The flower of services for Instagram provides a clear picture of a mature provider that incorporates key features that keep its utilities accessible while enhancing the users’ experience. The website successfully transforms traditional physical processes into a digital environment while keeping information-related activities easy to use and compact, as seen in Figure 1. This marketing strategy enables Instagram to cover the majority of connection points between its services and the customer base.
Note. The enhancing supplementary services are shown in red, while the facilitating supplementary services are in blue.
The core of Instagram provides users with a unique experience that promotes social interactions and connections. The nature of this service is intangible and focuses on people processing and distributing the information they desire. The customers’ role is to provide the initial data that will be displayed on the website and interact with other users via posted photos, videos, and comments. Scheduling in an online environment has a 24/7 availability and is limited only by an Internet service provider’s (ISP) speed of the connection. The service level is at the desired position, making Instagram highly popular among different generations.
Consultation is a vital facilitating supplementary service that Instagram provides. It enables creators to access Instagram support in search of an optimal promotional strategy, as the company prioritizes connecting people with similar interests for greater engagement (“Instagram for creators: Turn followers into fans,” n.d.). The nature of consultation on Instagram is people-oriented, as communication is the key to social media advertisements. Customers in such consultations take an active role that encourages them to transform their content for greater visibility with the help of the firm’s staff. With a schedule available for both individual assistance and group meetings that take the form of a “creator’s week,” Instagram proves its desirability. The level of this feature is appropriate for the firm that takes the top position among social media platforms.
While the core utility of Instagram does not incorporate paid features, the company has different means of achieving profitability. Order-taking is a facilitating supplementary service that is a critical part of Instagram’s revenue stream. A subscription-based model enables the website’s users to experience the service to its fullest, as it unlocks the entirety of content posted by creators on this platform (“Learn about Instagram subscriptions,” n.d.). The nature of this service is to provide customers with the highest possible level of engagement, thus prioritizing the informational dimension. Creators can increase their reach, while regular visitors can access exclusive content, as their role under a subscription model is to decide and drive the worthiness of this feature. The level of service is satisfactory, although the outcome depends on the users themselves, while scheduling follows the individual aspects of people who promote themselves via such an option.
Instagram has the potential to apply numerous service development strategies through the existing framework. The website is a fully developed product and already retains a significant number of users. Process and product line extensions might be appropriate, although they require new technologies for innovative implementations. Major processes and product additions seem to be unfit for Instagram due to the possibility of alienating its visitors. However, optional extras, such as style changes, service improvements through new filters, and new supplementary services, may be well-met by the public.
Since the company is already in a stable position at the top of its industry, it is reasonable for Instagram to implement minor changes to avoid deterring its audience. Therefore, the first suggestion is to implement a broader range of available designs for the website. Style changes, such as themes with different color palettes, can attract users to explore their options further. Furthermore, enhancing supplementary services can be improved to attract new and retain existing customers. Consultations on the appropriateness of content in relation to the desired follower base may boost creators’ reach.
References
Instagram for creators: Turn followers into fans. (n.d.). Instagram. Web.
Learn about Instagram subscriptions. (n.d.). Instagram. Web.