Can't beat them? ...then copy them!

Instagram has updated its platform to include video sharing capability (Stories) which is similar, actually identical, to Snapchat.

Whether this news has entirely passed you by or you’re now updating your followership on an hourly basis, it’s worth considering what this means for the future of both platforms.

Until now, Instagram was the platform for sharing ‘polished’ images, with its in-built editing functions and many beautifying filters which turn your mobile snaps of the sunset into works of art. Snapchat, on the other hand, tapped into people’s desire for real-time, raw updates on what Taylor Swift’s cat is doing or what Kim Kardashian is eating for breakfast. The latter works because everyone loves the reassurance that even celebrities have to do the same mundane chores we do, and ultimately it reminds us we’re all human.

Instagram’s new ‘Stories’ feature has generated a tsunami of confusion, and many high profile users’ inaugural posts pointed out the obvious similarity with Snapchat. Where previously users were much clearer about the role of each of their social channels, Instagram’s move appears to have blurred the lines between platforms. Should people continue to use Snapchat? Should they use both and post ‘polished’ videos on Instagram Stories and raw ones to Snapchat? Where do we go from here?

Lily Pebbles, a lifestyle & beauty vlogger ran a quick poll with her Twitter followers on 4th August. Whilst this was just a snap poll, it gives an indication of the initial reaction among her audience, made up largely of the young women who are predominantly users of both platforms.

It's been 24 hours now. What are you preferring?

— Lily Pebbles (@lilypebbles) August 4, 2016

As you can see 24 hours after the Instagram Stories launch, her followers still prefer Snapchat. It will be interesting to see what they think in 2 weeks, 2 months and even 2 years’ time. Marcus Butler, another vlogger who regularly uses Instagram and Snapchat, ran a similar question with his 2.8 million Twitter followers and it produced almost identical results.

what are you saying?

— Marcus Butler (@MarcusButler) August 3, 2016

So what does this mean for users? Instagram wants to shift us towards sharing every single life moment on its platform, whether polished and glamorous or rough around the edges (and with added bedhead!). What is clear is that Instagram has been very clever in taking the good points of Snapchat and giving them a different look and feel with their own ‘button’ features instead of Snapchat’s swipes. This could be key, as whilst Snapchat’s interface might be instinctive to those born the right side of 1980, there’s still a lot of confusion about how to navigate and get the most out of the Snapchat experience. Instagram, on the other hand, has a strong ecosystem and adding the ‘Stories’ feature may be a very natural evolution.

Another outcome from this new introduction (or should we say interruption?) is people may re-define who they follow on Instagram. Before Stories you would follow your friends and family, celebrities, social influencers and random accounts that post arty photos of food or interiors or whatever you’re into. Now with Stories thrown into the mix, you might be questioning who you follow thinking ‘do I really want to see videos from the person behind that arty photo account?’

Further, that arty photo account may produce lacklustre videos in comparison to the breath-taking photos you’ve been used to seeing, which means you may stop following them. So imagine this times the 500 million monthly active users and you’ve got Instagram’s ecosystem shifting in a new direction of a pure portfolio of followers for each account. How will this shift impact the many brands, social influencers and celebrities that have millions of followers? They may very well see their followership change direction and in some cases decrease.

So what does this mean for brands and marketers? Firstly, it means they have yet another channel to think about. They need to understand that if they’ve been consistent and relevant with other channels, then they will need to embrace Stories and maintain a level of content their followers and fans love. It shouldn’t be about creating one video and posting to both Snapchat and Instagram, it needs to resonate with their audience on each channel, as always.

Instagram are already on the long road of visibly monetising their platform in comparison to Snapchat, so this just means brands will have another opportunity to be creative with their ads. Snapchat’s ad opportunities appear a lot subtler and fun in comparison to all the other platforms at the moment. For example, they provide sponsored lenses and geo-filters which people seem to embrace and get more enjoyment from than Instagram’s polished photo ads.

According to Ipsos’s most recent Tech Tracker, the platforms are both fighting for the same audience, with their take up very firmly centred around females aged 15 to 24. Time will tell if this will be a positive step for Instagram, or whether they have gone too far trying to be an all-encompassing platform and risk losing what makes them different.

Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook and any other future platforms will always encourage users to share more and more of their life. They will no doubt also continue to innovate as well as imitate and acquire each other in an attempt to ratchet up their market share and get the edge over their competitors.

Throughout all of this, it’s crucial for brands to keep their audience at the heart of their content. Whatever the platform, brands need to be authentic and make sure their content is right for the context, or they risk eroding their trust and credibility among their followers. Instagram Stories could be a new way for followers to see your brand through a beautiful new filter, but rush in heavy- handed and you might find they head straight for the ‘unfollow’ button.