Recently Instagram rolled out their version of live video. It looks exactly like Facebook Live, except the big difference is that once you decide to end your live video, it immediately goes away because the platform does not have an appropriate place to store it. But I can’t help but think that Instagram is slowly losing its brand. Instagram stories was a clear take from Snapchat, and let’s be real, Facebook was the first one to have a rather successful go with live video -- and yes, I’m saying that Twitter’s Periscope was not successful, well, maybe successful for Twitter’s standards? Anyways, with these two big changes to Instagram, it feels like the once revolutionary platform is losing its sexiness.

Instagram needs something new. Something exciting. The app feels like it’s falling down the hole that swallowed up Twitter: an over saturated feed of advertisements. With Facebook’s new ad manager update, you can now seamlessly repurpose your Facebook ads to show up on the feeds of Instagram. Sure, as a digital marketer this update is very convenient, but it also just makes a daily user’s feed that much more filled with ads.

But, I don’t want to knock the updates that Instagram has made. The change that rolled out that allows businesses to have ‘business profiles’ is an amazing update. A user can easily contact the company with just a tap of a button, and the insights can be a huge help to the business owner. But in the end, doesn’t that make Instagram stray away from their mission of the everyday user sharing photos of the most exciting moment in their day?

To be honest, I don’t have a solution for Instagram. I’m doing something that I hate: I’m suggesting that a social media platform should change without suggesting a solution. But whatever. I’ll just wait, Instagram. I’ll wait. #keepyourbrandstrong #andwewillfollow