Again, the answer is heavily dependent on the nuances of your particular audience. If you started posting video just to play into the algorithm’s bias last year and your audience isn’t engaging as well as you’d like, go ahead and reintroduce more photo content to see what happens. If your audience is vibing with your video strategy, you can try introducing a few extra photos every now and then, but don’t stop what’s already working. The last thing you want is to throw your audience off (and limit your growth in the process).
Because Instagram is adapting, it’s time for you to follow suit. Now is a great time for a content audit. Your best course of action begins with a few questions. It may seem like we’re beating a dead horse, but these questions come up often for a reason.
Ask yourself what you currently post, how your strategy shifted throughout the last year, and how your metrics responded.
Next, analyze what content resonated most with your audience over the last year. Identify format trends in your top-performing posts. It also wouldn't hurt to poll your audience on what content types they want to see from you moving forward.
Finally, think about what kind of content you are excited to create. At the end of the day, the type of content that works best for the masses isn’t the end-all-be-all of success on Instagram. If you are creating content that excites you, the authenticity will shine through no matter what format you use. Use authenticity as your secret sauce for success on social media. Create what makes your heart sing, and the right audience will find you.
Whether you’re planning on posting more photos or going all in with video in 2023, PLANOLY has the tools you need to make content your audience will love.
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