Instagram, the platform that transformed Gen Zs into socially digital-savvy players, has become a slog that feels like we’re wearing weights on our ankles.

This realization isn’t new. In November 2022, The Atlantic made the argument that the app’s original purpose has been “lost in the era of performance media.” We were starting to feel the slump as far back as the start of the pandemic, resulting in many of us privatizing our accounts, deactivating them or simply just not posting anymore.

Instagram is slowly experiencing the same fall from grace that millennials experienced with Facebook. The key difference: Instagram might not be able to find its footing with an older demographic, as Facebook was able to do.

The causes for Instagram’s downfall have been thoroughly analyzed, starting with ambiguous algorithms that push only suggested content and ads to our feeds rather than content from the accounts we actually follow. Furthermore, copycat tactics to mimic features that are popular on TikTok, and the increased preference for short-form content among Gen Zers and Gen Alphas, have driven young users away from Instagram. 

However, there’s one more point missing from this equation: Gen Z and Gen Alpha’s increasing desire for anonymity—the key reason Meta’s Threads failed.

As social media and the internet has evolved, especially through the pandemic and quarantine era, a wave of social media fatigue overtook Gen Z. We’ve been performing for and watched by our peers on social media platforms for a long time, and a lot of us are sick of it. We’ve turned to social media apps that offer a sense of anonymity, including TikTok, Twitter, Reddit and Tumblr. It’s easier to find and interact with niche communities, and your real identity is not a prerequisite to be able to connect on shared interests and experiences.

This is comforting to Gen Z, and the preferred form of online presence for Gen Alpha. Going anonymous has also offered a way out of the never-ending onslaught of personal branding and influencing on which Instagram thrives.

The influencer economy completely killed the possibility of using Instagram for a personal brand for regular folks such as you and me. Instead, the algorithm prioritizes creator and influencer content over your own content and that of your friends and family. This has ultimately resulted in Gen Zers entering their “anon” era, where we move in silence by not actually posting on our profiles, making our profiles private and rarely interacting with content. 

So, do you give up marketing on Instagram altogether? No—there are still approximately 1.4 billion active monthly users on Instagram and it remains the most utilized social media platform among Gen Zers.

The best thing brands can do to snag Gen Z’s attention is stop using a carbon copy of a Canva template for everything (Gen Z is begging you). This Canva-ization has shredded content from brands into soulless, disingenuous social media posts that feed into the bleak feeling of Instagram altogether.

Instead, create content that is true to your brand and incentivizes your audience members to come out of their “anon” shells. The sole purpose of your Instagram social media strategy should be to facilitate a connection between your brand, your audience members and the respective communities your audience is a part of. Easier said than done, sure, but here are a few pointers to get you started:

Prioritize photo content with real people

Not photo content that you would use for an ad, but genuine photos that you could mistake for your best friend posting. As previously noted, graphics and ads have been mucking up Instagram feeds everywhere and users are getting fed up. By utilizing more image-based content (including user-generated content) Gen Zers are more likely to actually see what you’ve posted. 

Skip product placement

Focus less on product placement and overtly selling and more on the product in action. Gen Zers need a good reason to give something on social media a like, comment or share. The best way to achieve this with a brand account is to show your mission or product through unique applications (bonus points for an Instagram reel!). This will also help to steer clear from too many graphics on your profile.

Engage intermittently

Use Instagram posts to engage with your audiences’ interests intermittently. Slot in a post twice a month that’s culturally relevant to your product or brand identity, even if it means just posting a memes carousel. By being a part of a cultural conversation or moment that’s relevant to your audience, you can level with Gen Zers, give them a break from your regularly scheduled branded content and encourage them to engage with you. See the McDonald’s Instagram account for examples.

Shift your marketing strategy away from static product placement and Canva graphics. Create content with soul and nuance. In your next social media strategy meeting you should be asking: “If [brand name] was a real person on Instagram instead of a brand account, what would they post?”

Reinvigorating authentic brand identity on social media can help to bring life back to our Instagram feeds and encourage Gen Zers to rediscover a healthy relationship with our own social media identity.