8 Best Instagram Marketing Trends for 2024

Trends make the social media world go ‘round. On Instagram, trends do not only extend to dance crazes and ice buckets but also to marketing strategies. Some marketing trends come and go, while others are so successful that they hang around for a long time. The following marketing trends are already going big in 2024 and will likely become even more popular as the year progresses:

8. There is No Getting Away From Reels

Some marketers were dismissive of Instagram Reels at first. But now, there is no doubt that it is one (if not the number one) best marketing trend on the platform today. Reels have surpassed Feed posts in reach and are a go-to feature for marketers to grab attention and get content on the Instagram Explore Page.

If you want to use reels to find Instagram success in 2024, forget the polished posts and start creating authentic, fun content. People want to see the personality and hear the voice of the brand you’re promoting. Use humor and UGC (user-generated content) to connect with your audience in 30 seconds or less. Also, use reels to tell brand stories, not just to sell products. Weave these stories into your marketing posts so that the brand’s value proposition shines.

7. Instagram Threads Is Still Around

The Threads feature didn’t take off from the start, even though it had a record-breaking launch. Traffic is still not great on Threads, but you don’t have to write this feature off yet. Use it to create a secondary marketing campaign. Share exclusive content like product sneak peeks or events. Use the Live option to hold Q&A sessions. You don’t want to go all in on a Threads campaign, but you can experiment with it until it becomes clear which way Threads is going. That said, some marketers are going all out on Threads and are seeing some success.

6. Finding Brand Advocates Is a Must

Instagram audiences don’t want only promotional content. They don’t want to feel like brands always want to sell them something. Audiences want to connect with a brand and feel like they are part of its success. This is why, in 2024, you must build a community around your brand. This means engaging with your audience, responding to questions and concerns, and holding discussions about important topics.

At the same time, you can highlight UGC content by featuring users’ posts on your feed and tagging the creators to show how much you appreciate their engagement. This way, you create brand advocates who will spread the word about your brand (and your products) across Instagram. Moreover, you can extend this organic reach by collaborating with micro-influencers who can also act as brand advocates.

5. Optimize for Increased Discoverability

Visuals are great for Instagram. However, if no one knows how to find these visuals, they are not maximized. Every piece of content, whether text or visual, must be SEO-optimized to increase discoverability. Use keywords that your audience uses when searching for similar brands or products. Add these keywords to your Instagram bio and all captions. Take care not to use the same keywords over and over again because Instagram might see this as a spammy tactic. Find relevant keywords or phrases for each post.

The same goes for hashtags. You don’t want to use too many hashtags in one post, and you don’t want to use the same ones every time. Use relevant keywords only, and add a branded keyword or two now and then. Both keywords and hashtags will make your content more visible to the right audiences.

Use location and hashtag stickers when you create Instagram stories so that your content appears in local or relevant searches. When you work with influencers, ensure that their profiles are also optimized.

4. Partner With AI

AI technology has taken on a life of its own. Make the most of this trend to find incredible success on Instagram this year. You can use AI to streamline your content creation process. You can also use it to discover what part of your campaign works the best. Machine learning algorithms allow you to segment your audience and create personalized content. You can even add a chatbot to your message function so that you’re ‘always available’ to answer questions or address concerns.

3. Create AR Experiences

AR (augmented reality) adds another exciting layer to generative AI technology. You want your audience to interact and engage with your content. Motivate them to do so by adding interactive and fun AR experiences to your Instagram feed. You can showcase virtual products or host interactive games. You can even develop AR filters and effects unique to your brand personality. If you’re new to AR, you can partner with established AR content creators or influencers to get your campaign off the ground.

2. Shopping Features Remain Huge on Instagram

If you promote products on Instagram using a bunch of trends and features, you should include social commerce. This allows you to sell products from the app and showcase best sellers in stories and posts.

Use Instagram’s shopping features to add stickers and tags to products in feed posts. Doing this will allow your audience to tap on a product and buy it directly from the Instagram platform. Tailor the Instagram Checkout feature to suit your brand requirements and streamline the checkout process.

1. Use Your Bio Link to Drive Traffic

You can add up to five links to your Instagram bio as of 2023. Use them to drive traffic to your website or specific product landing pages. Rotate these links often to highlight different campaigns or product launches. You can also select one to be a dedicated link to your blog page if you regularly write those.

Marketing Trends Will Continue to Grow in 2024

These are just some of the marketing trends already making waves this year. Chances are that more will pop up throughout 2024 to make creating marketing campaigns easier and more successful. No matter which trends you go with, set clear goals and KPIs so you can test whether your marketing campaigns are successful. Refine your strategy based on analytics results to improve each campaign’s performance. This will help you stay ahead of the competition and attract new audiences throughout the year.