INSTAGRAM 101 - PART 10/18

 

The Pros and Cons of Instagram Guides

As with all features, there are pros and cons to Guides as well, this section will outline some of these. Throughout the remainder of the article, features and elements will be discussed in a critical manner, meaning that further flaws, and how to overcome them are developed in later chapters.

First, it is important to note that Instagram tends to reward uses that best use its new features. For example, algorithmically, it can push your content. Being one of the first users to best use Guides is not just an advertisement for your content, but also for the concept of Guides itself

Exploring a brand-new feature

The biggest pro of Instagram Guides can also be perceived as a con; the fact that they are brand new.

Without dwelling on this, it is important to outline that not everyone has access to Instagram Guides at the time of writing—although the platform intends to make them available for all users. Many new features tend to get released on a smaller scale (by region or account type) first to test different features and the success and ease of use of them, as well as bug testing. Nevertheless, users who first begin to use these features get their content pushed more strongly.

If Guides are not yet available, nor popular in your region it can put a little bit of pressure on the quality of yours. For example, if no one has seen a Guide before, then they have nothing to compare it with- -which can be both a good and a bad thing.

Target demographic

Make sure that your target audience will be receptive to Guides. This will depend on their demographic, the relationship that you have with them, and your past content. Many people hesitate to undertake new features and interact with them--especially when it is something that can be perceived as a marketing ploy. Of course, this depends on your audience, as many people do use Instagram specifically to engage with influencers and to purchase new and exciting products. If this is your audience then you will probably be fine! Nevertheless, it is important to consider how your Guides will come across to your audience.

Present yourself as an authority

By getting into Guides as early as possible you have the best opportunity to cement your place as an authority in your region. Audiences love to believe that the accounts that they follow follow trends, meaning it is incredibly beneficial to create relevant, exciting, and accessible Guides for your audience to learn from it and share with their circles.

When you are choosing the content to include in a Guide do not overlook user-generated content. For example, posts that your audience has posted and tagged you in that explain your content, your business, your product, or your brand. The vast majority of users trust this content more than regular ads and is significantly more likely to impact their purchase decision.

No way to come across Guides organically

One of the biggest cons of Guides is that there is no way to come across them organically. At the time of writing, Guides could only be accessed via clicking on a Story or a shared post or viewing it directly from the user's profile. Instagram does have plans to change this, however. As they have not been fully integrated into Instagram’s features yet they are not fully accessible for audiences.

Design limitations

As discussed below, Instagram Guides are constrained by only using posts that already exist on Instagram, as well as being unable to change the formatting—meaning all text is the same font and you are unable to truly personalize it to incorporate it into your aesthetic branding.

Less commitment

In contrast to videos, Guides will take less effort to curate. When creating a video, you will need to Storyboard, script, record, edit, and add subtitles before you can post. A benefit to Guides is that they require a smaller level of digital literacy and skill and can be created simply and easily—with no new content required.