May 22, 2018 
Share This PostWhen Instagram commissioned a Neilsen report on its influence within the music industry back in 2015, stats showed that listeners who use Instagram generally spend 42% more on music related items than those who don’t. Read into this what you will, the report also states that 83% of social media users will head to Instagram over other networks when documenting music related events and moments. With stats like these, it’s no surprise that Instagram’s latest partnership is with music streaming service, Spotify.
As a social network that was originally built on static, silent photos, it’s interesting to see how Instagram has developed to be such a key influencer within music, and we really shouldn’t be surprised. Just like music, Instagram allows people to tell a story, connect directly with fans and share a moment with friends. Instagram made the move to support video and therefore sound in 2013, opening the way for more creative ways to use the platform, in particular for record labels and artists. Instagram’s next move will see them launching integration with Spotify, this will allow users to share what they’re listening to in Instagram Stories and; in the near future, Facebook Stories as well.
The new integration works within the Spotify app, connected with the share button, which should make it a simple and seamless addition. Users can now share a song, album or playlist to Instagram Stories alongside the usual editing, filter and sticker options. The integration also welcomes the possibility of custom editing tools created to compliment specific music genres, artists or launches. The Instagram Stories, will also include links back to Spotify, allowing your friends to listen along with you and thus increasing traffic for Spotify significantly. This is a very exciting step forward for the music industry, with a social media promotion method designed specifically for them via this partnership.
The Instagram and Music Neilsen report states that Instagram users are 90% more likely to use online music streaming services and twice as likely to pay for a music related product or subscription than non-Instagram users. The 2015 report, had networks like Soundcloud and YouTube performing far ahead of Instagram in terms of music discovery, so it will be interesting to see how this new Spotify integration will change the dynamic. With the powers of Facebook behind Instagram, this move is sure to be super valuable for trend-predicting and advertisers too.
With Instagram Stories hitting 300million daily users at the start of the year, brands of many categories need to get on board and see how this feature can be used for their business. These new features are game changers for those in the music industry as well as for trend predicting and bringing some music into your Instagram stream, whatever niche you work in.
Need some inspiration on how to use Instagram Stories for your business? Get in touch with the StrawberrySocial team.