5 Instagram Changes and Predictions for 2022

5 INSTAGRAM CHANGES AND PREDICTIONS FOR 2022

There are changes coming to Instagram- are you ready?

My word of the year for 2022 is “EVOLVE”, and I’m certainly going to be prepared! Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, said last year that Instagram is “no longer just a photo sharing app,” and the changes we’ve seen since then have proven that statement to be true.

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The app published its first ever trend report in December of last year, and it looks like a lot of the platform's changes will be focused on Gen Z audiences. This trend report is divided by niche (you can read all the specifics here), and here are five of the biggest changes that will be coming to the platform in 2022.

1. Instagram is going all-in on video, particularly Reels.

This is not really new, as Adam Mosseri made this shift very clear last year, but it’s important to note because a platform like Instagram has to evolve so they don’t get left behind. Video is a more engaging content form, particularly in the full-screen 9x16 format, and the platform’s focus on video means it will be super important for creators to master the short-form video content format. Engagement and retention rates will become increasingly important this year, as these two analytics are strongly factored into the algorithm’s decision to push out your Reels to new audiences. When you are posting Reels, you will reach new audiences, but reach within your followers will slowly decrease over time. Reels are constantly being pushed out to new audiences, which is great for exposure and growth, but this means that existing followers will be seeing a larger variety of new content. Home feeds may become filled with an overwhelming amount of content, and this shift will cause a gradual decrease in the reach you have with your current audience.

My predictions:

Instagram will begin a push towards long form Reels, giving viewers the option to skip through longer videos (in fact, if you look closely at the video Adam Mosseri posted, it’s over two minutes long, but it is in the Reel format- this could be a new feature coming soon!)
Reels being may be shown larger in the home feed, taller than the typical 4 by 5 dimension of home page content.
More tools and effects will be available to attract Tiktok users
Instagram content will become less aesthetic/polished and more casual, with educational talking Reels doing well
Strategic audio choices will become even more important

2. The Instagram interface will be more customizable than ever before.

Currently, you can filter words in comments and DMs, and you can choose whether or not to hide likes, both on your content and on other people’s content. Future updates will allow you to view / manage your likes and comments in the “Your activity” panel, and sort your home feed in different ways (home, following, or favorites), allowing users to switch between a chronological feed and an algorithmically sorted one. Customization with regard to health and safety has never been a focus on the platform, but seems as if it will be a priority going forward, and this could mean less visibility for creators.

My predictions:

Expect some unfollows from users using the chronological feed who are suddenly seeing your content for the first time in a while (not a bad thing, as they weren’t engaging with your content anyway!)
There will likely be lowered reach overall, particularly for larger accounts, but having a clear niche and an authentic voice will make your account and personal brand memorable to followers, while creating a deeper connection with your audience

3. Instagram is making its platform safer and more mental health focused.

“Take a break” notifications, parental controls, and sensitive content settings are all part of this initiative, which hopes to prevent users moving to newer platforms like Tiktok.

My predictions:

This may lead to more censorship on the platform, and content that may be viewed as nudity, negativity, or politics may be more likely to be flagged, even if it isn’t content that explicitly goes against IG guidelines.
Minority and marginalized voices may be silenced because the heightened censorship.

4. Instagram will find more ways to pay their users, allowing them to pursue content creation as a full-time career.

Instagram has started to pay creators through their Reels bonus program, but it’s currently only available to creators in the United States.

My prediction:

Reels bonuses will be rolled out to other countries to encourage users to keep creating Reels

5. Instagram will continue to push in-app shopping features.

When the shopping tab first came out, there was a lot of upset, but it has died down as users see the convenience of it. The platform has a variety of different ways for users to shop in-app, including live shopping and affiliate products, and it is likely that they will use their greatest resource, their creators, to push out these features.

My prediction:

There will be a stronger focus on affiliate links, where creators make a percentage of sales after recommending products.

Finally, I’d like to mention a general influencer marketing trend: social media influencers are said to be as influential as A-list celebrities. One in four 13-24 year olds agree that micro influencers are the most important when creating new trends: influencers, and in particular smaller influencers with a highly dedicated following, will be the tastemakers of the future. Because of this, there has never been a better time than NOW to build your following and start your career as an influencer.