5 Industries Shaken Up by Instagram
A lot happens in the wonderful world of social media; our social team sifts through updates and emails daily to see what really matters for us and our clients and what is just noise. **Hint, there is a lot of noise, but different updates matter to different people.
One network in particular that we focus on is Instagram, once an organic fave and now an advertising tool we still can’t help but love. We talk about the pros and cons of updates and new tools often, and one topic we recently discussed in house was how the gram has impacted people IRL, and how that has affected specific industries. Let’s discuss:
Food and Bev
How many times have you been to a restaurant and recognized a particular area or backdrop from Instagram? Or been that person to take several pictures of everything on and around your table before digging in? Probably more times than you might care to admit. There are restaurants that are classic for the best tacos, cocktails, pasta, and of course your IG background. Restaurants and bars are aware of this, and are taking measures to make their establishments pro-IG or make it the place you won’t be sharing in your #tbt post.
Retail
Hello pop-ups. The Museum of Ice Cream, the Happy Place, the list can go on. Not only are fashion bloggers/influencers making waves in sales for brick and mortar and e-commerce retail, but pop-up creators know that adding a solid or patterned wall, some creative words, and the right lighting can become the next best place for free publicity.
Retail has also been upgraded via Instagram ads. Yes yes, everyone hates ads, but how many times have you bought something straight from IG because it was just so perfect? Targeted ads have turned small business or unique shops into bigger players than they previously could have been. A digital storefront showcasing 5-6 looks or products can capture so much more attention than a single post, and retailers are fully aware of that growth potential when putting together their upcoming campaigns.
Fitness
#Fitspo, a hashtag we’re all guilty of using or scrolling through at one point or another (hello all the men’s Olympic team, I see you!). Because of the popular use and of course, influencer ads that come with this hashtag, the fitness industry is PRIME for catering to our every IG need. You can join fitness challenges and connect with people globally (Our team does yoga challenges) and of course win prizes. If you search ‘yoga and Instagram’ in Google, you will get a mix of ways to become an influencer, launch a yogi account, and learn how to better show off your poses.
Beauty
The beauty industry has had a major update since Instagram became a major player. No longer do we rely on high fashion models and actresses to show us wrinkle creams, #lashgoals, or tired beauty tricks. Now you can scroll through tutorial after tutorial after tutorial on anything from spices to whiten your teeth and the latest beauty hacks for the right contour for your face. Beauty brands can rely on influencers to show off their products and retain feedback on what works, what doesn’t, and what’s missing.
Travel
The classic travel blogger life. We all follow someone who lives the life we dream of, eating the food we want, seeing the places we’d love to visit, and experiencing life how we dream of experiencing it. HOW DO THEY LIVE THESE LIVES?!?! While some people are working, many are showing us these special corners of the world on someone else’s dime. And I’m here for that. Some countries have hired travelers to live their best life and show off vacations that we dream of to inspire us to one day visit. The travel industry is very aware of the power of IG influencers and continues to tease us with all it has to offer.
Does this mean you have to delete your account and stay away from the internet completely? Ha, good luck weirdo. It does mean that while some things within each industry won’t change, adapting to consumers' needs DOES include watching where they spend time (and money) and fine-tuning their overall strategies to provide the end users what they want most: the perfect ‘gram.