The guide to Instagram in 2023
If you're looking to up your Instagram game in 2023, you need to listen up.
2023 is almost here, now is a better time than ever to get your head around a strategy that will help you create content that is engaging for your audience but also enjoyable for you to create.
Lucky for you, that is exactly what we are exploring this week. For this episode, I'm joined by the incredible Corey Walker who is the co-author of Instagram for Dummies, and Instagram for Business for Dummies, a how-to guide for using Instagram to market your business. Not only is she an amazing businesswoman, but she is also the owner of The Marketing Specialist, a digital marketing agency in El Dorado Hills, California AND is dedicated to helping businesses achieve success in the online world and is here to give tips and tricks all about Instagram for 2023.
So, join us as we chat all about Instagram in 2023, we’ll explore the new features being introduced to help YOU use it in a way that works for you and your business plus more.
Get ready to be refreshed and ready to take on Instagram in the new year!
Let’s first talk about the video space
In 2023, just like in recent years, video is continuing to grow in popularity, especially on Instagram. There are 3 main areas to look out for in the new year and maybe even start thinking about how you can include these features in your strategy.
Reels space:
First things first, it’s super important to remember how much your words can affect the performance of your Reels. The platform is listening to what you are saying, not just the captions or text you are putting in your videos. This is why keywords are good to note in your content - use them not only in what you type but what you say.
In alignment with this, Instagram in 2023 will also be categorising Reels. Yep, just like how hashtags can categorise your content, Reels are now the same. These categories are limited but will most likely expand in the new year so make sure you choose this option to generate reach.
Going Live:
In 2023, look at expanding on short-form video and Live energy. We are keeping an eye on what Instagram will do with Lives next year but, like we said, video will continue to be popular so don’t discount it in your content!
Newer platforms like TikTok reward going Live so it wouldn't be surprising if Instagram follows this and does the same. This is great though because it has the potential to push your content to a wider audience. Just remember to keep your energy and topics unique, and authentic, and stay true to your goals! follow that
Video content:
Last but not least, video will be big (as always) so use it and stay unique! Try both long-form and short-form versions of this. Maybe this can be your main source of content OR it could pull from your blog or other forms of content you have.
You can try platforms like Youtube to expand on topics and ideas and give education, or try the short form on platforms like Instagram where you can use Reels, both of these can benefit your content and have the ability to be reached a wider audience.
AND if you wanted to have a crack at both forms, why not try starting up a TikTok page? They have recently introduced longer videos so you can record for any amount of time up to 10 minutes!
Like we’ve said before, just stay authentic and make sure you are testing, trialling, and measuring. Give every new venture at least 3 months to really get the results you want and after 3 months, if you haven't seen growth, try something new!
The 10 things you need to know about Instagram in 2023
To summarise the main things you need to know about Instagram in 2023, we’ve compiled a list of 10 need-to-know things you should consider in your content strategy for the new year!
Instagram is introducing something similar to BeReal.
This feature will be called Glimpse (in the moment). This will be great for showing what you are doing at the moment and what you are working on, it will also give your target audience a taste of what goes on behind the scenes! A perfect chance to be authentic and unique!
Carousels as stories as storytelling (not too long).
Just like you would tell a story through blogs and captions, you can use carousels to tell the story itself. Keep a structure behind it with a hook, build-up, and then a conclusion/call to action. Just make sure to keep it short and sweet with 1 sentence per slide to give a good flow.
Stories for storytelling and behind-the-scenes
Utilise Instagram stories for both your storytelling and behind-the-scenes moment. This will help you remain consistent and authentic!
Live energy is important
Lives will be expanding further in the new year so keep an eye out for updates and how you can utilise them. If you aren't currently using Instagram Lives as a part of your content, definitely consider this moving forward, it will keep your content unique and will help you to repurpose it into Instagram Reels!
Content is being heard (OG audio)
Focus on your original audio and expand past trends. Instagram is listening to the words you are using so choose the correct ones for the topic you are addressing and the target audience you want to reach.
Small monetisation content (smaller sales not big tickets)
In the new year, it may be a smart move to use Instagram as a platform to sell your smaller ticket items (if you use it to sell at all) rather than your larger offers. Smaller ticket items require less thought and trust to be involved when purchasing, so if new people come across your page they will be more likely to look at what you are selling and buy.
See how notes can help you
You may have already seen this update pop-up, it is located in the chat area of your profile. This feature can be used as a quick way to promote and sell to your target audience directly. It's excellent for starting convos, asking questions and getting responses so try engaging on it and see what works for you!
DM in Reels
Another update for Reels is the DM feature! This is super exciting because it eliminates the extra clicks if someone wanted to send your page a message from a Reel. Because of this, make sure you have a call-to-action in your video that is focused on getting people to message you. Use phrases like "DM me the word XYZ for tips around XYZ".
Place a structure around your stories
Shorter captions and stories that are easy to read will be the way to go in 2023. TELL YOUR STORIES but don’t let them be all over the place, give your stories a purpose and make them intentional. Structures like beginning with a hook, build-up, value, and then providing a CTA are great to use. Make sure you are aligning them to your goals!
Topics category in Reels
Utilise the new Reel category feature to make your videos really focused and aligned with your topics. This could really help you reach a wider audience so make sure you choose this option when posting and keep an eye out for when it expands in the new year.
How to add to your plans
We know how much the Christmas period and the coming of the new year can be stressful for business owners (trust me I’ve been there), but there are things you can do to help overcome this stress.
Start small! Don’t overcommit to the changes you want to make. It can seem like when the new year hits that you want to smash every goal and every milestone to get on top, but that isn’t how life works. Make sure you give yourself time to work towards these changes you want to make, take it step by step and start with small edits to your strategy, content and business overall.
If you want to start making small changes to your content, try and begin with things you already have. For example, start by turning static posts into a carousel, or even try turning a carousel into a Reel, this is the best way to teach yourself the steps to take to eventually make it a seamless process.
Take the start of the new year to remember that no one is perfect! Your content will never be perfect and that is OK. It will constantly be evolving, changing, and growing and that means you are learning, so cut yourself some slack and take it one step at a time.
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Final thoughts
2023 is a fresh slate for everyone! It’s time to plan, set your goals and intentions and spend more time doing what you love in your business - after all, that is what’s most important.
If you’re looking to start the year off with a bang in your content, our word of advice is to get your strategy sorted! Check out the Content Queen Content Bootcamp now to start your journey toward consistency, inspiration, and guidance in your content.
Our last reminder for you is to do it YOUR way! Make it work for you, ask yourself what is YOUR purpose for Instagram. Why are you using the platform for your business? Once you figure this out, the world of Instagram is your oyster!
