Alex Schultz
VP of Analytics, CMO Meta

Instagram’s photo and video-based launch in 2010 changed the way consumers interact on social media. Now in its fourth year as a Best Global Brand, Instagram is leveraging a unique data system and putting partnerships front and center to make the brand more share-worthy than ever. 

In the competitive social media platform ecosystem, Instagram has forged ahead to become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, boasting over two billion active users monthly. This success is fueled by a data-driven approach and a strong ecosystem that connects users with parent company Meta’s other platforms, their favorite creators, and each other. 

“Across Meta, we want to make it easier for you to connect with the people and interests you care about,” Meta VP of Analytics and CMO Alex Schultz said. 

At the core of Instagram’s brand is a common thread that runs through all Meta platforms: a commitment to connection, agency and personalization. 

“Instagram is for everyday creativity that connects you,” Schultz said. “On Instagram, you’re able to do that in everyday, creative ways with products like Notes, Stories, Reels and posts. We also make it easier for you to share your creations to your community on Facebook.” 

For personal interactions, Instagram offers direct messaging through Messenger. Meta Pay, meanwhile, expands the freedom users have in the Instagram app by streamlining transactions, allowing users to support the causes, creators, and businesses they care about. 

Instagram’s growth strategies extend beyond the essential data and marketing tactics, moving to where many consumers spend their time on the platform: with content creators. 

In a bold move earlier this year, Instagram introduced broadcast channels, a new one-to-many messaging tool for creators to connect with their followers at scale. Additionally, Instagram’s recent launch of Threads, a text-based platform, integrated creators into the platform before it was live to the general public, creating an entire ecosystem for new users to explore from day one. This in part led to Threads garnering over 100 million downloads in the first week following launch, earning it the title of the fastest-growing online platform in history. 

“Modern marketing doesn’t come just from ads and garnering attention,” Schultz said. “Smart partnerships and alliances are the way we put our brands into the world in ways that are harmonious and interesting with consumers.” 

By leveraging a mix of paid advertising, marketing strategies, and partnerships, Meta and Instagram continue to create more consumer touchpoints. In its recent It’s Your World campaign, Meta partnered with 2023 Interbrand Breakthrough Brand KidSuper, multi-platinum recording artist Coi Leray and other top creators to showcase how they use Meta’s universe of products to shape their world.  

“Creators and change makers are finding inspiration and making awesome things happen with the help of our universe of products,” Schultz said. 

Instagram also continues to evolve its brand in ways that make it more tangible for the everyday user, applying brand codes to new motion contexts.  

Schultz affirms that generative AI services will soon be an important consideration, with brands needing to create machine-readable brand guidelines and standards in the near future. Regardless of the medium, brands will need to continue to find ways to add value to consumer experiences. 

“It’s important to understand the prevalent mediums and ways audiences are spending their time, including figuring out how to engage and be additive in those places,” Schultz said, “whether it’s AR/VR, community chat-based places, or otherwise.” 

Combining powerful data insights with expert tracking and valuable consumer connection, Instagram continues to enable its users to connect to everyday creativity, their way. 

“We want to make it easier for you to connect with the people and interests you care about,” Schultz said. “Each [Meta] brand ladders back to our overall positioning: Meta is for connection that increases the agency you have in your world. ”