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Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri recently announced that the platform would no longer be “just a square photo-sharing app” but rather was shifting focus to creators, video, shopping, and messaging. While some creators threatened to find a new platform, others embraced the change. For those who expanded their reach by increasing their video content, the shift paid off.

The growth of video

A recent report explains why video marketing is so attractive to brands. Take a look at these statistics that showcase video’s ability to engage, persuade, and entertain:

  • Carousels that included video resulted in greater reach (17 percent greater), more impressions (16 percent more), and more engagements (12 percent more) than image-only carousels.
  • IGTV posts, which are done through Instagram’s standalone video application, have a significantly longer shelf life than Carousels and stand-alone Instagram videos. 
  • In 2021, IGTV videos made up 10 percent of Instagram posts, compared with only 2 percent when it was released in 2018.

With more brands shifting to videos, influencers are following suit.

Influencers who are now shifting to video

Olivier Wong

When you spend your career taking still photos, a transition to video isn’t always easy. But for travel photographer and content creator Olivier, the moving format gave him the opportunity to demonstrate some of his behind-the-lens techniques. 

The medium lets him experiment with playful transitions and cinematic moves with his phone mounted on a monopod. Olivier also uses video to share photography tips, like how to create a dolly zoom/vertigo effect. Through video, he has expanded his appeal by showcasing photography-related products, too.

Amber Richele

Fashion stylists have long seen Instagram as a showcase for stills, but Amber understands the value of video. She now uses video for things like unboxing luxury products or this multipart series on “Fashion History in 60 Seconds or Less” where she educates her 25.9K followers. 

By posting her TikTok video series that recreates Pinterest-inspired outfits, she gets double the exposure with no additional time spent on creating content.

Christie Cronan

It didn’t take long for travel and lifestyle influencer Christie to find success as she explored more creative ways to use video on Instagram. There’s a creative video transition to combine present day and an older video capturing a waterfall at Disney’s Animal Kingdom that just wouldn’t have the same energy as a photo.

Amy Jackson

So much of fashion is about movement; it allows viewers to determine how pieces fit and flow. For fashion and beauty influencer Amy, videos just make sense to demonstrate things like five ways to style a camel coat or wear a leopard midi skirt

Showcasing makeup — such as various lip colors — with video gives Amy the opportunity to demonstrate the ease of application and provide commentary. The same is true for hair-styling videos, which allow Amy to share her techniques for curling and straightening with her 793K followers on Instagram.

Elizabeth Moye

Recipes really come to life when nutritionist Elizabeth uses video to show up-close views of creamy textures, gooey cheese, and melted chocolate. Her healthy suggestions for “23 ways to eat cottage cheese” can be nicely condensed into one short video, as can the start-to-finish process for recipes like Dairy-Free Cinnamon-Apple-Banana Bread

Amy’s 42.8K followers also look to her for tips on kitchen organization and space-saving hacks, which are far better explained through commentary, as seen in this video tour of her kitchen.

Ashley Mitchell

Riding a stationary bike and doing strength training and weights — all with a newborn strapped to your chest — might be inconceivable, were it not for fitness influencer Ashley’s use of video. It’s not that her 10K followers need verification for Ashley’s incredible feats — like doing pull-ups while pregnant — they seem to know and trust her. Her videos lend an authenticity about the struggles of motherhood that many moms and moms-to-be relate to.

Alex Stemplewski 

Known for making strangers famous with his spur-of-the-moment stylish photo shoots, Alex complements the finished product with videos that he takes throughout the process. Approaching strangers to request a photo shoot is as much about their stories, whether it’s a bride-to-be or a 70-year-old rollerskater, as their images. 

Thanks to video, Alex’s 1.3 million followers are in on the entire process — from choosing a stranger to photograph to hearing their reaction when viewing the proofs. The videos also serve as great teasers, like this HallowLive event, which sends fans to the bio for a clickable link to the final photos.

Influencers:

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