The Power of Instagram's AI and AR for Businesses

April 11, 2021

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR) are becoming the go-to marketing tools for brands all over the world, especially among the ones marketing on social media.

Instagram currently stands as the fastest-growing social platform out there for businesses and brands, with over a billion users and counting. The social network provides the very best experience to its users while creating a marketing-friendly platform for brands.

Instagram sports great and exciting features that brands will do well to take full advantage of, with the AI and AR features being some of them.
 

Augmented Reality

In 2018, CEO Mark Zuckerberg made an announcement at the Facebook F8 conference that pleased businesses on the platform. He anticipated AR camera effects would be made available to third parties, meaning businesses could create unique AR filters for their audience to experiment with.

AR filters are one of the nicest features that social media platforms have used to change the face of marketing. With the rewarding innovation, an array of brands now employ this open creativity to tap into new audiences. So not only can your audience use these unique filters, their friends could also try the filters out as they appear in the Stories
 

Benefits of Instagrams AR for Business

In terms of IG marketing, let's face facts: customers desire something new and innovative all the time.

We as humans are obsessed with science and futuristic technology and right now, no other marketing option provides that experience to users than AR.

Businesses and brands with AR in their Instagram marketing strategy stand to gain some certain benefits. These include:
 

1. Improved user experience

How many times have you purchased a product online, only to find out, after delivery, that it’s a mismatch? Maybe it didn’t complement your physical attributes as much as you had imagined. Perhaps it’s an haircare product that doesn’t match your hair color or hairstyle, or a suit being two sizes too small. (One good thing about this, though, is that the purchase could make for a superb gift to put a smile on someone’s face.)

AR offers the best solution to the mismatch issue. Your followers can try products out in the convenience of their home, office, etc. No need to visit a real store to try out these products, plus customers can share these pictures with friends and family to get a second opinion.

This use of AR extends down to the furniture and decor of your home or workspace, as it makes purchasing decisions easier. It takes the online shopping experience to a whole new level.

Brands that indulge will benefit from more engagements toward their business and also experience a lower rate of returns on purchased products.
 

2. New audiences and brand awareness

For starters, the followers of your followers can use your AR filters so they basically just self-market themselves. This works great for businesses since Instagrammers with no prior knowledge of your brand get introduced to it.

To reiterate, providing an augmented reality filter that appeals to your followers could go a long way in creating much-needed awareness. AR tends to generate a high level of social buzz among both Instagram users and marketers.
 

3. Wider reach

Couple AR with your marketing strategy, and you can tap into new markets with ease and success. Similar to the previous point, you can engage entirely new demographics that would’ve been quite difficult to break into. Take those who’re too far away and unable to check out your products in a physical store.
 

4. Improved audiences and engagements

Some users follow a brand just because they feel the need to gain access to its unique filters. Plus, most Instagrammers who try out a brand’s augmented filters end up engaging in business with said brand. They experience just how great a product could complement their looks; these work best for clothing, cosmetics, accessories, and more.

AR filters are great at improving the relationship between brands and their target audience, especially among younger adults. The young folks think it’s cool trying out different Augmented Reality features, and why not? It can be quite amusing and fun at the same time.

Businesses can enhance interactions with their audiences by using AR to provide fun and comic reliefs that help users forge memorable experiences of their own.
 

Artificial Intelligence

The power and possibilities of Artificial Intelligence haven’t gone unnoticed by the massive social platform. Just like every sector is looking for various ways to leverage machine learning, IG has AI-powered features to deliver high-quality experience to businesses and users alike.
 

Benefits of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Businesses

1. Increased marketing and awareness

AI algorithms offer Instagram brands with the best means of reaching beyond their target audience. Attract new audiences with the Explore page and other AI-powered features. For the Explore page, AI technology helps categorize and display content a user would find engaging.

By learning from user activities (like accounts they engage with and view down to the amount of time spent on these accounts), the algorithms provide content displayed on news feeds and the Explore page.

The more an Instagrammer engages with your business account, the more your content shows up on their news feed. So, businesses don’t have to worry about their followers missing out on crucial feeds when not online. The feeds aren't displayed in chronological order. They’re arranged in order of how relevant and engaging the AI accustoms it might be to a certain user.

Need to reach new audiences that would find your content both appealing and engaging? The AI-powered Explore page encourages this, whether inside or outside of your targeted demographics. The algorithm sorts accounts that a user isn't following but expects them to find engaging based on recent activities.
 

2. Recognition of offensive words and spam

Artificial Intelligence helps moderate comments on Instagram so brands no longer have to worry about bad eggs looking to instigate or bully other users. 

Following every comment on your uploads can be very stressful especially when the count is high. Also, there's the issue of needed interpretation when commenters use a foreign diction.

Words that seem ordinary on their own could sound offensive when stuck together. The context could also come into consideration, turning well-mannered sentences into disrespectful ones.

Instagram uses AI to interpret these comments, making sure defaulters don't get away with any play of offensive words.
 

Key takeaways

With the year just starting, we're sure to see much more features powered by Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence. This will reach a point where both concepts can be applied in virtually every sphere of the business world.

Expect Instagram to keep delivering on its promise of top-notch and cutting edge service to both personal and business accounts on the social network. AR and AI technologies are just two of the innovative ways Instagram is leveraging to keep users glued to the screen.

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