Instagram: what it is and what are the advantages of its main functions

Today, millions of people already know What is Instagram and what are the advantages of this platform for publishing and sharing content, which allows you to connect with users from all over the world.

But if you still don't know all the potential that this social network has, don't worry because here we will tell you everything about why it is so popular and how to use its functions.

What is Instagram and what are its main functions

Instagram is one of the most popular social networks and mobile applications today. It was developed in 2010 by Kevin Systrom, an important businessman and colleague of Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg.

This social network is well known for its functions to share photos and videos with various effects such as frames, filters and much more.

A large number of people use this application to stay in touch with friends and family, as well as to create a strong community of followers with whom they share interests.

The functionalities and advantages of this platform have made it one of the leaders in content creation. For this reason, many companies and brands have realized their potential to connect with millions of people and offer their products and services.

But let's learn more about the advantages of this social network!

The main advantages of Instagram

The possibility of connecting with a larger audience and the ease of tools for publishing content are some of the main advantages of Instagram. But let's see in detail why so many people recommend using this application.

1. It has a large audience

Instagram has a user traffic of more than 1 billion monthly. This makes this social network one of the ones with the greatest influx of people and therefore, The possibilities of reaching a massive audience that is looking for new products or services increases by 60%.

The attractiveness of the visual content of this platform influences the purchasing decision of people who enter it to find content that helps them make a better purchasing decision.

Furthermore, within this social network there are resources that offer advantages to brands such as videos, images, stories and tags that can be used in strategies to approach potential customers and increase sales.

At least 60 % of people who use Instagram say they discover new products. Therefore, exposure through creative images, videos and stories, with the aim of increasing sales, is an excellent strategy to bring consumers closer and obtain information from them.

2. Provides more information about consumers

Instagram's audience uses this social network to share with the world about their likes and interests, as well as about their lifestyle. This allows companies obtain more reliable information about the demographics of their consumers, their preferences, age and behavior and use this information in creating the ideal type of customer you want to attract.

By creating a profile with more detailed information, it is possible to develop better content and marketing strategies that increase the number of followers and converted customers effectively.

All this thanks to the immediate attention that the content of this massive reach platform is able to capture.

3. Help boost user traffic to your website

Instagram stories and posts are a great resource to increase traffic to your website, by publishing content with a link that redirects users to your website or blog.

Optimizing the Instagram biography with the website profile or a direct link to your product catalog.

This also influences the possibility of achieving commercial objectives and capturing the main audience you want to reach, redirecting consumers to other social networks of your brand such as Facebook, Tik Tok or YouTube.

4. Generates a bond of trust between users and the brand

The use of Instagram can increase user trust through the content generated by users. More than 79% of consumers assure that the content generated by a user has the ability to influence their purchasing decision, by showing that other users are satisfied with the products or services they have used.

Content created by users is much more human and generates trust in people who will want to create content and share their experience, increasing the level of engagement with the audience.

5. Allows more effective measurement of ROI

Among the Instagram tools there are some resources that allow the measurement of the return on investment (ROI) and check if the strategies implemented have been effective according to the return on investment.

For this reason, It is a very useful platform when it comes to knowing the exact results of your companies and make correct decisions based on the statistics obtained to grow your brand and generate profits and profitability.

The main features of Instagram

When it comes to boosting your digital strategy and reaching new users, Instagram has various tools that make it easier to manage publications and increase the level of engagement.

1. Image publishing options

One of the main attractions of this platform is its image publishing and editing option. Users are much more attracted to visual content and Up to 40% of consumers respond more positively to a photo than to text.

Therefore, you can take advantage of the visual advantage and upload an image of your files in jpg or png format, or use your phone's camera to take a photo directly from the application and edit it with the filters of this social network.

But what tools does this Instagram function offer?

Among the editing tools you will find the adjustment of brightness, sharpness, warmth, colors, shadows and even blur.

You can also include hashtags related to the image you post to help rank your content among posts. In addition to activating geographic location to help geolocate the image and share your content, either in the form of a publication or as a direct message to other users.

2. Publishing content in video format

One of the most popular content on Instagram is videos. And although initially only videos with a maximum duration of 15 seconds could be uploaded, the platform has worked so that users can upload content of longer duration.

To upload videos to Instagram, the process is very similar to uploading images. You just have to select a video from your gallery in 3gp, m4v, mpeg mod, among others. Or you can record from the app with your mobile device's camera, pressing the circular red button and releasing when you want to end the recording.

After recording a video we can also find a variety of filters to edit the video or choose a cover to show the video in your Instagram gallery.

On the other hand, when publishing it it is possible to add text in the same way as with images, use hashtags and activate geographical location.

3. Instagram Stories

This is another of the most popular features of the platform and one of the ones that offers the most versatility for sharing instant content.

But why Instagram stories are so valuable?

Regarding this, it is worth highlighting that The Stories function allows the publication of videos or images that have a maximum duration of 24 hours, within the platform, to later be eliminated.

It's an instant way to share content by going to the home screen and selecting the stories option at the top of your profile photo.

Among the options offered by this function is the creation of a story with a predetermined background, creating a series of photos that repeat from back to front (boomerang), making a collage with the images (layout), taking several photos at once and choose your favorite (multicapture), among others.

You can also use filters, add stickers, save it to the gallery, publish it immediately or send it to another user directly through a private message.

4. Instagram Live

This is a live video streaming feature available in stories. With this tool we can make a live and leave it active for 24 hours or share it as IGTV.

And what are the advantages of this feature?

To access Instagram Live you have to go to the stories section and select the “live” option. By using this tool we can give it a name and our followers will receive a notification when it starts, plus we can see the number of users who view the video.

This function also has the advantage that an open chat can be activated to chat with followers or deactivated entirely if that is what you want.

5. Instagram TV (IGTV)

The Instagram TV tool works similar to a television within the Instagram app, where users can view long videos shared by other users.

It is one of the most recent features of the platform and we can access it through the Instagram application or an app created exclusively for IGTV.

One of the main reasons for the popularity of this feature is the long duration of video content that can be published. From the app the duration of the videos is approximately 15 minutes, while its web version allows up to an hour of video.

Content can be viewed in full screen and By using Instagram TV we can discover personalized content recommendations according to our interests, videos from the accounts we follow, and the possibility of using the “continue watching” option to resume a video that we stopped watching at some point.

6. Instagram Reels

Reels are an Instagram feature with which we can upload clips of up to 60 seconds in length and add filters, effects and other tools.

One of its main features is that unlike stories, they are not deleted after 24 hours, but you can leave them in your feed and share the content with your followers for as long as you want.

The platform allows you to explore other users' reels and personalize your own content with audio, augmented reality effects or speed and use the timer function to record without always having to have the device in hand.

Monetization on Instagram: how does it work?

Thousands of brands and influencers have chosen this social network as a channel to promote their products and monetize their content.

Monetization on Instagram has become one of the possibilities for anyone who implements the right strategies and works to achieve their goals.

Influencers with 1k followers can start monetizing on this social network, while the average amount an influencer with 100k followers charges for a sponsored post is between $300 and $500.

But how does monetization on Instagram work exactly?

On this platform there are various tools that we can use to monetize our content and generate profitability with each of the shared publications. So let's know more about

1. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing on Instagram works as a way to promote a brand or products and services. Through this option we can share links to shopping websites or discount codes.

The benefits are obtained thanks to the conversions or purchases of users who enter with your link, which translates into the payment of a percentage of profits. Profits can also be obtained by conducting product giveaways that help increase the number of followers.

2. Sponsored Posts

Sponsored posts are a monetization option within Instagram widely used by influencers who connect with a specific audience.

Many brands work with influencers who promote their products and services in exchange for a financial benefit. It is a sponsorship relationship that identifies the posts as “sponsored content Ads” and must be consistent with the type of content that is published in the account.

Another characteristic is that ideally the publication should be accompanied by text that highlights all the benefits of the brand and its products.

3. Training content

You can use your account to promote your skills. But how does training content work on Instagram?

An example of this are the tutorials that teach users how to perform an activity or how to use a product. Workshops, courses and training are part of the tools that allow you to position and sell your knowledge.

This is a monetization method widely used on Instagram since many people are tired of the typical direct advertising model, so they look for valuable content that answers their questions and is friendlier with what it offers.

4. Advertisements in Stories, IGTV and Reels

Advertising ads on Instagram have the advantage that they reach a large number of users. Some of the most effective advertisements on this social network are stories, but reels and ads on IGTV have a good level of impact on the platform's consumers.

5. Use Instagram as a store channel

The Instagram channel is a medium for selling products in multiple ways. And among the most used are:

• Instagram Store: This function allows you to find products by filtering by different categories, finding numerous recommendations from brands and content creators.
• Shoppable post: It is a functionality for e-commerce that provides tools to post publications of products that consumers can purchase. Generally these posts are identified with a purchase icon and can be linked to your Instagram store and added to stories.

For Instagram, functions aimed at monetization and sales options for various products and services are a priority, Therefore, the system constantly works to provide content creators and brands with new tools that can be implemented in their marketing and sales strategies.

But tell us, what do you think of this platform? Have you already used any of their monetization tools? Share your experience with Instagram or if you want to learn more about how to use its features as part of your content strategy.