A Guide: What to Expect from Instagram in 2023
Oh Instagram - we all love you, and hate you sometimes. And this year was no exception. From all of the updates from Adam Mosseri, the Reels drafts that we never posted, to the never-ending Instagram rumors about the algorithm and engagement.
Maybe you feel like you don’t have a grasp on Instagram, I have a few predictions that might help you in the new year!
While I don’t know everything that will happen on the platform in 2023, after analyzing my content, talking to my audience, and being in this industry for YEARS, I have some educated guesses!!
REELS WILL GET EVEN EASIER TO CREATE
I can see a trend moving towards Reels that are EASY to create, as easy as it is to make Instagram Stories. Over the last two years, Reels have become such an important part of overall social media and Instagram strategy. And oftentimes, small business owners struggle with making Reels.
They think…
“... Reels are so time-consuming!”
… I don’t want to sing and dance on camera!”
… another trend?! How do I make it work for my business?”
And I get it!! But now we are seeing a move towards EASIER content. And honestly, this type of content performs really well for me already. Things like creating Reels with existing video content on your phone, videos recorded quickly in the moment, and pure graphics/photo-based Reels. And you can even create Reels like this in Canva…
VIDEO TUTORIAL: Easy to Create Reels in Canva
SAVES AND SHARES > LIKES AND COMMENTS
Engagement is always a concern for most small business owners, and I think we will see a big shift this year. We all used to place a priority on seeing more likes and comments, but I think people are interacting with the platform in a much different way.
Instagram users are becoming more thoughtful about how they want to engage with the platform. Most people are becoming more intentional with the content they engage with. I have already seen a huge increase in my saves and shares.
And I think this is for two reasons…
The type of content everyone is starting to create is more inclined to be shared and saved. Think of educational hard-hitting pieces of content or content that really resonates with your audience in a big way.
People are coming to Instagram to learn something from you or be inspired by your content. They are less likely to mindlessly scroll and just double-tap your content.
DIRECT SALES FROM INSTAGRAM WILL INCREASE
Yes - you need to be sales-y on Instagram. With the rise in certain Instagram features (like the shopping tab, shops within business profiles, and links available in Stories for everyone) people are still buying directly from businesses on Instagram.
Also, when you build and foster a community, the best part about Instagram, you have the chance to collect really warm leads for your business. Most people that follow you are a part of your buying cycle in some way or fashion. This isn’t going anywhere, and in fact, is probably one of the strongest things Instagram has to offer.
GROWING YOUR FOLLOWING WILL BE DIFFERENT
Traditionally you used to be able to have an aesthetic feed… and you could blow up overnight on Instagram. Now, that landscape has completely changed. I predict that your following will grow the most by…
Creating your own original Reels audios for others to use
Collaborations with other people in your industry
Going live with guest experts
Thoughtful, non-spammy giveaways
HEALTHIER RELATIONSHIP WITH INSTAGRAM
After the last few years, we have put so much time and effort into being on our phones, with most of that time dedicated to scrolling on social media. That can take a huge toll on your mental health for a variety of reasons.
This will be the year of understanding that Instagram is a business tool, and it is NOT the top priority in business. We are going to focus on using Instagram to sell and build a community, and focus less on vanity metrics.
And if you want to make content creation easier for Instagram, check out some of our best-selling templates in the shop… yes - including Reels Templates!
P.S. If you are a member of Your Template Club, you can find all of these templates when you log in to the portal.
check out our best-selling canva templates help boost your engagement!
You can grab our favorite Canva Templates inside of the shop that you can customize for your business to help you batch create Reels content!
want access to 1,500+ templates?
Join Your Template Club to get access to Canva templates designed to grow engagement and sales!
Manu Muraro is the founder of Your Social Team, an Instagram training membership and template shop that help social media managers and Instagram-savvy small business owners to grow engagement and sales using Instagram and content marketing, without the overwhelm. Born and raised in Brazil, Manu moved to the U.S. in 2000 right out of college to work for Cartoon Network, where she made an award winning career in creative and strategy. In 2021, Manu started Your Template Club, a Canva template subscription service to help social media professionals and Canva-savvy business owners to create content that performs on Instagram, add more Instagram features into their strategy, such as Instagram Lives and Reels, and save time.