What’s New with Instagram? (January 2025)

With the looming TikTok ban, Meta is introducing a bunch of new features and changes to Instagram to draw users, creators, and brands to the platform. Many of the features have been met with mixed reactions, but some may be more beneficial to businesses than other.

Here’s a breakdown of the latest and upcoming updates:

The Tall Grid
One change that’s already been enacted is the “tall grid.” If you view your personal profile, business profile, or any other profile, you’ll notice a visual change to they grid layout. The new look is better equipped to accommodate Reel cover images as the platform is pushing the use of this feature more.

New IG Feed Size Formats
Photo posts + Carousels:

  1. 1080 x 1350 pixels
  2. 4:5 ratio

Reels Cover Images:

  1. 1080 x 1920
  2. 9:16 ratio

Future Profile Updates
In addition to the “tall grid,” additional changes to profiles will be rolling out. Users will soon be able to customize and crop thumbnails after posts have been published to the grid. Highlights will also be moved from the profile area to inside the grid, making grid customization more important. Highlights will also have it’s own tab beside the grid, reels, and tagged posts icons in the profile.

3-Minute Reels
Instagram has extended the 90-second cap on Reels to 3 minutes. This allows users to create more long-form content for audience consumption.

Friends Tab in Reels
When users are on the Reels page of Instagram, they can now see Reels that their friends have liked. While businesses can’t use this directly, it does increase reach to audiences that do not follow the account.

Trial Reels
Trial Reels are now a posting option to get content out to audiences that do not follow your account. You can gather this engage and eventually graduate the Reel to your profile for your followers to see as well. You do not lose any of that previous engagement if you decide to graduate it to your profile.

Ranking in 2025
Content ranking is based on three factors — how long users watched your content, likes, and share. Ranking for accounts that follow you (Connected Reach) is based on time watched and likes, while ranking for accounts that don’t follow you (Unconnected Reach) is based on time watched and shares.

Instagram says your content is eligible for recommendations (Unconnected Reach) if you do not use watermarks, add audio to videos, photo, and carousel posts, content is original, and your Account Status is good.

Edits
Meta is introducing a new video editing app, launching February 2025. This app is made for users who edit short-form video content on their phones. The app will feature editing tools, a high-quality camera to record with, tabs for inspiration and trending audio, drafts that can be shared with others before publication, and additional insights if a video is posted to Reels.

These new Instagram features will be rolling out sporadically over the next few months of 2025 and additional updates may be on the way. Stay updated withe latest social media platform news with 270M.

2024 Marketing Trends: Personalization, Balance, and Diversifying for Audience Needs

In the ever-evolving world of marketing and advertising, staying ahead of the curve is crucial for success. The 2024  landscape is poised for significant changes driven by technological advancements, shifting audience behaviors, and a growing emphasis on authenticity and sustainability. In this blog post, we’ll explore ten cutting-edge trends that are expected to shape the marketing and advertising industry in the coming year. From AI-driven personalization to the evolution of influencer marketing and the rise of secondary advertising channels, these trends offer insights into the strategies that businesses and marketers should consider to thrive in an increasingly dynamic digital environment. Let’s dive into the future of marketing and discover the exciting possibilities that await in 2024.

  1. AI-Driven Personalization: AI and machine learning will continue to play a crucial role in creating personalized marketing campaigns. Marketers will use AI to analyze data and consumer behavior to deliver more tailored content and experiences.
  2. Voice Search Optimization: With the growing popularity of voice-activated devices like smart speakers and virtual assistants, marketers will focus on optimizing their content and ads for voice search, including long-tail keywords.
  3. Diversifying Advertising Channels: Media buyers will diversify their advertising efforts by exploring secondary and emerging channels to reduce their reliance on dominant platforms like Meta, concreting a more balanced and resilient marketing strategy.
  4. Social Media Channel Shopping: Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok will lead the way in transforming themselves into e-commerce hubs, allowing users to shop directly within the apps, making the shopping experience mobile, seamless, and convenient.
  5. Video Content Dominance: Video marketing will continue to thrive, with a shift towards short-form videos for platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. Live streaming and interactive video content will also gain traction.
  6. Influencer Marketing Evolution: Influencer marketing will mature into a holistic approach, where campaigns are strategically planned to include a blend of macro-influencers, secondary influencers, and supportive talent creators. This diversified influencer mix will allow brands to reach various audience segments effectively and build more authentic connections.
  7. Apple Spatial Video Capture: Apple’s spatial video capture technology will enable marketers to create immersive 3D video content, enhancing user engagement and providing innovative ways to showcase places, products and services.
  8. Interactive Content: Interactive content formats, such as quizzes, polls, and shoppable posts, will become more popular as they engage users and provide valuable data for marketers.
  9. Programmatic Advertising Growth: Programmatic advertising will continue to grow as it offers more efficient and data-driven ad buying across various channels, including display, video, and streaming.
  10. Privacy-First Marketing: With increased privacy concerns and regulations like GDPR and CCPA, marketers will adopt strategies that prioritize consumer data privacy and opt-in consent, while still delivering personalized experiences.

Read Also: OOH Advertising: Take Your Campaigns Into the World

The Future of Augmented Reality and Digital Advertising

Written by: Danielle Gazda

With the announcement of the Apple Vision Pro headset at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference, augmented reality (AR) as a part of daily life is becoming increasingly more real. The headset’s $3,500 price tag is out of reach to a significant portion of the population, but, as the technology improves and becomes more commonplace, it could quickly become more accessible.

What AR Is Available?

The discussion of AR as a part of everyday life isn’t new, but the technology is still in its infancy. Google Glass was announced in 2013 and hit the market in 2014. They are now ceasing production and sales later this year. Snapchat, the popular limited-time photo-sharing app, released its own version of the tech with Spectacles in 2016. These are still around, and their primary purpose is to capture photos and videos from the user’s perspective.

Nreal, a Chinese start-up company, has seen great success in its home country and is expanding to Britain this year. Nreal Air is designed to look like sunglasses and allows users to interact by “Air Casting” or “MR Space.” Air Casting allows users to see their full phone screen in front of them in a virtual display, while MR Space combines a digital overlay with the real world surrounding the user.

AR Uses

The concept of the MR Space is where digital advertising can play a key role. AR can be used to show pop-ups or interactable digital items as people wearing these headsets/glasses interact with the world around them. Brands can share virtual coupon codes or prompt a user to visit their website. There’s also the potential to show an advertisement that will make the user want to purchase the product.

This type of advertising will be the bridge between social media/digital marketing and out-of-home marketing. It will be more interactable and accessible than QR codes on billboards, and quicker and more convenient than having to click through a number of links after seeing a digital ad.

Augmented reality will change how people experience the world around them, and it will expand the social reach of advertisers who will be able to directly engage with the consumer.

Breaking Down Cannabis Policies on Social Media Platforms

Posting about cannabis-related or CBD products on social media can be tricky. Regulation of the words used on creative and in captions/hashtags can cause your post to be flagged and your account to potentially be suspended.

Cannabis-Related No’s and Go’s

A good rule of thumb across all platforms is that you shouldn’t share images of the marijuana plant or people smoking. And stay away from the obvious words relating to cannabis: marijuana, weed, cannabis, kush, high, joint, THC, pot, and so on.

A common replacement across all platforms is “canna,” however, this can still be flagged. Everything is about carefully wording your captions and being strategic with ad campaigns, if possible. Here are some general guidelines for the major platforms to keep in mind.

Facebook:

  • Posts: Marijuana, cannabis, CBD, etc., are safe to use in organic content if it is educational and informative. Facebook bots can be fickle about this, but any issues can usually be resolved quickly.
  • Ads: Only topical CBD products can be advertised on Facebook, and you should still avoid using any cannabis-related language.

Instagram:

  • Posts: Instagram is a key marketplace for all businesses, but your cannabis/CBD company will not be able to utilize Instagram Shops. Many cannabis/CBD companies also opt for minimal to no hashtags in posts to protect their accounts.
  • Ads: Since Facebook and Instagram are both under Meta, their policies are pretty similar. However, in ads, you can use “hemp product” but not “CBD product.”

TikTok:

  • Posts: TikTok users have some fun workarounds when it comes to hashtags and caption wording. Alternative terms and spellings of cannabis-related words include “ouid,” “w33d,” “st0ner,” and “b0ng.”
  • Ads: TikTok is very aware of its young demographic, so they make cannabis/CBD advertising impossible. 

Twitter:

  • Posts: Twitter is another place where sharing cannabis-related educational content is permitted. Many companies opt to share articles or their own blog posts.
  • Ads: Twitter only allows topical CBD products to be advertised. And you should only target locations/states in the U.S. where CBD is legal.

LinkedIn:

  • Posts: LinkedIn is very open to the sharing of information. If you promote primarily educational and informational content, then you’ll be fine. And, obviously, there are no restrictions to what you can show as your company name.
  • Ads: You still can’t directly advertise your products, but ads can show educational information that will still lead new people to your page/website. LinkedIn has never shut down an account and all ad reviews go to real people, who may be more forgiving than bots.

Pinterest:

  • Posts: When it comes to organic content, Pinterest is forgiving about using words/hashtags like cannabis, CBD, and hemp. People post informational graphics and recipes that usually don’t see any issues.
  • Ads: Pinterest is one of the only platforms that actually lays out its CBD-related advertising guidelines: “We will allow ads for topical hemp seed oil products in the United States that contain negligible amounts of THC and no CBD and make no therapeutic or medicinal claims.”

Google:

  • Ads: Since January of 2022, Google has started enforcing stricter rules and policies for advertising, which has significantly and negatively impacted cannabis/CBD ads through the platform. It is considered best to avoid it entirely and advertise elsewhere.

The Take-Away

Clearly, it’s not easy to advertise, let alone post, cannabis and CBD content on any platform. We hope, as various forms of marijuana become legal across the country, that social media regulations will change along with the laws. But until then, the keyword is caution. 

The information listed about these social media platforms’ policies do not guarantee that your accounts won’t be shadowbanned or flagged at some point. In many cases, bots are the first ones to check accounts, and they can be unforgiving. But, we hope, this can help to avoid that as much as possible.


Contact 270M to learn more about how we can help promote your CBD business the right way.

OOH Advertising: Take Your Campaigns Into the World

Written by: Danielle Gazda

Traditional out-of-home marketing (known as OOH advertising) and digital marketing can coexist and complement each other for your brand’s benefit. Blend the digital and real world together to boost brand awareness, drive campaign success, and promote products and services.

What Is OOH Advertising?

OOH advertising brings your brand directly to the people — specifically, to your audience. Out-of-home advertising goes beyond TV ads and placements in magazines. Instead, it’s about advertising where people are. You passively experience ads every day — from billboards you pass on the highway to planes carrying banners over the beach. Physical ads can still be very effective in this digital age, even when given a digital twist.

Where Can OOH Ads Be Placed?

OOH ads are made for high-traffic areas. The most common places are centered around transportation. Transportation OOH ads can take the form of various types of billboards, and they can be seen on bus shelters and benches, in airports, on top of taxis, and on wrapped vehicles. Other options are more visually dynamic, such as drone shows, murals, skywriting, and wild posters. The last main group of ad locations are experimental. These are more closely related to the type of brand you represent. These can include coffee cup sleeves, coffee or ice cream trucks, or various types of walk-through experiences. The key is advertising where you are in front of your audience.

What Do You Need to Consider When Placing OOH Ads?

Demographic Locations

OOH ads are typically placed in high-traffic public locations. But high traffic doesn’t necessarily mean immediate or considerable success. Your ad placement should not be based only on exposure or foot traffic but also on the demographic you’re targeting. You want to make sure you’re ads are located where your target audience works and commutes from. 

Telling a Story

The story told needs to be succinct and eye-catching, whether you decide to advertise on a billboard, a transit location, or a pizza box. The decision is brand specific, of course, but there are a number of options between both imagery and text to choose from. For text, there can be no wording, one word, a short phrase, or a brand slogan. For imagery, you can choose a bestselling item, the brand’s logo, go bold with vibrant colors, or go bold by being minimalist. The choice is yours, but telling the right story is what will transform awareness into conversions.

How Do I Integrate Digital Marketing With OOH Advertising?

Geolocation Data

There are numerous OOH ads that blend digital and traditional advertising methods. These are often kiosk-style boards like those found at bus stations or in malls, as well as digital billboards such as those found in Times Square. Ads can adapt to target consumers based on information discovered through carrier data, mobile ad networks, GPS, mapping apps, sensors, and beacons. This data offers a host of opportunities for retargeting, as well. 48% of consumers exposed to an OOH ad are more likely to click on a mobile ad for the same brand according to studies.

Digital Add-Ons

Brands can directly integrate digital marketing with OOH ads. A great example of this is adding a QR code to your advertisement. You can send people to download your app, straight to your website, or to a social media page. It makes the transition quick and easy without the consumer having to do the work of finding you. There are other straightforward methods of adding your website URL, social media handle, or physical address to your ad to achieve the same goal. It’s always a good idea to test these methods to see what consumers respond to the best.

If you’re interested in integrating your digital marketing strategy with OOH advertising, reach out to the 270M team to learn more about our latest service. Contact us at info@thisis270m.com or visit our website.

How to Utilize Google Analytics for Your Business

By: Danielle Gazda

Google Analytics is a free website traffic tracking tool. It takes user information gathered from each page of your website and compiles it into reports that help you analyze it. You can discover demographic details, bounce rates for each page, and much more. Most importantly, this information allows you to make better-informed decisions about products and user experience.

You can also connect your Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts to combine user engagement ad campaign data with website data.

Here’s what you need to know:

Tracking Code

After you’ve created your account, Google Analytics will provide you with a piece of G4 tracking code that you’ll need to embed on each page type of your website. This is what enables Google Analytics to gather user data from your website.

The Hierarchy

Here are some primary terms to know after you’ve set up your Google Analytics account.

  • Account- Having an account is mandatory. You’ll provide some general information that relays what type of company you have.
  • Property- For each account, you can determine “Property,” which can either be a website or an app. If your company utilizes multiple websites or a website and an app, they will have to be set as separate properties. They will each receive their own unique G4 codes. You can combine data later in Reports.
  • View- Under each property, you’ll need to set up your “Views.” These determine what data Google Analytics looks at and pulls to process into reports. Limiting a View too much will result in missing information. Always keep a view of “Raw Data,” which contains no limiting factors, and another view that excludes internal company traffic and bots. 

Once this hierarchy has been established and code embedded, you can run Real-Time reports to see the metrics coming in. However, you won’t be able to generate accurate reports until after a few days later — it takes some time to gather enough data to make meaningful reports.

Dimensions and Metrics

Now we get into how to read the data you’re seeing in reports. Most of it is broken down into Dimensions and Metrics. These are the different user variables Google Analytics learns about and reports on.

  • Dimensions- Dimensions are categories of demographic information. This can include the browser and device being used, landing and exit pages, as well as specific user information, like location and customer type.
  • Metrics- Metrics are the quantifiable data that is collected. This includes information about sessions, session duration, page views, conversions, bounce rates, and numbers of new and returning users.

You also can make custom dimensions and metrics if there is specific data you want to see that are not standard options Google Analytics offers.

Reports

There are five different categories of reports: Real-Time, Audience, Acquisition, Behavior, and Conversions. Each report has an overview and then provides various breakdowns of the information.

  • Real-Time Reports provide you with insight into what’s happening on your website at that exact moment. This report won’t be used often. It’s good for checking performance when you implement new filters to ensure everything is running properly.
  • Audience Reports allow you to go deeper into the difference between new and returning users. It digs into demographic, geographic, and behavioral information. These can help inform your ad campaigns as you learn what your audiences are interested in.
  • Acquisition Reports break down traffic by the source. A source is what brought your user to your website. It includes organic, direct, referral, email, social, paid search, display, affiliate, and (Other).
  • Behavior Reports provide you with information about how users interact with your website. Some basics are Landing Pages, Exiting Pages, Page Speeds, Search Terms, as well as sessions and events.
  • Conversions Reports share user behavior as it relates to e-commerce business goals. First, you’ll have to establish goals in Google Analytics. These goals can include newsletter subscriptions, adding products to cart, completing an order, or making an account. If your website is for e-commerce, this will be important to set up.

Conclusion

Google Analytics is a great tool for any business with a website, whether it’s a company site, e-commerce site, blog, or any combination of these. If you have goals for how users will interact with your website, Google Analytics provides detailed reports about users and their behavior to help you optimize your website and ad campaigns.

Would you prefer to have a team manage Google Analytics setup and reports for you? 270M can handle all of your digital marketing needs. Contact us on our website, or email us at info@thisis270m.com.

Should My Brand Be Present on All Social Media Platforms?

By: Sydney Rikk

With so many trending social media platforms, it can feel overwhelming to try and manage multiple accounts. Between the time and the effort it takes to create content and engage with followers, are the results worth it? Does it make sense for your company to have Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and LinkedIn? What about adding a TikTok account to your plate?

It is one thing to grow a following; it is a whole other game to grow an engaged following. At the end of the day, the most important thing to remember, in order to have the most engagement and support for your brand, is that quality is better than quantity. To help determine what platforms you should use, follow these three steps.

  1. Know your audience

In order to attract the right audience, research which social media platforms your desired target is most likely to engage with. For example, older demographics tend to use Facebook, while younger audiences are more attracted to Instagram and TikTok.

Here is a helpful chart by MarketingCharts.com that displays which demographics use which platforms most frequently.

      2. Outline your goals

Deciding on the goals you want to achieve can help you determine which social media platforms to use. Think about whether you’re looking for another way to engage with your target audience on a more personal level, looking to attract new customers or demographics that you weren’t previously speaking to, or simply wanting to learn more about the market you are trying to attract. Narrowing down your desired outcomes can help you gauge which platforms will best fit your brand’s wants and needs.

      3. Create effect content

Twitter is known for memes and brief, clever messages. TikTok is known for short video clips. Pinterest is a visual masterpiece of all kinds of topics. Instagram is known for sharing images partnered with a caption. Knowing what content you are interested in creating and sharing can also narrow down your choice of what platforms to focus on. Creating effective content that your target audience will enjoy viewing will result in a higher engagement rate. 

Once you work through these three steps, you will have a better understanding of which platforms will be most effective and beneficial for your brand. There is no need to spend time and effort on platforms that don’t target your audience or provide positive results. Quality over quantity will lead your accounts to success.

How to Get Started With Instagram Reels for Your Business

By: Charlotte Dwyer

Reels are quickly becoming a staple in the Instagram world. These short, entertaining videos are a great way to connect with your audience while showcasing what you and your business have to offer. Getting started with Instagram Reels can be daunting, but we are here to offer some of our favorite tips for mastering the form. 

  • Use current popular songs and sounds 

This is one of the most important tips to remember when starting your Reels journey. When you use a popular sound or song, your reel gets tagged to that particular sound on Instagram. This ensures that your reel will be exposed to more people, since it is likely that users will be looking for reels that use those trendy sounds. Each day, look at some reels and make a note of the most popular songs and sounds that they feature. Then, use those sounds to brainstorm ideas for your brand.

  • Repurpose old stories, videos, or TikToks for Reels 

Getting started with Reels can be challenging at first. The field is crowded, and having to constantly come up with fresh, new ideas for content can be overwhelming. But there is no need to reinvent the wheel … um, reel, that is. This form is perfect for using old or unused content. For example, you can use photos to create a slideshow, or take an interview that was done with you about your business and use relevant clips from it in a reel.

  • Use closed captioning 

Many people scroll through Instagram Reels without having the sound on, so they will be more drawn to videos that have closed captions on them. This quick fix will allow people to engage with your content, even if they are unable to listen to it.

  • Make your product or service the highlight of your reels

Reels are fabulous for showcasing what you have to offer. You can explain in-depth what your business does or take the time to show your audience details about your product.

  • Put titles on the cover photos for your reels 

If someone is interested in your business on Instagram, they may navigate to the Reels tab on your profile. By including a title explaining what each reel is about on the cover photo, people are more likely to watch and engage.

  1. Don’t get too serious 

Reels are ideal for showing the personality of your brand. Have fun with them! Play into popular trends and show that your brand wants to truly connect with potential customers. 

If you are still unsure of exactly how to use Instagram Reels or how this form can benefit your business, 270M is always here to help. We have experience in the creation of Reels for a variety of clients and businesses and would be more than happy to assist you!

Instagram’s New Plans for Video

Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, consistently posts informative videos on both his Instagram and Twitter accounts, covering frequently asked questions and giving users a behind-the-scenes look at how the Instagram app is run. In late June, he posted a video stating that changes will be coming to video on Instagram, in an effort to keep up with stiff competition. In his video, he stated “We’re no longer a photo-sharing app,” adding “The number-one reason people say they use Instagram, in research, is to be entertained. So people are looking to us for that.” He continued saying “Let’s be honest, there’s some really serious competition right now. TikTok is huge, YouTube is even bigger, and there’s lots of other upstarts as well. And so if people are looking to Instagram to be entertained, there’s stiff competition, and there’s more to do, then we have to embrace that. And that means change.” 

Mosseri and his team are trying to keep up with competitors like TikTok and YouTube by following in their footsteps. For example, similar to the “For You” page on TikTok, Mosseri mentioned creating “recommendations” for users, where video content from people they don’t follow would appear in their main Instagram Feed. Leaning into video as the dominant form of content on Instagram should increase overall engagement. This in turn should make Instagram more appealing to video creators.

The problem with low engagement across the Instagram app, as far as video creators are concerned, is that they have had limited opportunities. There are also other deteriorating factors when it comes to fighting for higher engagement. As seen on AdAge, our founder Sarah Remesch mentioned how influencer agencies have to “charge higher fees for Instagram influencers because they’ve had to put more paid support behind organic posts.” In comparison, it seems as if competitors like TikTok have created algorithms that work with their creators, while Instagram’s algorithms have recently been working against them. 

As it once was, Instagram is becoming more creator-friendly and creators must be ready and willing to adapt if they wish to stay relevant in the social media space.

How to Market Your Brand Based on the Season

By Nicole Holdgrafer

Despite obvious differences, the four seasons of the year all have something very important in common — at least as far as your business is concerned. Each season presents unique marketing opportunities that can help your brand thrive. Here are five tips on how you can tailor your brand or product to meet the changing seasons.

Incorporate New Designs 

Creating new designs for your brand’s packaging or promotions as the seasons change can increase brand awareness and relevancy. For example, if the peak season for your brand is summer but winter is coming up, you could incorporate designs that suggest the mood and imagery of the winter holidays into your online presence and into the product/service itself.  

Produce a Social Media Campaign 

Social media campaigns on platforms such as Facebook or Instagram generally involve a variety of content (pictures, videos, text, etc.) with an overarching theme and message. In addition, brands usually include hashtags — the hash symbol “#” followed by a distinctive word or phrase that helps users searching the platform to find posts — and will sometimes offer giveaways or contests to get customers talking about and interacting with their brand. If you’re producing a campaign for the spring, consider how this might influence your overarching message, your use of specific words and phrases, and your choice of content for this season.

Promote Your Best-Seller

With each new season, it’s likely that your brand will experience fluctuating demand for specific products and services. When you’ve identified a seasonal best-seller, consider going above and beyond in your promotional efforts. Promoting an item online that already sells well during a specific time frame can attract more traffic to your social media platforms and company website, which could eventually lead to further sales. 

Set Clear Expiration Dates Based on the Season

When hosting a giveaway, contest, or sales promotion, you can set a designated time limit based on the season. Providing a clear expiration date for your promotions creates a sense of urgency, which can encourage customers to buy before the season or a seasonal holiday ends. If you’re planning to host a summer blowout sale, for example, consider stating a clear deadline for the offer, so customers will be more likely to buy before it expires: “This Summer Blowout Sale ends at 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 31, 2021. Don’t miss out!”

Plan Ahead 

Never forget: If you snooze, you lose. Always begin brainstorming your marketing plan for the upcoming season well ahead of time. By doing this, you will have a chance to better develop your ideas, and, as a result, they will come across as more organized and original. For example, while you’re pushing out a summer campaign, you might also begin to organize your plans for fall. This way, you will have ample time to stay on top of your marketing goals, fine-tune your ideas, and, with some hard work and a bit of luck, become a trendsetter.