I’m going to warn you that I haven’t written in sometime. As a way to get back into the groove of things, I’m going to write about a theory I have when it comes to Instagram. This may not be the best written piece I’ve ever done. There might be grammatical errors, who knows. It’s all about getting back into the groove of things. Here goes nothing…
I believe that 2018 is the year of Instagram.
I understand – Facebook is making a massive push to popularize Facebook watch. However, a successful Facebook watch page comprises of professionally made video content: we’re talking HD quality, we’re talking about engaging stories where each video lasts more than two minutes and thirty seconds, and we’re talking about pages that can posts these types of videos consistently.
This is the watch’s algorithm: must be followed for your page to be successful. You can see this first hand as Facebook watch has partnered with brands like NFL, reality television syndications, buzzfeed, and other big brands who can create these high-production quality videos consistently.
Therefore, Facebook watch is for the serious video creator who has the resources and team to create these high quality story-esq videos.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with what Facebook is doing. But, if you’re a new creator trying to start out, I really don’t think Facebook watch is a friendly place to upload your content. 2015-2017 was the year for Facebook, but now that Facebook watch’s new algorithm is taking a hold of the reigns…
I’ve come to the conclusion that Instagram will be the place for new creators. It’s the platform of 2018. It is the platform where new creators can obtain a loyal, engaged fan base… fast. You just need to know how to increase Instagram followers. You can also learn how boosting instagram engagement is done.
Let me explain.
Defining Loyalty
A loyal fan is someone who comments, engages with, follows, and mainly fights for the creator on a daily basis. A loyal fan is someone who can spot their favorite creator in the middle of the street and create a bond with other fans about why they both love the creator.
Talking with many Facebook creators, Facebook is not the platform where fans are loyal: fans often follow a page and due to many distractions on Facebook (notifications, friends posting, and ads on the side pages),they often forget or are apathetic to the Facebook creator.
Average FB Fan: entertained by the creator, but they’re not loyal.
YouTube is the exact opposite. Because of how the YouTube platform makes it easy for a fan to be dedicated to one channel, without other distractions, the subscriber is molded to become a loyal follower of the creator. Becoming a YouTube subscriber is more of an emotional investment, whereas becoming a Facebook followers is a habitual throwaway.
For example, I have a friend who has over 13 million Facebook followers and he struggles to sell his fan merchandise compared to a YouTuber I know who has only 300,000 subscribers.
You would think 13 million would be out 300k!
I hope my explanation of loyalty makes sense.
Now let’s move on to the next portion of the post.
Instagram & Loyalty
Though YouTube is the number #1 place to create a social loyal community base, it’s getting harder and harder to get noticed on the platform: either be it of the big production costs or the massive amounts of videos, the algorithm changes… it’s REALLY hard to get noticed.
Where does a new video creator go?
Instagram. Why?
Instagram started Instagram stories last year and because of this, it’s molded users that video is an important part of Instagram. Yes, video has been around on Instagram for sometime. But, Instagram stories is all about focusing on the daily life of the creator: think personal video, think vlogging.
To clarify, Instagram stories is molding users that video vlogging is an important part of the social media platform. Video creators no longer have to rely on weird memes or sketches to get noticed.
They can create story vlogs.
Here is also some quick things why video creators can grow quickly on Instagram… i) you can easily tag your friends in the comment section of any post, making it easy for your content to be shared. ii) you can also add hashtags to your posts, which helps your post get searched.
And, what’s great, is you don’t need 100 million followers to have a loyal following! The platform makes it so you’re stuck on the creators profile: there are no distractions, you won’t be moved about, you are essentially trapped to view all of the creator’s videos.
Instagram Vlogs
We’ve gone over loyalty and why Instagram is the right platform for video creators to obtain a loyal following. Let’s talk about why I think Instagram Vlogs will be the new hit of 2018:
i. No one is really doing Vlogs on IG because everyone thinks that a vlog must be a massive production. Either blame creators on other platforms, like Casey Neistat, Peter McKinnon, Jesse, or even Nas Daily (FB)… these creators changed the vlogging game and where viewers think vlogs need to be spectacular.
But because no one is doing vlogs on Instagram! There isn’t a creator out there who is setting the bar to how vlogs should be made on Instagram.
Therefore, Instagram has now become the wild-wild west of vlogging.
Anyone – even you – can make an impact!
ii. Instagram users have been molded that all it takes is their own phone to create content: expensive camera equipment isn’t needed to create content that can get likes. Therefore, since creating an Instagram vlog only requires you to have your phone, creators can create content swiftly: making it easy to publish content.
This leaves room to create consistent content you can push out, consistent content you can experiment with, and doing all of this makes it easy for you to grow a following.
A big example of Instagram vlogging make a huge impact, is the instagram profile of Will Smith. He’s vlogging his life and is accruing millions of views because of it! He doesn’t have a massive production, it’s goofy, it’s funny, it’s simple, and it’s one minute.
His content doesn’t have to be spectacular!
Yes.
He’s a world-renowned celebrity so it’s easy for him to gain a following. The point I’m trying to make is that he doesn’t have a big production. It’s just him and his phone.
Okay. If you’re asking the question: “what about small creators?”
Here is an example of one –
Example of Small Creator’s Vlogging (and being successful)
I’m a small creator, so why not show you what I’ve been able to accomplish. I want to preface that my profile is super small. I only have about 2.5k followers with a picture engagement of about 5%.
I can’t flex.
Tiny.
I tried Instagram vlogging and here are the results. Below is a video I posted about a couple months ago.
I haven’t posted for weeks / months before this post.
The quality isn’t the best.
I did this over my phone.
My follower count is a sneeze.
Yet –
72k views and over 700 likes!
I think the video did well because of the story, but the story isn’t that original or profound. I want to theorize that the the video did well because not that many accounts have created a vlog type video on the platform. My video was different than most, so it gained viewership.
Therefore, I think if you dedicate your Instagram profile to vlogs, you’ll have a massive advantage over other profiles on the platform.
(you’re like “Jonathan why haven’t you posted vlogs since that day?” Long story short, I’m not allowed to post
Ending
I hope this enough information for now.
It feels great to start writing again!
Now that I’m focusing on Instagram, soon I will be writing a post about how to grow your Instagram page. And, I will be using my profile as the case study. I’m excited!
Anyway, I wrote this post so I can be recorded in saying – “vlogging on Instagram will be the big thing for social media video creators in 2018.”
Thank you for listening.
In the hint office – San Francisco, CA
12:35 AM