Social Media Tracker: Should igaming brands focus more on video content on Instagram?

Though Instagram started life as an image-sharing platform, it recently announced that it would be focusing more on video content. The introduction of Reels alongside IGTV, Stories, and other video content means that users are able to upload videos of different lengths.

Many operators have focused on image posts over the past few years, with some experimenting with IGTV and Reels recently, but this change to how Instagram promotes content could mean that igaming brands should consider focusing on video content more.

How has Instagram grown?

Instagram was initially launched on 6 October 2010. It was then acquired by Facebook in April 2012. It is one of the most popular social media apps in the world and is said to have over one billion active monthly users. In addition to this, approximately 32% of Instagram’s global audience is aged between 25 and 34 years old, as of July 2021.

Content on Instagram can also be organised using hashtags. This makes it easy for users to explore and engage with content that they enjoy. Igaming brands have been able to tailor their content precisely to the tastes of this 25-34 age bracket.

It has been this generation that has helped to push Instagram to the size and popularity that it currently enjoys. However, there have been external influences that have changed how audiences engage with content as a whole. This has resulted in Instagram evolving over the years.

How has Instagram changed?

Instagram, or maybe its parent company Facebook, has always kept a close eye on its competitors. As more platforms have introduced video content, we have also seen similar features appear on Instagram. The first of these came about in 2016 when Instagram introduced the Reels feature, similar to Snapchat stories. This was then followed by IGTV, Instagram’s answer to YouTube, in 2018, and then Reels in 2019. Reels were introduced to the platform following the success of the video-sharing app TikTok.

The shift towards video content has caused Instagram to sit back and reconsider how it will handle video content overall. Adam Mosseri, Instagram’s head, then announced in a video on Twitter and Instagram that the platform as a whole would be moving towards videos and entertainment rather than staying as an image-sharing/multimedia site.

The aim is to build experiences across four key areas – creators, videos, shopping and messaging, and it is here that igaming brands may be able to take advantage of the changes. Though some have experimented with video content thus far, the new direction could be the perfect chance for them to focus on videos and reach new audiences.

Another change that is coming about with this new direction is the choice to change IGTV. The social media site is removing the function as it currently exists and is combining it with the other video content under a new “video” tab. Long-form content like IGTV has not been as popular compared to what we have seen on other platforms. This refresh of the video tab could be the perfect chance for igaming brands to jump in and start producing content for this new venture.

Case study – Tombola

Tombola is one of the biggest bingo sites in the UK, and also has high audiences in Spain and Italy. In addition to offering a wide range of bingo games, it also have a sister site in the form of tombola arcade where players can explore other types of games. At the time of writing, the operator has 22.3k followers on Instagram. It posts a range of content on its page, with image posts currently right alongside its video content.

Tombola has tried out both IGTV and Reels so far. Its IGTV content has mainly been promotional videos that tie in with some of its other sponsorship deals. For example, the bingo operator has served as sponsor for I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and many of its IGTV videos have been tie-ins to this. It tends to have a minimum view count of around 600, but its most popular – a game of Put a Finger Down with actor Shane Richie – has over 3,500 views.

Tombola has also uploaded a few reels. Its most popular has over 6,000 views and is an announcement of a promotion it would be running over Easter weekend. Though the operator has not made many forays into video content yet, tombola has created a good base that it can choose to expand on if it wishes to focus further on video content for Instagram.

Should igaming brands focus more on video content?

Instagram has made it clear that it wants to move towards video content, so igaming brands that wish to operate on this platform will need to adjust their marketing accordingly. Should Instagram’s audiences take to the changes, this will be a fantastic platform for a range of different video content. This is one of the most eye-catching and interesting forms of content that you could choose to produce. Igaming brands that wish to increase their engagement on Instagram need to focus on video content if they wish to stand out and appeal to their audience, both existing and new.

Sharon McFarlane is the managing director of Digital Footprints – a digital marketing agency that specialises in igaming. She has eight years’ experience in the industry and has contributed regularly to industry magazines and conferences sharing her expertise on all things digital marketing. Her company (www.digital-footprints.co.uk) offers an outsourced solution for igaming businesses when it comes to content marketing, social media, UX design, website design, branding and conversion rate optimisation.