Instagram Albums – Why It Could Be Great For Brands

This week Instagram unveiled its latest update – Albums. Letting users upload a combination of 10 photos and videos into one post – ultimately creating an album.

But what does this mean for brands, and how can they ensure using it doesn’t negatively affect followers?

Death of Instagram?

It is the app’s most controversial update since the introduction of Stories, with some declaring the death of Instagram’s carefully curated nature. But is this really the case?

One of the biggest crimes against Instagram etiquette is, according to many, consistent posting from one singular event, such as 10 pictures in a row from the same event. This issue applies to brands even more than it does the everyday person, as it’s much easier to unfollow a brand filling your newsfeed than your mother on her holiday.

So, it’s pretty clear that the change, though interesting, could prove a tricky minefield for brands when posting and promoting products.

There’s been lots of pressure on Instagram from brands who find choosing one image can cause problems when it comes to conveying the correct message. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words, or ten thousand as the case may now be.

So, the introduction of albums allows brands to post up to ten images in one sitting, meaning an entire look book or new collection of products can be presented to fans to interact with.

The key is making it feel to fans like your multiple images are great content, not just spam clogging their timelines. It’s crucial that brands mix it up – use video, offer interesting perspectives on products that, as a brand, you’ve been unable to give before.

Disposable, quicker content?

The introduction of Instagram Stories allowed brands to share more disposable content, such as behind the scenes footage, product launches or events. Brands should try using the same approach with Albums – they can showcase a variety of images and videos from these instances to share with fans. Make them interesting and engaging. A long line of simple straight-on product images just won’t cut it – brands will be unfollowed in the blink of an eye.

Try using UGC to open up a whole new level of interaction. How many times has a competition called for customers to post their own images? And fans do, in the hope the brand will showcase it. Even though most brands do share some UGC content there’s now more room to share it and share it in interesting ways.

For commercial purposes, one of the biggest advantages of Albums is, they’re essentially carousel adverts. In the paid ad world, carousel adverts provide more interaction than regular ads, so shouldn’t organic carousel posts perform better? Only time will tell. But in a world where organic reach is falling, this could one of those shots in the arm organic needs right now.

And, when it comes down to it, people may be mumbling about the end of the Instagram culture as we know it, but is that a bad thing? After all, the culture of sharing creative and carefully curated content will undoubtedly remain the same –  there’ll just be more of it, and that’s not always a bad thing. Particularly if that extra content forces brands to think differently about what they present and how they present it.

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