Instagram Trends You Must Know in 2023

In the mesmerizing realm of social media, Instagram remains at the forefront of visual content marketing.

Each year, fresh trends take over this dynamic platform, transforming our ways of interaction and engagement.

Understanding and adapting these trends is crucial to enhancing your online presence so you can communicate with your target audience more effectively.

In this blog, we’ll discover the six Instagram marketing trends you must have in your strategy and share some interesting facts about each of them.

Buckle up as we embark on this journey through the enchanting landscape of Instagram trends that are poised to leave a lasting mark on your digital canvas.

Reels

Ever since their release in 2020, Instagram Reels have taken the social media marketing world by storm.

Initially created to compete with Snapchat and TikTok, its popularity took over faster than anticipated. Now, there’s an obvious pattern when one surfs through Instagram. Most of the content you see is in the form of reels.

Even YouTube joined in with their shorts.

These micro-video additions are probably one of the fastest to be embraced by netizens over the last few years and will stay in the spotlight in 2023.

And why wouldn’t they be? There’s so much you can do with them. Besides, we can all agree videos are much more enticing than still images.

These are some reasons your business should use reels:

1. Users watch 6 million hours of Instagram reels per day.
2. They have the most reach out of all other Instagram content.
3. They get more likes than any other content.
4. You can now record up to 90 seconds of video.

Shoppable Posts (E-Commerce on Instagram)

Once the pandemic was over, all of us got a little too comfortable with our phones and computers.

Turns out, online shopping skyrocketed as we continued being glued to our precious screens. E-commerce sales increased by 43% or $245 billion in 2020.

It’s a no-brainer that you should consider taking some of that juicy revenue for yourself.

Fortunately, Instagram paves the way for online sales with ‘Shoppable Posts.’

You can create your Instagram shop catalogue and list your products and services, making it convenient for your followers to buy from you within the app.

A shoppable post features products tagged with it, allowing for shopping without ever leaving the app.

The silver lining? You can make any type of post a shoppable one.

This is a great tool for enhancing your sales, as people are more likely to be compulsive if the option to ‘buy now’ is right in the confounds of the Instagram app.

It’s estimated that 35% of Instagram users made a purchase on the platform in 2023.

Here are a few reasons you should use Instagram for e-commerce:

1. It’s the #1 platform for people to connect with brands.
2. Almost 15% of U.S. shoppers start their searches on Instagram.
3. Almost 90% of users follow business profiles.

User-Generated Content (UGC)

We’re all attracted by originality and authenticity.

Maybe it’s the human in us, but when we see something unpretentious and not forced in nature, we tend to be more inclined towards it.

User-generated content is a great example.

User-generated content, or UGC, is original content created and published by other people about your brand.

It can be in any form, including images, videos, carousels, reviews, etc.

Now, you might be wondering why someone would post about your product organically.

The answer lies in the details.

See, UGC can be truly organic, but most of what you find is actually paid content made to look like it was user-generated.

It’s a great marketing tool, as it creates an essence of brand loyalty and honesty about a business, and you can find various examples all over Instagram.

Reasons for you to embrace UCG:

1. Almost 80% of people admit it impacts their buying decisions.
2. Consumers find it 8x more meaningful than influenced content.
3. 90% of users say authenticity is important when considering a brand.
4. Millennials generate more than 70% of UGC.

Memes

There’s no arguing users hate deception. That’s why brands spend so much time and money on appearing ‘authentic.

But being relatable and occasionally giving users a good laugh is equally, if not more important. Also, it’s free of cost and timeless.

We’ve all seen memes. Don’t worry. We’re not here to tell you how to pronounce it. (We’re still deciding).

Memes are humorous, recognizable, and rapid at spreading. They can be in any form – text, image, video, GIF, etc.

We want to tell you about the unhinged possibilities and capabilities of incorporating memes into your social media strategy.

Most people adore memes. In fact, 75% of people aged 13-36 share memes.

The reason for their peerless popularity is they’re extremely relatable, and as a business, you should use this to your advantage.

It’s critical if you want to attract the younger generations.

By sharing memes on Instagram, you’ll relate to your audience, and they’ll perceive you as a fun brand.

You can pick and choose what memes go with your brand’s personality. You can even edit memes by changing their colors and backgrounds to make them resemble your brand.

You get to decide what’s best for your business, and due to Instagram’s multiple format options, you can share any type of meme. The possibilities are endless.

Here are some great indicators of why your business should invest in memes:

1. They generate 10x engagement than traditional content.
2. 55% of 13–35-year-olds share memes every week.
3. More than 73% of mobile users share memes.

Social Justice Movements

Social media has become a hub for social and political movements.

We’ve all witnessed social media’s impact during the recent presidential elections.

Governments of the world, politicians, celebrities, influencers, and the public all partake in supporting and sharing movements they think are important.

You can be certain social media will continue to be a nurturing haven for future movements, and Instagram is no exception due to its constant visual innovation.

So, it’s safe to assume people (especially the younger generations like Millennials and Gen Z) care about a brand’s perceptions and social values when making a choice.

As a business, you should see this as an absolute win – it’s a chance for you to connect and nurture relationships with your audience.

Be candid about highlighting social issues and supporting causes. Your audiences value this property in a brand, and can lead to loyalty among consumers.

Because at the end of the day, we’re all humans, so when we show sympathy, compassion, and support, it resonates with people across the board.

1. Some reasons why your business should be socially active:
2. More than 70% of consumers believe it’s important for a brand to take a stand on social and political issues.
3. 55% of people are willing to pay more for brands that are actively committed to positive social impact.
4. A brand known for its social values is one of the top purchasing drivers for 56% of people.

Carousels

This ingenious feature allows creators to share up to 10 images and videos within a single post, giving rise to a new dimension of storytelling and engagement.

Soon after their introduction on Facebook, carousels took off with glory, and everyone started using them immediately. They still continue to be one of the best ways of communicating with your audience.

They’re great for any type of product at any stage in its lifecycle.

You can use carousels as reminders for existing products at a discount or introduce entirely fresh products altogether.

Instagram being the leader in visual content, it’s pretty obvious carousels would be highly used by most businesses.

They are captivating, informative, and multi-purpose, making them an essential part of any marketing arsenal.

You must harness carousels in your Instagram posts.

Use high-quality visuals, engaging with written content, distinct call to action (CTA), and you’re good to go.

Instagram carousels are the foundation of artistic expression and storytelling. If your business has a story to tell, they’re your best option.

Some interesting stats about Instagram carousels:

1. They get 3x more engagement than standard images and videos.
2. A 10-slide carousel boosts engagement by 2%.
3. Almost 20% of all Instagram posts are carousels.

Unlock the Potential of Instagram Trends

Harnessing the true power of Instagram trends in 2023 requires a touch of brilliance.

With Design Genious at your side, you can be confident your Instagram business profile will touch new horizons.

Our Social Media Marketing team brings these trends to life, infusing them seamlessly into your strategy while staying true to your brand essence.