Instagram SWOT Analysis (2024)

Company: Instagram (parent company – Meta Platforms Inc)
Founders: Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger
Year founded: 1824
CEO: Adam Mosseri
Headquarter: Menlo Park, California, United States
Employees (2022): 450

Did you know? The biggest percentage of Instagram users (60%) visit the platform to get new products as opposed to other social media platforms.

Table of Contents

Instagram Strengths

1. Strong influencer community

Instagram has largely remained a relevant social media platform because of its influencer community. That makes it the number one platform where companies sell their products such as beauty, fashion, retail, and more. Firms are leveraging the influencer network to increase brand exposure and reach newer markets.

2. Hashtags

Getting the right hashtags provides businesses with the opportunity to reach a broader audience. Hashtags are integral to Instagram posts because they get more interaction. Whether one uses 10 or 30 hashtags per post, maintaining a consistent hashtag strategy is an effective approach to growing one’s account.

3. Leverages strengths of the parent company

Instagram belongs to Meta (formerly Facebook) as the parent company. Instagram continues to use this as an advantage to increase its membership. Cross-platform login stands out as one of the ways Instagram has benefited from Facebook. You can have your Instagram account operational in a few steps by logging in or signing up with Facebook.

4. Filters

Instagram is mainly a video and photo-sharing platform. Normally, people would want to share the best pictures of themselves or their products. The availability of filters on this social media app acts as a motivation to share more videos and photos. You no longer need third-party editing software because you can do all the edits within Instagram.

5. Large user base

Instagram registered 2 billion active users per month. The high figure was a significant rise, given that the platform achieved the growth in recent years. In doing, it now plays in the same league as other giants like YouTube and Facebook. Investors often rely on such numbers to make their investment decisions. Similarly, the huge number of active users attracts marketers, who are the main source of revenue for the company.

6. More than 40 billion photos posted

A social media platform the size of Instagram keeps getting more users because there is enough content to consume. The platform has more than 40 billion photos and videos. That means users can never run out of content to consume and will keep coming back for more.

7. Multi-language support

The platform supports over 25 different global languages. By supporting all the top global languages, the platform ensures that users can navigate it in their native language. That is possible on both mobile and web access, ensuring anyone across the world has a chance to use it. Even though enjoying photos does not need language translation, translating Instagram means everyone understands how to use features like hashtags, likes, locations, and maps.

8. Stories have become a hit

Instagram Stories has become a major success on the social media site. The feature is estimated to be attracting over 400 million users per day, changing the way people consume online content. The launch of Instagram Stories gave the social media giant a fighting chance against Snapchat and Tik Tok, which had posed a stiff competition against Instagram.

9. Direct Messaging eases communication

Instagram Direct Messaging facilitates the private exchange of posts, photos, texts, videos, and Stories with one or multiple people. It gives a chance to strengthen relationships and drive sales via personal connections with customers and loved ones. The feature has proved helpful not only to businesses but also to friends and families.

Instagram Weaknesses

1. Privacy and data leaks

Some Instagram users have raised concerns about their privacy due to unexpected data leaks. Such leaks reduce their comfort level with using the platform because they fear getting exposed. Some studies have concluded that Instagram is the most invasive social media platform. It gathers 79% of its user’s personal data and shares it with third parties. The data includes financial information, location, history, and contacts.

2. No surety of purchase

Even though Instagram supports advertising, marketers are still not assured that their ads will convert. The traffic is mostly considered one-way because after someone views an advert, they do not proceed to buy within Instagram. Instead, they are directed outside the app, where it is hard to know whether or not the person who clicked a link was converted to an active customer.

3. Image theft issues

The moment content creators upload photos on Instagram, they are faced with the challenge of image theft. Other people can take these images and use them for professional benefit without the owner’s consent.

4. False advertisement

There have been instances of false advertisements on Instagram that the platform failed to detect and stop. The false adverts end up misleading both the public and businesses.

InstagramOpportunities

1. Redefining work as we know it

There is a huge potential for Instagram within the scope of sponsorships. Firms normally pay influencers and celebrities to market their products. In return, these celebrities employ individuals to create content. The rising number of Instagram users increases opportunities for people to work in very different ways than they used to.

2. More potential in video ads

Video advertisement is proving to be a major cash cow for Instagram. By recording about 400 million consumers for Instagram Stories per month, it is clear that this direction will present more advertisement opportunities for the platform.

Instagram Threats

1. Instagram addiction

Just like any other major social media platform, Instagram addiction is proving to be a major problem. Both adults and children use the platform as a source of entertainment. They face the risk of getting addicted and wasting their time as they get lost in consuming content.

2. Some people are still locked out of Instagram

For you to use Instagram, you need a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or computer and a good internet connection. People who do not have access to these features are essentially locked out of the platform. Additionally, many have complained that Instagram consumes data at a far much higher rate than most social media sites.

3. Limited visibility for ordinary people considering the huge number of users

4. The lack of scheduled posting forces people to use third-party tools to access their Instagram accounts

5. Self-esteem questions make many doubt the relevance of Instagram to the society

References & more information