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The 2021 Instagram algorithm changes affect all of us.
Ads are becoming less polished and less ad-y. They’re becoming raw, unfiltered, humanistic looks at products, outcomes, and promises. Yes — in the same way, Influencers present products for brand deals. Advertising is getting sneakier because it needs to.
I don’t want cable TV anymore. I stream and often pay for add-free. I skip on Youtube after the 5 seconds it forces me to watch. But ads are being built in. Nearly every creator has ad deals. We don’t skip them. So if we build advertising into a lifestyle and blended content, we won’t miss them.
Instagram wants to make money. The influencers on the app can make money from photo-based content, but the company needs a better way to sell its ads. Seamless video plugs. All companies need to do a quick show of the products and say their company name. That’s why on YouTube ads, having all the important stuff in the first 6 seconds is VITAL.
TikTok did it first, so Instagram has a blueprint to follow. Will they do it better?? That TikTok algorithm will be hard to beat! And really, only time will tell. And will Instagram do ad-sharing with their creator base??? That’s where YouTube shines over TikTok.
From a branding standpoint, yeah, you’ll have to start pushing more video content. And reels do reach. My insights show a 874% increase in audience reach in the last 14 days after only posting two reels.
From my personal experience, I haven’t seen a boost from videos in my feed that are non-reels. So photos still work, just with less non-follower reach.
But most importantly, remember, as a small business, your BEST assist will be word of mouth. 90% of my clients come from someone telling someone else about me. So having a solid client connection, building authentic relationships, and producing quality work are the key. If Instagram’s servers explode and everything is lost, my business will still be here… and maybe I’ll get more done with less time spent on this app. 😂