ADVERTISEMENT

Instagram update targets emerging markets (FB)

This story was delivered to BI Intelligence subscribers. To learn more and subscribe, please .

Instagram has upgraded the mobile web version of its app to include app-like functionality, including photo uploading and a lightweight version of the Explore Tab, according to TechCrunch.

ADVERTISEMENT

This is a big improvement for Instagram's mobile web users, who could previously only view, like, and search for content on the mobile web. Instagram could be hoping to tap into emerging markets such as Africa and India — where mobile web usage is still widely used — to maintain its recent stellar growth.

The update follows several other mobile web-related announcements from the company that could be partly responsible for a jump in its monthly active users (MAU). These include web sign-ups and easier onboarding for low-end Android users. In April, the app hit 700 million MAU, an increase of 100 million MAU in just four months. Before that, the company’s growth averaged 100 million MAU every nine months.

Mobile web functionality could help Instagram grow its presence in emerging markets for several key reasons:

ADVERTISEMENT

Mobile-app makers and content creators are vying for consumer attention in a crowded and noisy market.

Even if an app can stand out enough to prompt a consumer to download it from among a list of millions, it then faces the challenge of enticing him or her to use it enough times to recuperate development, maintenance, and marketing costs. To make matters worse, those marketing costs have hit record-high levels over the past year as discoverability has become more challenging.

And while consumers are spending more time in apps, most of that time is spent in a few favorites. Consumers spend almost three-quarters of their total smartphone app time in just their three favorite apps, according to comScore.

But it's not all doom and gloom: There are numerous tools at a publisher's disposal to engage and re-engage consumers, and there are new products and solutions coming to market that can help alleviate some of the issues around this app engagement crisis.

ADVERTISEMENT

Jessica Smith, research analyst for BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has compiled a detailed report on app engagement that explores the current state of the app market, the issues around engaging consumers, and the tools at a publisher's disposal. It also identifies best practices for the implementation of some app engagement tools, and presents the pitfalls that some publishers fall into in this pursuit.

ADVERTISEMENT

FOLLOW BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Recommended articles

Sony’s creators convention redefines the creative landscape for content creators

Sony’s creators convention redefines the creative landscape for content creators

Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa ranked as Africa's most polluted countries in new report

Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa ranked as Africa's most polluted countries in new report

10 African countries with the lowest life expectancy according to the World Bank

10 African countries with the lowest life expectancy according to the World Bank

Kenyan women are more obese than their men - here’s why

Kenyan women are more obese than their men - here’s why

Africa’s richest man Dangote stands between Europe and $17 billion in revenue

Africa’s richest man Dangote stands between Europe and $17 billion in revenue

After months of exchanging blows, Kenya and Uganda takes steps towards resolution

After months of exchanging blows, Kenya and Uganda takes steps towards resolution

Africa's first black billionaire could join $2.9 billion Vivendi bid for MultiChoice

Africa's first black billionaire could join $2.9 billion Vivendi bid for MultiChoice

10 most dangerous African countries in 2024

10 most dangerous African countries in 2024

Russia’s nuclear influence expands further north of Africa

Russia’s nuclear influence expands further north of Africa

ADVERTISEMENT