Instagram is one of the biggest players in the social media marketing landscape with and estimated 26.9 million active users by 2020. Although Instagram was purchased by Facebook in 2012 and the two platforms are closely tied in many respects, the ways that they function and the ways that users engage with them are significantly different. In terms of functionality, one of Instagram's more recent additions is the ability to save posts to revisit later. These "saves" have become a popular function of the app, and in light of the platform's ever-changing algorithm, saves should actually be a big to your social marketing strategy in multiple ways. In this post, we'll explain how Instagram saves work as well as the importance of creating save-worthy content for the platform.
What Are Instagram Saves?
In essence, Instagram saves are a function of the app that allow users to bookmark posts that they might want to return to later on. Because Instagram posts or images can't be downloaded and keeping track of multiple screenshots of interesting posts in a device's photo album can be clunky and cumbersome, Instagram's save function, which was introduced for most users in 2017, makes it easier than ever for users to collect favorite or useful posts and access them again. In a way, adding saves to the platform was Instagram's way of incorporating the best of its competitors' platforms into its own in a seamless way. Just like Instagram stories are reminiscent of Snapchat stories, saves can be compared to the action of pinning something to a board on Pinterest to reference later.
In order to save a post, users can click the bookmark icon at the bottom right of any post on the platform, photo or video. Clicking the bookmark automatically sends the post to a default save folder that can be accessed from the hamburger menu at the top right of a user's own profile on the app. However, saves can be further organized into curated Collections based on any custom criteria the user chooses. Generally, these saves are organized by post type or topic. In many ways, these collections are very similar to Pinterest boards, minus the links to pages outside the platform. Saves can be removed/deleted by simply clicking the bookmark icon again to deselect.
So, given the ability to save and organize Instagram posts, what are Instagram users doing with this functionality? While every user is different and can save any kind of post that appeals to their interests, certain types of posts are more often saved than others. For one thing, many posts are saved purely for inspiration: images of outfits, travel locations, pop culture, or quotes can be saved in order to look back on for entertainment or for reference before trying something new. On the other hand, Instagram saves are incredibly handing for collecting posts that contain useful information, both/either in the image itself or in its caption. In this situation, many users will save posts on products they intend to buy or information they intend to use at a later date.
The Value of Creating Save-Worthy Content
So, why are Instagram saves worth paying attention to? While saves aren't the only Instagram metric you should be measuring, aiming to increase the number of saves your posts get can actually help your page succeed in a few different ways. First and foremost, if your posts get more saves, those count towards overall post engagement. Posts that get more saves, and therefore more engagement, are ranked higher in the Instagram algorithm and will be shown to more users. Additionally, users who save many of your posts are more likely to see your posts more often/higher on their individual feed, meaning that your most interested customers will see more of your content, which can help increase conversion. So, saves help increase the reach of your posts as well as help keep your brand top-of-mind.
Because Instagram doesn't allow hyperlinks within posts on the platform, saves can also act as a way for someone to revisit the useful information your post provides. For example, if you provide FAQ content in the caption of an Instagram post, a user can save that information for later instead of searching through your website or trying to remember the link to the same information. By putting all of the info in the caption instead of hiding it behind a link, saves can then act as an easy way for followers to continue to turn to your brand as a resource. While this is just one way to approach sharing your expertise or important information with your audience, optimizing your content for Instagram saves could be an option that helps you engage more readily with users on the platform.
