Instagram just declared war on Snapchat
Instagram Stories is an act of digital and business war.
That's the only way I can interpret Facebook’s apparent go-forward strategy for tackling Snapchat, a social media juggernaut Facebook once tried to buy. As of today, Facebook appears to be done pursuing Snapchat. It has its own rapidly-growing social media platform, Instagram, that, not-too-coincidentally, appeals to the same highly-desirable and digitally-engaged tween and teen-set. And now that platform includes Instagram has Stories.
Unveiled on Tuesday, Instagram Stories is Facebook’s none-too-subtle answer to Snapchat Stories, which lets users daisy-chain 24-hours of Snaps into a story.
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Instagram Stories do more or less the same thing, including the ephemerality, and lest you think this is just a pale imitation of the Snapchat platform, get a load of Instagram’s new, full-screen interface. That’s right, gone is the venerable Instagram box (at least for Stories) in favor of an edge-to-edge viewport, with the shutter button overlaid in pretty much the same spot as you would find it on Snapchat.
Imitation is the sincerest…
I’m frankly pretty stunned at how closely Instagram Stories hues to the Snapchat design. In addition to the shutter/video button, there’s a collection of editing tools at the top. At least Instagram shifted them around a bit. Still, they perform the same doodling functions.
Successive Snap…er…Instagram Stories can flow into, yes, “Your Story” and, on the same playback screen you can tap into everyone else’s stories (depending on who you follow). Access to the Instagram Stories appears above the traditional Instagram feed screen, which is abso-friggen brilliant.
Once they select one of those story circles, the Instagram Stories playback screen looks a lot like Snapchat, too. It’s full screen with an indicator above of how many elements are in the story. There’s even the ability to hide Instagram Stories from some followers, which is pretty much just what Snapchat offers.
At this point, it’s unclear if Instagram Stories will match Snapchat feature-for-feature. Right now, there are no lenses, but since Snapchat got theirs when they bought Looksery in 2015 and I’ve seen a number of other third party companies with as good or better ones, it’s likely Instagram will eventually add them.
The next great migration?
Now I’m not saying that Snapchat users will drop their app in favor of Instagram Stories. But it’s long been clear to me that the only other app that matters to Snapchatters is Instagram. What if they never have to leave that app? Is having all these tools, both the classic Instagram and Instagram Stories all in one page, compelling enough for these users?
I think Facebook and Instagram may have a lawsuit on their hands
In order for Instagram Stories to achieve Snapchat penetration, Snapchat users have to know that their friends and those they love to follow are already on Instagram Stories (I’m sure Instagram seeded a bunch of celebrities with the new feature). I know that these teens move more rapidly between existing and new platforms (see Line, Viber and even Musical.ly, which is enjoying a late-in-app-life surge), but their devotion to Snapchat is a little different. It eats up most of their time and data. I just don’t know if a look and feel-a-like is enough to generate the surge of interest Instagram Stories will need to blow up.
Here’s what I do think will happen, though. I think Facebook and Instagram may have a lawsuit on their hands. Instagram Stories is simply too similar to Snapchat stories in name and implementation. Yes, there are distinct differences in the kinds of content you can bring in and navigation. Plus, to be fair, the app arena is full of doppelganger apps, but never usually at this level. These are two social media heavyweights with millions, if not billions, to gain and lose.
Instagram and its CEO Kevin Systrom (who has had a pretty free hand under Facebook) is making a bold move and could reap some big rewards. On the other hand, Instagram Stories might also be another Instagram Direct. You know, the Instagram direct message platform that, initially, nobody used or cared about? It survives and has picked up steam in the last year or so -- almost three years after launch. I have a feeling, though, that Instagram Stories will be somewhat more disruptive.
Whatever does happen, one thing is certain. Things just got very interesting.
Topics Instagram
Lance Ulanoff was Chief Correspondent and Editor-at-Large of Mashable. Lance acted as a senior member of the editing team, with a focus on defining internal and curated opinion content. He also helped develop staff-wide alternative story-telling skills and implementation of social media tools during live events. Prior to joining Mashable in September 2011 Lance Ulanoff served as Editor in Chief of PCMag.com and Senior Vice President of Content for the Ziff Davis, Inc. While there, he guided the brand to a 100% digital existence and oversaw content strategy for all of Ziff Davis’ Web sites. His long-running column on PCMag.com earned him a Bronze award from the ASBPE. Winmag.com, HomePC.com and PCMag.com were all been honored under Lance’s guidance.He makes frequent appearances on national, international, and local news programs including Fox News, the Today Show, Good Morning America, Kelly and Michael, CNBC, CNN and the BBC.He has also offered commentary on National Public Radio and been interviewed by newspapers and radio stations around the country. Lance has been an invited guest speaker at numerous technology conferences including SXSW, Think Mobile, CEA Line Shows, Digital Life, RoboBusiness, RoboNexus, Business Foresight and Digital Media Wire’s Games and Mobile Forum.
