Go Viral: Using Spark AR Filters to Expand Your Reach on Instagram

Instagram story filters are quickly becoming a reliable way to gain followers and build brand awareness. Filters have been especially popular since the start of the new year, being used by everyone from bloggers to athletes and TV personalities.

When certain filters go viral, their creators see a massive spike in their follower count. Take Filippo Soccini, for example. Before creating the popular “2020 Predictions” filter, he had a little over 7,000 followers. After the successful launch, that number skyrocketed to 93,000.

So, what makes these filters such a widespread hit? They’re both interactive and entertaining – two content qualities that dominate the Instagram landscape. Here’s how to implement them into your social media strategy:

Beginning with Basics

Instagram filters are made in Facebook’s Spark AR Studio. In August 2019, Facebook opened the studio to all Instagram users, so anyone could create their own effects. However, there is a degree of design expertise required, especially when a brand is looking to present themselves as polished and professional.

Choosing a Creation

When strategizing about the best approach for your filter development, it’s important to study the popular trends in the market. From face-tracking, selfies, and humor to moods, color, and light, there are options for every audience. Identify the designs that will resonate with your customer base and customize from there.

Filters for a Cause

If you’re a nonprofit organization, a filter can help you cast a wider net for potential donors. Through the “causes” category, nonprofits like Save the Elephants have engaged with donors and volunteers by adding filters to their video content. By showing the organization’s impact, they’re able to share their message on a wider scale, increase awareness of their cause, and simplify the donation process thanks to in-app features.

Bring the Filter to the People

After creating your filter, you can upload it to Instagram for approval, which usually takes between one and five days. Once approved, it gets published to the platform and is available to users. There are two main ways users can discover your effect:

1. When browsing filters within the Instagram stories feature, they can tap on your effect, try it out for themselves, and choose to upload it to their story’s filter tray for easy access.
2. Users can follow your account directly, which gives them access to all of your filters, as they immediately get added to the user’s filter tray.

Best Practices

It’s not enough to simply publish a filter; your creation needs to be easy to discover to truly help your company or organization. You can do this by:

• Using the effect on your company’s own Instagram stories – After this initial introduction to your audience, users will be motivated to try it!
• Sharing user-generated content (UGC) – Whenever someone uses your filter on their Instagram story, it’s beneficial to share it on your brand’s account. This shows your followers that others are using the filter, which ultimately encourages them to try it out for themselves.
• Housing the filter under an Instagram highlight on your profile – This makes it easy for users to find the filter when they come to your page.

Ready to Up Your Instagram Game? Zero Gravity Marketing Can Help

If you’re looking to grow your brand’s reach on Instagram and offer your followers unique content, consider creating your own Instagram filter. This powerful function allows you to communicate brand messages and drive engagement simultaneously.

Not a designer or social media guru? Look to Zero Gravity Marketing for assistance! With experience and expertise in motion graphics, our designers can create engaging, attention-grabbing designs. Meanwhile, our social media experts can take your filter to the next level by tying it into the core values of your brand and marketing it for maximum engagement. Contact us today to get started!