Hey,
What’s that ringing sound?
Oh it’s just my ears after hearing the uproar from folks when Instagram announced that they’ll be prioritizing video content on the platform last week.
I guess you don’t need to do customer interviews when your users are literally screaming exactly what they want––or in this case what they don’t want from you.
Last week we asked our community of marketers, founders, and entrepreneurs what they thought when IG announced the updates.
Here’s what they had to say:
“I see their point as they worry about going obsolete and TikTok right now is a way better XP. But I also see the audience revolt. It's clear someone who builds a photo-only or photo-first platform will find people who want that.” – Elizabeth, Marketing Executive
“It’s hard to neglect the change in user behaviour favouring video — buuuut, we don’t need two TikToks ?!” – Bella, Managing Director
“I feel for the photographers and artists that came to the platform to showcase and promote their work. Now they have to be videographers to just be picked up by the algorithm …” – Charlotte, Partner Account Manager
We all know that those IG updates were just a desperate attempt to try to keep up with TikTok––but the people have spoken. They want the old IG back.
The constant ringing sound must’ve finally gotten to IG because they actually… listened (?!?).
By the end of the week Instagram made a new announcement that they would be scaling back on the update. They plan to phase out full screen videos and photos as well as reduce the amount of recommended posts that show up in the feed.
This whole situation is a masterclass on the importance of conducting regular customer interviews and listening to your customers.
At Growclass we always say that Failure is Feedback. And when you get a shit ton of negative feedback, you should probably listen IG.
What do you think IG should do next? Reply and let me know, your take might end up in a future newsletter!
Making a mistake can sometimes feel like the end of the world. Especially if you accidentally send the wrong email to thousands of people on your list. But sometimes it's not about how you fall but how you get back up.
Here’s a few examples of some well done apology emails that made me chuckle with empathy.
Subject: We sent you the wrong date! 🗓️
Preview: Join us in two weeks
Loved that they owned up to the mistake and made a joke about having a time machine to go back in time.
Subject: 😬 We goofed...webinar is, in fact, not in the past
Preview: Such great efficiency tips, they'll help you time travel?
This subject line and preview is golden! And it came back full circle in the email copy 😂
Subject: Go easyyyy on me
Preview: Adele couldn’t have dropped her album at a better time 😭
Plot twist––this is my email.
It wouldn’t be fair for me to share other people’s mistakes and not share one of my own. This was one of my oopsies from November 2021. My original email had poked fun at Black Friday emails. I referred back to it by making a joke out of the whole thing.
This was also the day Adele dropped her new album, which inspired my subject line. And my sign off.
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