This is an opinion article written by our Founder, Shawn Fortune.
Yesterday, a client asked me if Instagram is still a place where brands can grow in 2024. My answer? It’s complicated.
It feels like the peak of Instagram was from 2014 to 2019. People flocked to Instagram because creators were genuinely producing content we hadn’t seen before—it was cool to be creative on Instagram. We watched accounts explode, and users weren’t shy to engage with brands or like their friends’ posts. Social media wasn’t new—we already had Facebook, MySpace, and other platforms—but Instagram felt different. It was a convergence of a new tool with unprecedented technological advancements that placed the power of creativity in people’s hands. People learned Photoshop, design, video editing—creating short, captivating content that wasn’t quite like anything we had seen before. The creativity, novelty, and genuine engagement defined that era, and it’s something that seems lost today.
Now, people say Instagram is becoming Facebook, and Facebook is becoming obsolete. While that’s true to an extent, it’s more nuanced than that. Every age group continues to be active on Instagram, unlike Facebook, which has largely been relegated to older demographics. Sure, the average person may post less, but Instagram is still where people catch up on what their friends are doing. So, what does this mean for brands?
I decided to check which brand accounts I interact with the least, despite liking the brand. I looked at my followers list and found a surprising amount of accounts I barely engage with: @porsche, @bowerswilkins, @vans, @boilerroomtv, @wsl—all brands I’d say I genuinely enjoy. So, why am I not engaging with them? Let’s take @bowerswilkins as an example.
Bowers & Wilkins is a premium audio brand that manufactures high-quality headphones and speakers. They have 235,000 followers on Instagram, but tools like Phlanx show an engagement rate of only 0.6%. Despite having strong collaborations with celebrities like @davidbeckham, they struggle to engage their audience, even those who consider themselves fans. Is this Instagram’s fault for serving us content it thinks we want rather than what we actually follow? Would Bowers & Wilkins appear more in my feed if Instagram were still chronological?
The Reality of Instagram for Brands in 2024
Here’s my argument: In 2024, most people are no longer interested in engaging directly with brands on social media—and that’s okay. It doesn’t mean Instagram is dead for brands; it just means the strategy has shifted.
With TikTok on the rise, it’s said to be the second-largest search engine after Google. My friends prefer to search for things to do in a new city on TikTok rather than Google, and in many ways, Instagram functions similarly. People now turn to Instagram not just to see what brands post but to discover new things through influencers, creators, and word of mouth. This presents a huge opportunity for brands: to leverage people who still have an engaged audience.
For restaurants, a great approach is to collaborate with a foodie TikToker and have them include your spot in their “Top 5 Places to Eat in New York City” post. (And yes, you’ll need to pay them—free food won’t cut it anymore.) For a jewelry brand, find influencers who truly embody your aesthetic and ask them to subtly promote your pieces in their content. The key is using creators as storytellers rather than relying solely on your own brand account to carry the message.
Another interesting point is the rise of the person behind the brand. People are following the faces that lead businesses, not just the businesses themselves. Referred to as the “creator-founder technique,” individuals like @brunocasanovas have not only launched incredible brands but also documented the experience along the way. This builds a more compelling story and helps people buy into the brand’s journey, making them feel like they’re part of it.
Brand Awareness vs. Engagement
Even if brand engagement rates are low, it doesn’t mean having a social media presence is useless. In 2024, having a presence on Instagram still contributes to brand awareness. It’s often the first place someone goes to check out a brand before making a purchase. In the 2010s, Instagram could have been “THE strategy”—in 2024, it’s a piece of the larger marketing puzzle. Back then, a business might have allocated 20% of its marketing budget to owned media channels like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Now, while the return on investment is arguably lower, it’s still essential to have a presence—even if that means scaling back to just 5-10% of the budget.
Is Instagram Dying?
So, did I sidetrack myself and fail to answer the original question: Is Instagram dying? Honestly, yes—in my opinion, Instagram is dying a slow death. It’s still relevant for now, but there’s clearly a gap in the market, and I think many marketing and tech experts would agree. There are record numbers of new apps being developed today, and eventually, someone will create a new social platform that revolutionizes how we engage with content in a novel way. Until then, Instagram will continue to be the go-to app for people of all ages—even if it’s not quite what it used to be.
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