8 Instagram Trends That You Need to Know in 2024 | Small Business Tips

Staying on top of the latest trends is crucial for any small business looking to make a mark on Instagram. As we step into 2024, the landscape of Instagram continues to evolve, offering new opportunities for brands to connect with their audience and grow their businesses.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the top Instagram trends that you need to know as a small business owner to maximize your online presence and engage with your target customers effectively.

1. Augmented Reality (AR) for Enhanced Engagement

Augmented Reality filters have become a dominant feature on Instagram, providing a fun and interactive way for businesses to engage with their followers. Instagram’s AR Ads are accessible in both feed posts and Stories. These new ads provide users with an engaging and immersive augmented reality experience. Leveraging AR Ads can enable your business to craft captivating and immersive experiences, enticing individuals to virtually test your products and fostering meaningful interactions with your brand.

The study analyzed Facebook ads from 10 brands and found that campaigns combining AR ads with regular ones outperformed regular campaigns alone, delivering nearly three times the brand lift. Importantly, these results were achieved with 59% lower costs for driving awareness. The study encompassed various brands from different industries and regions, each benefiting uniquely from their creative use of AR effects in their ads.

2. Reels and Short-Form Video Content Still On The Rise

Instagram Reels have taken the platform by storm, and their popularity is only expected to grow in the coming years. With over 140 billion reels played across Instagram and Facebook each day, these short-form, entertaining videos are an excellent way to showcase your products, services, or brand personality in a creative and engaging manner. Instagram has also made it super easy to create engaging reels with just a few taps using their Reel templates.

To make the most of Reels, focus on storytelling, utilize catchy music, and keep your content visually stimulating. By leveraging Reels effectively, your small business can reach a wider audience and increase your chances of going viral.

3. Influencer Marketing: Partnering with Micro Influencers

While influencer marketing has been around for a while, it continues to be an effective strategy in 2024. However, the way it’s being utilized is changing. Instead of focusing solely on macro-influencers with massive followings, small businesses are finding value in micro-influencers and nano-influencers, who have more niche and engaged audiences.

Micro influencers boast an impressive 20% higher conversion rate. Partnering with these influencers can be more cost-effective and yield better results, as they can authentically promote your products or services to their dedicated followers.

4. Embrace Diversity, Inclusivity, and Social Causes

As more and more people embark in the process of self-exploration and personal growth, it is crucial for brands to prioritize making individuals feel seen, represented, and supported. In fact, an overwhelming 71% of Gen Zers desire to witness greater diversity in advertising. In 2024, focus on representing a diverse range of voices, cultures, and perspectives in your Instagram content. Celebrate diversity through your visual elements, captions, and stories, showing your commitment to creating an inclusive brand that resonates with a broad audience.

Instagram’s trend report suggests that the majority of Gen Z individuals will actively shop to support causes they are passionate about. This generation is known for its activism, and as more Gen Z members come of age, they will increasingly utilize their purchasing power to back meaningful causes and uplift communities. Even though only 30% of Gen Z is eligible to vote, teenagers within this demographic will make their voices heard by voting with their wallets, using platforms like Instagram to align their spending with their values.

Price is not the sole consideration for many Gen Zers when shopping. In the UK, for instance, Gen Zers are less fixated on the cost and 1.4 times more inclined to prioritize eco-friendly products, indicating their willingness to pay a premium for sustainable options.

5. Authenticity and Transparency Take Center Stage

Today’s consumers crave authenticity and transparency from the brands they follow. In 2024, successful small businesses on Instagram will prioritize building meaningful connections with their audience by showcasing the human side of their brand. Behind-the-scenes content, employee spotlights, and sharing stories about your brand’s values and mission are powerful ways to build trust and loyalty among your followers.

According to a survey, approximately 70% of marketers consider “authenticity and transparency” to be vital elements for successful influencer marketing. Additionally, influencers themselves place a strong emphasis on authenticity when selecting the brands they collaborate with. They tend to opt for brands that align with their niche and believe their audience would genuinely appreciate, fostering a more organic and relatable partnership.

6. Instagram Live and Broadcast Channels for Real-Time Engagement

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Instagram Live has become a popular way for brands to connect with their followers in real-time. It is estimated that over 100 millions people worldwide watch Instagram Live everyday. Live streaming allows for direct interaction with your audience, fostering a sense of immediacy and exclusivity, which can drive engagement and boost your brand’s visibility. Use this feature to host Q&A sessions, product launches, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or interactive workshops.

Instagram also launched broadcast channels Broadcast channels serve as a public and one-to-many messaging tool for creators, allowing them to invite all their followers and engage with their most devoted fans. This platform offers creators a convenient and informal means to keep their followers updated with text, photos, videos, and voice notes, sharing the latest news and behind-the-scenes glimpses. Additionally, creators can create polls to gather fan feedback, enabling followers to react to content and participate in voting while only the creators can initiate and send messages.

7. Increased Desire for Digital Learning

Globally, 79% Gen Zers consider it crucial to continuously develop new skills and stay well-informed throughout their lives. With the impact of COVID-19 on in-person classrooms, there has been a noticeable shift among Gen Zers towards digital learning. This creates an opportunity for you to start an online business for eLearning and potentially establish sustainable passive income from the comfort of your own home.

If you’re considering creating and selling online courses to cater to this demand, platforms like Payhip provide an excellent solution to get started. Payhip offers a user-friendly interface that allows you to seamlessly upload, market, and sell your online courses to a global audience. Read our comprehensive guide on How to Sell Online Courses for more details.

8. Using “Add Yours” Sticker on Instagram Stories and Reels: Encouraging More User-Generated Content (UGC)

Add Yours = a sticker that creates public threads in Stories 🤝

With custom prompts and public responses, you can share the sticker and see who responds to it in their own Stories. pic.twitter.com/C9AXiFEo92

— Instagram (@instagram) November 1, 2021

User-generated content (UGC) continues to be a powerful way for brands to engage their audience and build a sense of community on Instagram. Utilizing the “Add Yours” sticker on Instagram Stories can encourage more UGC from your customer base. This feature allows your followers to contribute their own content, whether it’s photos, videos, or testimonials, to your Stories. By inviting your audience to share their experiences with your products or services, you not only foster a deeper connection but also create a valuable stream of authentic content that showcases your brand’s impact on real customers.

The “Add Yours” sticker is easy to use, and it opens up endless possibilities for creative and interactive campaigns. You can run challenges, contests, or themed events, where followers can contribute their content using the sticker and be featured on your Stories. This not only boosts engagement but also provides social proof and reinforces the authenticity of your brand.

Moreover, featuring user-generated content on your Stories also serves as a way to showcase appreciation for your loyal customers and followers. It highlights that you value their input and are genuinely interested in what they have to say. This sense of inclusivity and community can lead to increased brand loyalty and advocacy.

Final Thoughts: Utilizing Instagram Trends for Your Small Business

As Instagram continues to evolve, small businesses need to adapt their strategies to leverage the platform’s full potential. Seize the moment, align your strategies with these trends, and embark on a journey of growth and success for your small business on Instagram!

If you’re keen on learning more about how to establish additional income streams through Instagram, we recommend reading our guide on How to Make Money on Instagram.