‘Instagram can help businesses stay relevant in these uncertain times'

With India in a state of lockdown like most other countries, people are spending more time than ever on their smartphones and on social media. Open your Instagram app today and you’ll find yourself flooded with a series of cooking videos, crooning celebrities and varied home workout routines. Nitin Chopra, Industry Head – E-commerce & Retail, Facebook India, tells us that the flurry of activity on the platform has definitely grown in the past few weeks since India went into the lockdown mode. This has been best demonstrated in the fact that Instagram Live views have increased by a good 60 per cent (as of March 24, 2020).

Chopra tells us why brands and influencers are taking due cognizance of this surge in Instagram activity, and are connecting with consumers in a way that is impactful yet compassionate.
Driving efficient influencer marketing

As physical distancing becomes a reality for people and communities around the world, businesses need to communicate with customers in creative ways using digital platforms, while driving efficiency with every dollar, explains Chopra. “The platform can help businesses stay relevant and keep giving people the things they love in this uncertain time. That means bringing communities together in the moment, offering further ways to shop online instead of in-store, and providing a place to educate and entertain customers with interactive video experiences,” he states. Influencer engagement, therefore, has become a way for brands to showcase their true value in a personal manner.

Engagement with heightened consumer empathy
Social distancing has compelled people to stay connected with friends and loved ones on various platforms. Instagram has recognised this and is therefore curating experiences like the ‘Live In Your Living Room’ live music festivals.

From a business perspective, Chopra notes that it is necessary for brands and marketers to act with heightened consumer empathy. “Having said that, the most loved and trusted brands always focus on defining the role they play in the consumers’ lives, even today. We believe that brands can step up right now, and bring meaningful experiences to people in multiple ways, including on Facebook and Instagram,” he points out. An interesting statistic brands would do well to take note of is that many of the countries hit hardest by the virus have seen an increase in messaging during March by more than 50% on apps like WhatsApp and Messenger. Similarly, in places hit hardest by the virus, voice and video calling have more than doubled on Messenger and WhatsApp.

Countering the growing popularity of TikTok
With TikTok increasingly becoming popular especially in tier II and III markets, we ask Chopra how Instagram is working to engage with users in smaller cities. Chopra maintains that the Gram continues to see a strong momentum in India, given that it is a global community of one billion. “People across India use the platform for accessing the best aggregated content from public figures, creators, and brands, along with cultural and social movements. We also launched the ‘Born on Instagram’ programme last year to engage with creators from big and small cities, because of the increasing creativity we’re witnessing from all across India,” Chopra points out.

Insta support for small businesses
In the light of the economic impact the lockdown has had on small businesses, Chopra tells us that the company has announced a global grant of $100 million to support more than 30,000 small businesses in over 30 countries where it operates, including India. “We have also taken several of our India-focused programmes for skilling SMBs online. For instance, our Facebook Advertiser Vintage programme has been taken to more than 800 businesses through a virtual format since mid-March to offer customised support during this period,” says Chopra.

Instagram during the COVID-19 lockdown
In India, Instagram Live views have increased by more than 60% [growth percentages are w/w increase in viewers, comparing past 7 days (3/18 to 3/24) with the 7 days prior (3/11 to 3/17)]. In the first week of its launch, the Stay Home sticker was used over 100 million times globally and in India, the ‘Stay Home’ and ‘Ghar Pe Raho’ sticker was used over 6 million times.

How brands are staying connected with the consumer during this time
 Lenskart – The company is posting content highlighting its delivery of glasses to customers because they know they are essential.

 Dunzo has started an #EveryDaySuperheros campaign on Instagram to honour delivery partners who are risking their lives during this challenging time.

 Zomato India has recently started a series called #ZomatoLockdownRecipes where they post a compilation of food items and tag smaller businesses who share recipes on their respective profiles to create the dishes.