Instagram sees itself as a necessity for businesses to grow

Speaking on “Instagram Day Thailand”, the first celebration of its presence in the country, on Thursday, she said that online connections had become an everyday occurrence. As a result, brands and businesses require new ways to connect with and engage their audiences.

She noted that in Thailand, Instagram had become a key platform in assisting Thai businesses unlocking growth and building the next billion opportunities.

The platform's role in business began with the Instagrammable business initiative in Thailand and continues with Instagram's IG Academy, she explained, as part of Instagram's commitment to drive the digital economy and help Thai brands grow.

She discussed the future of “Creative Commerce”, which refers to the various ways in which brands and businesses can tell their stories, connect with target audiences, and build meaningful engagements that drive sales on the platform.

Instagram is used by 2 billion people worldwide, with Gen Z playing an important role in shaping and shifting cultures both on and off the platform, she said.

"Today's commerce is about more than just sales transactions and having a beautiful digital storefront. It's about interactive experiences where consumers can engage with brands more deeply and creatively, including through fun short-form videos on 'Reels'," Chawadee explained.

She mentioned that Reels could help businesses highlight a new collection launch or through a generative-AI ad image that they can click on and DM the business to instantly start purchasing.

Meanwhile, as the younger generation influences new ways of connecting, she believes that social media platforms like Instagram will undoubtedly be required for businesses to sustain their growth in the long run.

According to Meta's research, younger Thais are becoming more open to interacting with businesses.

When polled, 52% of Gen Z agreed that Instagram had helped them build relationships and dialogue with brands, while 45% of Thai Gen Z was open to sharing personal interests with businesses via Instagram Direct.

Revie Sylviana, Meta's director of Southeast Asia and Emerging Markets for Global Partnerships, shared several insights on how Instagram has evolved and how it was assisting Thai communities in being their authentic selves.

She pointed out that people, particularly Gen Z, used Instagram to get closer to the things they loved or cared about. The platform is also a destination where people are shifting and shaping culture globally

"For us, Instagram is no longer about finding that one perfect photo or curating an 'Instaworthy' aesthetic. Gen Z's expression on our platform is refreshing, raw, unfiltered, and fun, and they place a high value on their close circles, friend circles, and connections," she said.

According to Instagram, teens and Gen Z love private spaces like "Direct Messages" and "Close Friends" on Instagram, as evidenced by the fact that more than 700 stories are now shared with "Close Friends" on IG every second.

Meanwhile, "Instagram Notes" was also popular among Gen Z. Teens create "Notes" at 10 times the rate of other demographics in the United States alone, and “photo dumping” has become a popular trend championed by Gen Z, she said.

Sylviana highlighted the ongoing success of "Reels" and the various opportunities it provided Thai content creators to capitalise on the short-form video craze and engage with their audiences.

"Reels have evolved from their early days to become a core experience on Meta platforms," she said, adding that Thailand was one of the top countries in the world for "Reels" usage.

At present, around 200 billion "Reels" are played per day across Facebook and Instagram, and "Reels" are driving a 40% increase in time spent on the platform.

She noted that Instagram has introduced several new features and apps since the beginning of 2023 to provide creative ways for communities and creators to build their social connections.

Instagram's text-based social network “Threads by Instagram”, as well as “Instagram Broadcast Channels”, a new one-to-many messaging tool that allows creators to reach their followers and share exclusive moments at scale, are among the highlights.

Sylviana also shared the platform's mission to make Instagram the best place for Thai creators to grow their audiences and thrive during the event.

"At Instagram, we are committed to supporting the Thai creator economy and assisting creators in making a living from their passions. We are constantly coming up with new ways for creators all over the world to make money on our platform," she said, vowing that the platform would be Thailand's next billion-dollar opportunity.