Instagram has long been one of social media’s biggest players, gaining over two billion users since its launch in 2010. But with the recent rise in new trendy platforms like BeReal, and the public outcry against superficial filters and overall fakeness from Instagram users, is Instagram at risk of losing its place as a social media giant?
Is Instagram Dying?
There is no question that Instagram is a popular app with billions of users. However, after over a decade of growth, it is possible that Instagram may be turning to a decline. TikTok has soared in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic, even surpassing Instagram among the youngest social media users.
After Instagram switched to a heavy emphasis on Instagram Reels in 2022, many users including photographers were unhappy with the change, and some even switched from Instagram to Vero. The famous filters on the app along with the ubiquity of Photoshopping and Facetuning images has also left some users tired of the fakeness on Instagram, switching to apps like BeReal that emphasize realness.
According to Mashable, the number of teens who list Instagram as their favorite social media platform is on the decline. This is attributed to Instagram’s heavy focus shift to e-commerce removing much of what people liked about the platform: connecting with their friends. However, over 20% of teens still listed Instagram as their favorite social media.
Who Is Still Using Instagram?
Instagram remains the most popular with millennials, according to Hubspot, who have grown up with the app since its launch in their teens and early twenties. It serves as middle ground between Facebook (more popular for older generations) and apps like TikTok (trendy with Generation Z).
Instagram’s user base has still grown in 2023, but less so than it has grown in years past. According to Statista, Instagram has 2 billion monthly active users as of January 2023. Only Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp have higher numbers.
Instagram is still one of the best apps for photo sharing and connecting with friends, whereas TikTok mostly serves video and Facebook has tons of features that make photo sharing a lesser priority.
What Is Replacing Instagram?
There doesn’t seem to be an app directly replacing Instagram, other than a few photography apps. TikTok also introduced photo sharing on its platform in 2022, but people don’t seem to be using it in place of Instagram, just in addition to it.
Instagram will likely stick around without a true replacement, but the way people use it is already changing for many users. Meanwhile, some are migrating to the Lemon8 social media app.
Instagram Is Not Dead
Overall, Instagram is still one of the most popular social media mainstream apps out there. If it ever dies, it will likely take a long time. For now, Instagram may be losing some of its user share to TikTok and BeReal, but users are likely to still use the app from time to time, mainly for photo sharing and connecting with people they already know.
While the old Instagram we are all familiar with may seem dead because of all the changes the company has made, Instagram will stick around for a while in its new form.
