Instagram is doubling down on its creator community with a new branded account, delivering more tips, tricks, and inspiration for creators to improve their presence and create better content that leverages all the platform has to offer. Appropriately titled @creators, the company is hoping to address gaps that many are turning to alternative outlets like YouTube to fill in order to meet the needs of their audiences.
In a quote shared with sources at AdWeek, Instagram reps explained, “The hub will be a source of education and discovery for aspiring creators (and those who just like to keep learning best practices—it’s important to remain teachable, you know?)—and a space where content meets “how-to,” spoken in a language that our core audience understands, with the talent they connect with the most.”
An introductory FAQ story highlight shared to the account targets basic algorithmic and setting-focused questions including how to get verified, how to filter comments, how to gain access to the latest features and updates, why the chronological feed isn’t coming back, and how to seek general help and guidance from the Instagram team.
Navigating IGTV
One of the first algorithm insights the account revealed in their posts is that 60 percent of people listen to stories with the sound on. A skim of other uploads clearly depicts a focus on video content, specifically IGTV, which to date hasn’t garnered significant traction but a branded account dedicated to how to navigate it and find success in its use is certainly a viable starting point.
“We’ve always said that IGTV is going to be the first monetizable platform on Instagram. It’s just a matter of when, and I’m sure there’s more to come on that,” Justin Antony, Head of Content and Creator Partnerships told The Verge earlier this year. “The creators that are really leaning into it, being native to it, creating an audience there, will be the stars of tomorrow.”
While these bits of insights are undoubtedly helpful as instantaneous learnings on-the-go, it is important to not neglect your own research and statistics. Use these as a comparison and guide versus as a one-size-fits-all approach to your social strategy.
Get inspo from influencers
Beyond sharing its own best practices, Instagram wants users and businesses to learn “from the creators you admire the most,” another post claimed.
Creators, including dancer Susie Meoww and comedian Adam Waheed, have already been tapped to take part in this process, sharing their process and strategies for creating content ranging from the equipment they prefer, sound effects they utilize, how often they post, and more.
“By using all surfaces of the platform you’re able to get traffic from all different directions,” explained Waheed in his IGTV testimonial unveiling ways he’s turned his love of witty Instagram skits into a business. “I post two photos, four videos, and one IGTV per week, and five stories every day,” he said.
Rising above the noise
Additional posts promise future content revolving around topics such as standing out in a community of creatives, finding and establishing your brand, and seeking a strategy for sharing your story in the broader community.
“Find a lane that’s open, and try to fiil it,” says Shalom Blac and LaLa Milan regarding how to cut through the noise in a caption teasing their testimonial.
The @creators handle has already spurred a video series under the hashtag #howicreate, where over 1,000 users have documented their experiences and tips on what has worked in their journey to successful sharing.
Aside from creators, brands also stand to benefit from visits to this new account as they seek to improve their presence and enhance their knowledge of how to best create content. Primarily, by supporting an enhanced understanding of what influencers are looking for and why.
Keeping a finger on the pulse of what your prospective partners are talking about and where these dialogues are taking shape is invaluable in today’s digital space and can only help you prepare for the future and secure more successful collaborations.
Join 100,000+ fellow marketers who advance their skills and knowledge by subscribing to our weekly newsletter.