Use AR Instagram filters

 

The business development experience on Instagram is a huge benefit from undertaking Instagram marketing for your brand. A feature that stands out for the participation of Instagram followers is Instagram Stories. As of 2019, 500 million accounts used Instagram Stories daily, with 67% of Instagram users being between 18 and 29 years old. Instagram stories allow for greater interaction through the use of polls, questionnaires, filters and more. Instagram AR filters for Stories is an addition to the platform that businesses can use to gain more real Instagram followers and boost business growth.

AR Instagram filters

AR (augmented reality) filters are effects created by computers that have been layered over the actual image displayed by your camera. With Instagram Stories, AR filters change the image displayed by a person's front / rear camera.

These AR filters for Instagram stories differ from the default filters on Instagram because they are only available in Stories, and the default filters help improve image quality by making quick changes to images before they are posted on Instagram.

Face filters were added to Instagram in 2017 and immediately became popular with Instagram users. Initially, these were created and controlled only by Instagram, but in May 2018, Instagram created a closed beta for brands, celebrities, public figures and popular creators to find face filters for their Instagram followers via the Spark AR Platform Facebook Studio.

Instagram followers of those who participated in the closed beta program of Instagram could easily use the filters created by going to the business profile and selecting the new face icon. The introduction of the Effects Gallery also made it easy to find and test some filters from the Instagram the community of creators.

From May 2019, Facebook announced that custom AR creation filters through the Spark AR Studio platform will be available to everyone. The platform allowed the public to present authentic AR effects for Instagram Stories, Portal, Facebook Stories and Messenger.

How using AR filters for Instagram stories can help your brand

If you are a business that is specifically trying to grow with younger people in mind, using AR filters for Instagram is a great choice. It is modern, interactive and is a great way to capture and retain the attention of your audience. It may even get more likes on Instagram for your posts, helping you build the number of real Instagram followers you have. Here are some ways in which using AR filters for Instagram stories can drive business growth.

Relax your brand personality

By creating the right AR filter for your brand, you can communicate your personality in a powerful way and attract more Instagram followers, especially if it is fun or playful AR filter. This customization can help you the audience get to know your brand personality more easily and set you apart from your competition.

Connect with your audience

By customizing AR filters for use in Instagram Stories, you can help your Instagram followers feel more connected to your brand. With more than 500 million users interacting with Stories on a daily basis, including an interactive AR Story feature on your Stories can help improve your audience's brand loyalty.

Stay ahead of your competition

The use of custom AR filters in Instagram stories is still in its infancy, which means that not many brands have been used yet. This gives you a huge opportunity to take advantage of the benefits offered by the opportunity and stay ahead of your competition.

Promote the recognition of your brand

Using custom AR filters, you can include your brand logo or mascot as an AR filter. Since it is not an AR ad filter, it will appear in the Instagram Effects Gallery, which gives new users a chance to find it, thus increasing the number of Instagram followers you have. When someone shares a selfie using the custom AR filter, you benefit from greater brand exposure through a wider approach to their Instagram followers. Users will be able to test the AR filter by clicking the "Try It" button at the bottom left of their screen.

Use it for online shopping

Using AR filters can be a great way to allow your Instagram followers to try a product before deciding whether or not to buy it. While Instagram has made changes to the platform to provide users with a smooth shopping experience, the use of AR filters helps to understand this, allowing users to try out real products and see if they like it or not. The possibilities with using AR filters for your brand are endless and you have all the freedom to create with them.

If you are a cosmetics brand, you can use AR filters to allow your Instagram followers to try on makeup. Virtual placement spaces can be created with AR filters for fashion brands, where people can try on clothes to determine what they will look like and whether it complements their shape and style. Even furniture companies can make use of AR filters so that people can see what a particular piece of furniture will look like in their home. The personalized experience made possible by the use of AR filters can help build stronger connections and enhance loyalty to your target audience. There is also a new feature currently being tested that will allow brands to add AR filters to their product pages.

Use it to support causes

You can create a custom AR filter to shed light on a cause that is important to your brand and its audience. By doing this, you will not only create an opportunity to have an interactive experience with your audience, but you will also promote the brand image and credibility by aligning your brand with a worthwhile goal that it supports. This can help your Instagram followers connect with you on a personal level and build brand loyalty.

 

Create AR filters using Spark AR Studios

Download Spark AR Studio

It is currently available for Mac and Windows.

Make a decision about your outcome

After downloading Spark AR Studio, you need to read the tutorials of the program interface in the Learning Center and then decide if you want to choose between eight templates or make a filter from scratch.

Getting started

A placeholder will appear in the main panel (viewport) if you select a template. The simulator where you can preview your work is the iPhone 8 in the corner, but that can change to another device. The Scene tab on the left is what you will use to make changes to your Instagram Stories AR filters.

Upload a 3D item

Next, you need to select a 3D element for the AR filter, which you can either import yourself or select from the AR library with animations, free audio files, and more.

Modify the uploaded graphic

With the help of the Scene box, you can make changes to your uploaded graphic. You can give your 3D object more depth by changing the directional light as well as changing its animation. You can even add more animations, textures and textures to your subject and decide if the AR effect is available for use with the front camera, rear camera, or both.

Test your result

Download the Spark AR Player app to test your effect or send it to Instagram to see how it works in Stories.

Post your effect

Click the upload button in the lower-left corner just below the "test on device" button to do this, but note that the effect you create will not be published immediately. It will be tested to ensure that it complies with Spark AR Studio policies and guidelines. The screening process can take up to 1 week or it can be just a few days, but you will have to wait for it.

Keep learning

With more experimentation, you will learn how to use this platform like a pro to create AR filters that are sure to grab the attention of your Instagram followers.

Best practices

Serve a need

Your filters are likely to be much more popular if they cater to a user need, which may be:

• Express yourself aesthetically
• Capture emotions / actions
• Add humour / get inspired
• Become a member of a wider community

Let the person shine

If you want people to use your AR filter frequently, you need to do it so that it adds an edge to people's content without stealing the spotlight from their content.

Use minimal branding

Focus on aspects of your brand, such as colour, design, mascot, or product, rather than on the obvious brand name logo, because a heavy brand will not even match your actual Instagram followers.

Conclusion

There is so much you can do with AR filters on Instagram that can promote business growth. Whether you are creating your own effects or incorporating existing ones, the right design in your Instagram marketing strategy can bring a lot of benefits to your business, so start with this cool new feature and see what it's for you.