The success of Instagram can be attributed to its photo filters, which can transform ordinary individuals into skilled photographers. These filters played a significant role in attracting users to the platform.

With a diverse collection of 40 filters, each offering a unique look and atmosphere, you can select the one that best aligns with your brand’s identity. Consistency is crucial when marketing a business, as it allows your content to establish a recognizable brand image and style. This lets your followers easily identify your content and become familiar with your distinctive visual aesthetic.

To achieve this consistency, you can manage your preferred filters by accessing the gear icon at the end of the filter list. This feature proves especially useful when multiple individuals handle the account, as it ensures that everyone adheres to the same selection of filters, fostering a cohesive brand identity.

Access to a capable camera empowers you to produce compelling videos that can significantly enhance the sales potential of your product. Utilizing Instagram videos allows you to communicate messages about your product and captivate your audience effectively. The good news is that you can schedule Instagram videos just like regular Instagram posts.

According to Hubspot, 64% of consumers are more inclined to purchase a product online after watching a video showcasing it. Therefore, leveraging Instagram videos to demonstrate your products in action can be an important strategy for maximizing the return on investment (ROI) of your Instagram marketing efforts.

The introduction of Instagram’s story feature in 2016 marked a significant milestone, but its popularity soared even higher in January 2019. Stories now hold a prominent position at the top of your followers’ feeds and vanish after 24 hours, adding an element of fun and informality to the platform.

From a marketing standpoint, Stories offer a valuable opportunity to highlight new products or releases, run promotions, provide glimpses into your company’s culture, showcase team outings, and introduce employees. Offering exclusive giveaways and promotions, specifically through Stories, can be a compelling strategy to attract more followers to your Instagram account.

Since its introduction as part of the Stories feature, Instagram Live has initially sparked some uncertainty regarding its usage. However, businesses and marketers have embraced it creatively, leveraging its potential to generate excitement around their products.

The temporary nature of Instagram Live broadcasts creates a sense of urgency among users to tune in before the content disappears, allowing businesses to capitalize on this anticipation. You can incentivise viewership by offering promotions, discounts, or giveaways exclusively during a live broadcast. To maximize engagement, create teaser clips or posts beforehand to generate interest among your followers.

Moreover, Instagram Live can be a powerful lead-generation tool. Encourage your followers to submit questions in advance related to the topic you’ll discuss during the live broadcast. Utilize the “Ask me anything” sticker in Instagram Stories to collect these questions effortlessly.

During the live session, you can address these questions in real time, giving your followers a sense of personal interaction and fostering brand exposure. Your audience will appreciate the acknowledgement and the opportunity to engage with your brand in real-time.

Despite its futuristic connotation, augmented reality (AR) is already a prevalent technology used in various applications. AR involves overlaying computer-generated virtual effects onto real images and videos captured through a camera. On Instagram, these AR effects are called face filters, which are playful and charming overlays that users can apply to their photos and videos within Instagram Stories.

In a significant development, Facebook, the parent company of Instagram, has recently initiated partnerships with strategic brands to create unique and interactive camera experiences on Instagram.

These experiences include the development of custom face filters and world effects specifically tailored for the followers of these brands. Previously, Instagram had sole control over creating AR filters, but now selected brands can make custom AR filters for Instagram Stories. It is anticipated that this feature may be extended to all users in the near future.

One of the latest and most thrilling additions to Instagram’s repertoire of features is Instagram TV, also known as IGTV. Introduced as Instagram’s standalone video platform, IGTV provides businesses a new avenue to expand their following and boost engagement.

To begin utilizing IGTV, you need to create an IGTV channel, which can be easily done by setting up an account linked to your Instagram profile. Once set up, your IGTV videos will be displayed in the grid of your Instagram profile, accompanied by the distinctive IGTV icon in the right-hand corner.

The beauty of IGTV is that your videos don’t need to be professionally produced and can cover a wide range of topics. It’s a platform allowing for more casual and unpolished content than Instagram posts or videos.

Instagram also offers analytics for your IGTV videos, enabling you to track metrics such as views, likes, and comments. Additionally, you can monitor your audience retention rate, indicating how many viewers watched your video until the end.

Instagram Stories constantly evolve with new features, making them more sophisticated and captivating. Among the most popular tools within Stories are stickers, which offer a variety of interactive elements. These stickers, from emoji sliders to polls and GIFs, provide creative ways to engage with your followers and enhance overall user interaction.

Engagement plays a crucial role in the algorithmic ranking of Stories on Instagram. When users interact with your stories by responding to polls or using stickers, it sends a positive signal to the algorithm, resulting in higher placement in the user’s story carousel. The more engagement you receive, the better your chances of reaching a larger percentage of your followers. Therefore, it is essential to encourage views and active interaction with your content.

One effective sticker feature for fostering engagement is the quiz sticker, which allows you to pose questions about your business or industry. By asking questions and sharing knowledge, you can educate your followers while gaining insights into your most devoted fans. This two-way interaction builds stronger connections and encourages a deeper understanding of your brand.