The End of Square Photos on Instagram?

Jul 13

How Social Media Platforms Are Adapting In a New Digital Age

For the past few years social media platforms have been racing to introduce new features.

Since Snapchat sparked the stories explosion, neither old rivals or new contenders want to miss out on building different ways to share content - and none more so than Instagram.

In recent years they’ve introduced long-form video, short-form video, marketplace features and have now vowed to move away from the very thing that made their name when they dropped onto the scene in 2010 - square photos.

Head of the platform Adam Mosseri gave a sneak peek into the internal discussions going on at Instagram HQ, picking out four key areas they are looking to build around - creators, video, shopping, and messaging. It’s not yet clear how all of these will materialise - but one thing is clear, Instagram aren’t content with keeping the status quo.

“We’re no longer a...square photo sharing app. The number one reason people say that they use instagram in research is to be entertained”

— Adam Mosseri - Instagram

It seems the days of a simple square picture of your dinner with the burnt glow and heavy vignette of the Nashville or Toaster filters are long gone, and new contenders like Instagram’s “very serious competition” of TikTok are forcing platforms to launch new features at a rapid rate.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s also been weighing in on the role of influencers and creators on their apps. Instagram is testing subscription-style content like Twitter’s new Super Follow - think Patreon or OnlyFans - allowing users to pay for additional exclusive content.

It would be no surprise to see them try to compete with TikTok’s Creator Fund, which offers users the chance to make money from their videos, and as shopping becomes a bigger focus of the social media world, they’re looking towards commission-based sales to really hone in on new marketplace features and influencer marketing.

Of course, they’re not the only ones trying to take a new, or maybe copied, path. Twitter has taken inspiration from new audio platform Clubhouse, with Twitter Spaces, and Facebook is looking to piggyback on Twitter's post threads.

So, what does this mean for users, and especially marketers?

Instagram wants to make sure its new features hit the ground running and have always been seen to reward those who are early adopters.

It also means Instagram, and likely other platforms too, will be going through another round of redecorating - expect to see new trials rolled out and layouts shifting again as they move further from the linear photo feeds of their earlier days. Keeping an eye out on new tools as they arise can be the best way to stay ahead of the curve.

Key things to look out for:

Influencer marketing and creator accounts - platforms are finding new ways to incentivise users to build audiences, and are tapping into branded content creation.
Short Form, full-screen video - TikTok’s influence is being felt across the social media world, and Instagram will be working to introduce more full-screen, immersive video into its feeds.
Shopping - platforms are increasingly trying to make it easier for users to shop directly from the app. It has been a growing project from Facebook and Instagram, as well as Pinterest too.
All-knowing algorithms - we all know the linear feed is as good as dead now, and platforms are looking to find new ways for users to discover content and follow the topics they’re interested in.

For more tips on how to stay ahead of the social media curve, follow us on Instagram, or get in touch for a chat about how we can help you launch and manage your social media presence.

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