Understand the recent changes to Instagram and how they will impact your social media strategy. Learn how to update your approach to Instagram and make sure you stay ahead of the trends. Discover ways to leverage the new features that Instagram has to offer to maximize your presence.
Recently, the folks at Instagram announced that they are no longer a photo sharing app, and this singular phrase took the Internet by storm. When I first heard the news I was a bit confused too, but after checking out the update for myself I quickly realized what the news meant and how it would impact our industry.
As of right now, the app is not saying that it will no longer allow folks to share photos. The announcement was more of a commentary on how the app has changed through the years. Yes, initially Instagram was a photo sharing app and a way to stay connected with friends and family. However, as it has evolved the user experience has changed for multiple reasons including changes in consumer trends, changes to mobile device technology, and the emergence of other competitors in the social media space. Essentially, thanks to TikTok, YouTube and other streaming apps, Instagram has had to make changes in order to compete & keep our attention. Therefore, Instagram is going to focus it’s attention on supporting Content Creators, giving videos the spotlight, and building the Shopping and Messaging features within the app.
So what does this mean for you and your business?
Well, if you haven’t heard my soapbox over the past 6 years about creating more video content, today is your lucky day. The preference towards video over still pictures has been on the rise since before live-streaming became accessible to the general public. If you haven’t started recording videos to promote your business, Instagram just shot up the biggest flare we could ask for.
By now, hopefully you’re used to stopping for a moment to take a final picture of your work. If not, I strongly encourage you to add that to your process. After your cakes are completed (whether it’s before or after you’ve dropped it off with the client) you should be taking pictures so that you have documentation of your work to share with future clients and also to protect yourself if anything happens to the cake after it’s in the clients hands. In addition to this, I recommend that you take another moment after taking pics on your phone to slide the indicator over one notch and flip to the video mode. It doesn’t matter what type of phone you have, taking a video is almost certainly within the same camera app as the “take a picture” function. So, get in the habit of sliding the indicator one notch over and capturing a 5 to 15 sec clip of the finished cake as well.
Drop the Excuses!
When it comes to creating videos for your business, it can be easy to overthink it. However, I’m here to encourage you to get out of your own way.
Let go of any excuse you might have about wanting the video to look perfect or look professional. That’s not how the internet works these days, especially when it comes to short form videos such as Instagram Reels or TikToks. Think about the last few viral videos you saw on any social media platforms. Were they professionally shot or edited? Chances are they weren’t. With that said, as you’re working on projects or delivering orders don’t forget to break out your phone and capture a bit of footage for your social media. The great part is that it doesn’t even have to be detailed footage. If you haven’t realized, short form videos are the thing these days and most of those are limited to 15 or 30 seconds. In fact, on all of the apps there is a time limit to help you keep things short and to the point. Take advantage of that!
Done is better than perfect.
Embrace the idea that done is better than perfect. I’ve had countless conversations with business owners who are not sharing on social media because they are self conscious about their content “not looking right.” The issue with that mentality is that a social media account with no content looks dead compared to one with decent content. In fact, social media users will even wonder if a business exists if there is no new relevant content on the page.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are changes coming to social media as always, but that’s not big news. The big news is that social media apps are rewarding those who are publishing the type of content that viewers are looking for and right now that’s video content. If “videos aren’t your thing,” I recommend that you find a way to make it work for you. Whether that is forcing yourself into a new habit or hiring someone to capture video footage for you, if you want to stay relevant on social media, video is the way to go. The apps are literally telling us so at this point!
Cyd N. Mitchell
Business Blogger, Retail Bakers of America
Cydni N. Mitchell (aka Cyd) is a Bakery Consultant and the Sweet Business Coach behind Sweet Fest®. Based in Atlanta, GA, Sweet Fest® is an online company that supports the business needs of the Sweet Community in the areas of professional development, marketing, branding and web design.
By trade, Cyd is an accountant & financial analyst with a Masters from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is the Founder of the Sugar Coin Academy, an online business academy for business owners in the baking and sweets industry, and she is also the organizer of The Ultimate Sugar Show, Georgia’s Largest Annual Baking and Sweets Expo in Atlanta. She is also the Business Blogger for the Retail Bakers of America.
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