Instagram in 2025: What You Need to Know!
Instagram is taking on 2025 with new features and innovations designed to stay ahead of the curve.
For many years, Instagram was seen as Facebook’s younger sibling—popular with millennials and Gen Z for sharing pictures but not a significant revenue driver for Meta. However, thanks to new features introduced in recent years, like the ‘Shop’ function and ‘Reels,’ Instagram has become a key revenue stream and has outpaced Facebook in revenue growth.
In 2025, Instagram boasts more than 3 billion monthly active users (MAUs), a significant increase from 2 billion in 2021. With Meta shifting focus to virtual environments, Instagram aligns its offerings with the broader metaverse strategy while evolving into more than just a social app.
Instagram’s Evolution in the Metaverse
As Meta continues to shape its future around the metaverse, Instagram, Oculus VR, WhatsApp, and Horizon Worlds play vital roles in this vision.
In 2025, Instagram has fully transitioned from a simple photo-sharing app to a multi-dimensional, immersive video platform integrated into the metaverse. Its core offerings, like ‘Stories’ and ‘Reels,’ now support fully immersive 3D video experiences, allowing users to interact directly with Meta’s virtual worlds through Instagram. This pivot toward video content has led to engagement growth, positioning Instagram as a central entertainment, creator, and shopping hub.
The focus in 2025 is on entertainment, creators, and interactive shopping. Instagram continues to compete with platforms like TikTok and YouTube, offering users a seamless blend of social interaction and e-commerce.
‘Reels’ Continues to Lead the Way in 2025
‘Reels’ has been a game-changer for Instagram, and in 2025, it’s even more vital for brands and creators. Initially launched as a direct competitor to TikTok, Reels has become one of Instagram’s primary drivers of engagement. With upgraded editing tools, 3D effects, and AI-assisted video creation features, Reels has become the go-to format for both creators and businesses.
The platform has introduced extended ‘Reels’ features, allowing users to create 60-second clips with enhanced interactive options like augmented reality (AR) filters and live product tagging. In addition, businesses can now utilize the expanded ‘Reel Replies’ function, where brands can respond to customer inquiries with video replies that incorporate AR demonstrations of their products.
Instagram 2025’s seamless integration with AI enables businesses and creators to develop compelling, interactive content quickly, making it easier to generate engaging video content that captures audience attention.
Instagram Embraces NFTs and Cryptocurrency
As blockchain technology becomes mainstream in 2025, Instagram has firmly established itself in cryptocurrency. Instagram users can now buy, sell, and trade non-fungible tokens (NFTs) directly through the platform. These NFTs, from digital art to exclusive content and experiences, are stored on Meta’s blockchain and fully integrated with the metaverse.
Instagram’s NFT marketplace, launched in 2023, has become one of the largest in the world. It allows creators and influencers to monetize their content while offering users unique ways to interact with their favorite creators. Brands can also use NFTs as exclusive products or collectibles for their followers, creating a new revenue stream in the process.
New Feed Order Options: Tailored for User Experience in 2025
Introducing new feed options in 2022 was just the beginning of Instagram’s efforts to offer users more control over their experience. By 2025, Instagram’s feed options have expanded to include:
- Home: Powered by AI, this feed curates posts based on user interests and behavior while providing a mix of ads and suggested content.
- Favorites: Users can curate a list of favorite accounts to prioritize in their feeds. This is particularly useful for following influencers, brands, and close connections without the interference of ads or suggested posts.
- Feed: The ‘no-nonsense’ chronological feed has been updated to allow users to seamlessly toggle between a standard chronological feed and one customized with interactive filters for specific content types (photos, videos, Reels).
These feed options allow users to personalize their Instagram experience, ensuring they see the content that matters most to them.
Growing Emphasis on Creators and Influencers
By 2025, Instagram has further reinforced its commitment to creators and influencers. The platform has introduced Creator Hubs, dedicated spaces where influencers can collaborate with brands, create AR-powered content, and access in-depth analytics. With monetization tools like enhanced Reels, NFTs, and live-stream shopping events, creators have endless opportunities to generate revenue.
Consumers in 2025 demand hyper-personalized, interactive experiences, and Instagram delivers. Through Creator Accounts, businesses can connect with influencers to develop targeted content campaigns that resonate with their audience. Video content, especially short-form Reels and Stories, remains central to influencer marketing in 2025.
Cross-promotion through Enhanced Profile Embeds
Instagram’s profile embed feature, first introduced in 2022, has expanded in 2025 to allow for seamless cross-promotion across websites and other social platforms. Brands can now embed interactive Instagram feeds that showcase their latest content, including Reels and live-stream videos, directly on their websites, driving more traffic back to Instagram.
This feature also offers customization options, allowing brands to choose which type of content to display in the embedded feed, enhancing their overall marketing strategy.
Strengthening Parental Controls in 2025
Instagram continues to focus on user safety, particularly for younger audiences. In 2025, enhanced parental control features will give parents more oversight of their child’s account activity. The “Take a Break” feature now includes customizable time limits for content consumption and activity reporting for parents.
Instagram’s industry-wide standard for content moderation has also become a blueprint for other social platforms, ensuring that harmful content is flagged and removed promptly.
Leveraging Instagram’s New Features for Your 2025 Marketing Strategy
As you develop your 2025 marketing strategy, it’s essential to understand the latest Instagram trends and tools. Lounge Lizard offers a team of digital marketing professionals specializing in social media marketing (SMM) for platforms like Instagram.
Here’s how we can help you succeed on Instagram in 2025:
- Influencer Marketing: Collaborate with creators and influencers who resonate with your audience. Our team can help you identify influencers and develop creative content that drives engagement.
- Content Marketing: From producing engaging Reels to crafting immersive video campaigns, we’ll help you develop a content strategy that captivates your target audience.
- Shop Integration: We’ll help you leverage Instagram’s shopping features, making it easy for customers to purchase directly through your Reels, Stories, and posts.
Contact Lounge Lizard to learn more about our comprehensive digital marketing and SMM services. Let’s ensure your brand thrives on Instagram and across the evolving social landscape in 2025!
