Instagram betting on local content to dispel 'elitist myth'

Asserts that it does not cater primarily to English-speaking base, claims launch of short video format Reels last year has further expanded its reach

Contrary to popular belief, Instagram is not “elitist” or catering to an primarily English-speaking user base, and the launch of its short video format Reels last year has further expanded the platform's reach, Ajit Mohan, Managing Director and Vice President, Facebook India said.

"This is a big myth! It wasn’t true a year back, and it especially isn’t true today," said Mohan, when asked about whether Instgaram was more suited to English speaking, urban users. "Through product and program interventions, we’ve democratised expression and creativity and are at a stage where Instagram is used by people all over the country," he added.

Some of these product interventions were the introduction of the music sticker, the Spark AR platform which lets anyone create and publish their own augmented reality (AR) effects on Instagram. Adoption has further been helped by Facebook's music partnerships with top labels, making music available in local languages.

"This then led to the launch of Reels, which has people from Bhatinda to Hubli using it. We also launched Instagram Lite, for people on low-memory Android to have the same Instagram as everyone else. Our program ‘Born on Instagram’ has had a big role to play too. It was launched in light of the creativity we were seeing across India and has helped us discover and grow creators from small cities," Mohan said.

Facebook-owned Instagram launched Reels in India last July, shortly after the country banned popular Chinese short video platform TikTok. Reels lets people record and edit 15-second multi-clip videos with audio, effects and creative tools. On April 1, Reels launched a Remix feature that lets users create their own Reel along-side an existing reel. This is similar to a feature on TikTok and has got good response from users.

While Indian short video apps including Moj, TakaTak, Roposo and so on have filled in the space vacated by TikTok, Instagram is globally preferred by brands for promotions. Content creators also find Instagram as a preferred platform for content creation.

"It’s been less than a year that we’ve launched Reels in India, and the response so far has been incredible. We’re seeing a new bunch of short form video creators emerge, with a national

following and growing exponentially. The creativity we’re seeing is inspiring and breaking stereotypes. We’re seeing overseas creators dance to Indian tunes. We’re also seeing reels in new categories, like economy, law and finance," said Mohan.

According to social media management platform Hootsuite, Instagram in India has its largest user base at over 120 million users, out of its over 1 billion user base globally.

While creators were using Instagram to expand their reach even before, post the launch of Reels, their short video product, this has adoption has increased even more.

Take for example, Suriya Mishra from Jalna (near Aurangabad), Maharashtra, who says she got to work in Mumbai- her dream job- thanks to Instagram. "When Reels launched, it opened new gates to reach more people and gave more recognition than before. I made new friends through reels, I got to know about trends, be it styling, new songs and learnt new transitions from fellow creators. In the last 12 months, my following has grown by 600 per cent and this is courtesy the love I have received through Reels," she said.

Similarly,  Shweta Choudhury from Bhubaneswar, Odisha channelises her love for fashion and pop culture, recreating everything from TV shows, movies and cartoons, which often find their way to Instagram's Explore page, giving her a wider reach. "Last year I also began using Reels, to create look books, as well as relatable Odia content, which is much appreciated by my audience...Super glad that I have grown by 70 per cent in the past one year," she said.

Brands are also banking on these content creators or influencers who have a huge following (and thus, reach), who can earn money through branded content deals or advertising products through the content they create. Mohan said 90 per cent people on Instagram follow a business, and that is another focus area for the company. "Going forward, we’re looking to accelerate ways for creators to make a living and for small businesses to sell their products," he said.

According to Influencer Marketing Hub, the influencer marketing industry is set to grow to about $13.8 billion in 2021, up from $9.6 billion last year. Instagram remains the network of choice for influencer marketing campaigns, it added.  

Businesses like Samsung, Nykaa, Spotify, The Indian Ethnic Co or Okhai are experimenting with Reels, and content discovery is helped by the Reels tab and the window for Reels in Explore.