The Instagram Update: What Went Wrong and Lessons Learned
Change. A topic that can be a hard pill to swallow for many, especially when it comes to things that are a part of your daily life. Instagram recently started testing a new update focusing on creating a fully-integrated home feed that would present everything in an immersive, swipeable feed.
In layman’s terms? Instagram would be officially transforming into a video-forward platform, creating a user experience similar to TikTok. This update was seen by users across the board and immediately faced backlash.
The Instagram Update Backlash
Creators and everyday users began to take to social media to vent their frustrations that their feed was suddenly a mix of video-only content, and full of people they didn’t even follow.
A Change.org petition to “Make Instagram Instagram Again” started quickly making its rounds. With users asking for a return to the original Instagram chronological feed, where everyone was “living in the moment.” The petition called out Instagram for their explicit desire to become like TikTok, something that they claim “no one has asked for” as users just want Instagram to stick to its origins as a photo-sharing app. The Change.org petition went viral overnight, reaching the eyes of larger creators and celebrities.
Two distinct voices added the most fuel to the fire, with Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian sharing the petition to their Instagram stories and their over 680 million combined followers. The next day Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, hopped onto Instagram to announce that the test was just that, a test and one that didn’t work out quite as Instagram HQ had hoped. They announced the test would be paused while they look into more community feedback and decide what is best moving forward.
What We’ve Learned & Where We’re Headed
Listen to your consumers
In 2022, if your customers don’t like your business decisions, they’ll be sure to let you know. To avoid a PR nightmare, be sure to incorporate consumer behavior and opinions into your business decisions. We like to establish buyer personas for our clients. “Buyer personas are semi-fictional representations of your ideal customers based on data and research. They help you focus your time on qualified prospects, guide product development to suit the needs of your target customers, and align all work across your organization (from marketing to sales to service).” Then, when you’re introducing a new product/service or hopping on the latest TikTok trend, it’ll land on target with your audience.
Own your mistakes
To err is human, but own your mistakes. Don’t use hubris or time/money spent as an excuse to make a square peg fit a round hole. Instagram did a great job admitting they were wrong here, listening to community criticism, and pivoting.
Like it or not, we’re moving toward video
All of that being said, we are on our way to video-centric platforms dominating the social media industry, and you don’t want to be left behind. Traditionally, video has required a lot of time, money, and talent, but in 2022, video is more accessible than ever. With the explosion of Reels/TikTok, there’s never been a better time to add video content to your social media strategy.
Not sure where to start? We’d love to talk about your business and social media goals. Contact Matchstick Social today, and we can get your social media strategy up to date. Shoot us a message or give us a call at (843) 631-6504!
