Over a decade ago, Instagram was merely an app for sharing photos and lifestyle content, but today the platform's role has transformed completely.
In Thailand, Instagram is evolving from a content consumption space into a "Creator Economy Platform." This platform offers opportunities for individuals to create careers, generate income, and build their own businesses directly.
This shift aligns with changing consumer behavior: nowadays, people no longer use Instagram just to view photos. Many open Instagram every morning before other apps to check friends' stories. Users search for news, knowledge of interest, follow experts, and engage with brands before making purchase decisions.
Prae Damrongmongkolkul, Country Director for Facebook Thailand at Meta, stated that Instagram now has more than 65% penetration among internet users in Thailand and is no longer limited to younger generations. While over 80% of Gen Z use the platform, more than half of Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers also engage with Instagram, reflecting a broader audience reach for creators than ever before.
In addition to the Cross-Generation trend, an interesting insight in Thailand is that over 60% of users simultaneously use both Facebook and Instagram via Multi-App, a figure notably higher than in other regions.
Looking back over the past five years, a key digital shift has been the transition from the era of “Influencers” to that of “Expert Creators,” content producers specialized in their subject matter.
The content landscape is moving away from following mass-famous personalities toward following experts in specific fields. Today, users do not just follow celebrities but instead follow those with genuine expertise, whether in finance, beauty, food, fitness, or business. Such content holds high value for audiences and is increasingly shared.
“Regardless of whether you have many or few followers, everyone has growth potential if they can clearly position themselves as an expert addressing audience needs.”
Revi Silvinia, Director of Global Partnerships for Southeast Asia and Emerging Markets at Meta, revealed that the platform’s algorithm currently prioritizes engagement and content sharing.
Even new creators with modest follower counts can rapidly achieve 2-3 million views by producing specialized, educational, and appealing content. This approach makes Instagram a space where ordinary people can turn their knowledge, skills, or interests into careers.
Revi also disclosed that Meta is transforming Instagram from a photo and video sharing platform into the infrastructure of the creator economy, supporting creators’ growth at every stage—from audience discovery and community building to global fanbase expansion and multiple revenue streams.
Currently, one of the fastest-growing tools is Partnership Ads, which allow brands to amplify creators’ content as advertisements. This reduces customer acquisition costs by 19%, increases ad recall by 71%, and boosts click-through rates by 13%.
Meta data shows that Partnership Ads generate over USD 10 billion globally, doubling year-over-year. In Thailand, revenues from Partnership Ads grew 40% year-over-year from January to May.
Another milestone for Instagram this year is the upcoming launch of Affiliate Commerce in collaboration with Shopee in Thailand. This model has already succeeded on Facebook, with over 5 million creators participating worldwide.
Creators can use Product Tags on Reels or Stories to link directly to products on Shopee. When followers click and purchase, creators earn commissions, with access to dashboards to monitor their sales performance.
From a business perspective, Instagram is building an interconnected system covering Reach → Community → Global Audience → Brand Deals → Commerce → Recurring Revenue.
Previously, creators often relied on multiple platforms simultaneously—growing followers on social media, working through agencies, selling products on e-commerce platforms, and managing memberships elsewhere. Today, Instagram aims to integrate all these functions into a single system.
The starting point is Discovery through Reels and a recommendation system that allows new users to reach large audiences even with few followers. Globally, users spend over 50% of their app time watching Reels, with viewing duration growing 30%. Crucially, Reels also serve as a primary trigger for private conversations, with over 85% of users sharing Reels via Direct Messages.
For beginners, Instagram offers tools such as Trial Reels which let creators experiment with content among new audiences without showing videos to current followers, reducing pressure to try new ideas and increasing chances to find well-received content. Once followers grow, Instagram provides Stories, Broadcast Channels, and Direct Messages to help creators build relationships with audiences, turning casual viewers into communities.
Creators can then secure brand partnerships through Creator Marketplace, a direct marketplace connecting brands and creators. They can further monetize through Partnership Ads, which allow brands to amplify creator content as advertisements.
Meta also continuously develops tools to support creators, including Edits, a video editing app that adds subtitles and music and uploads content without watermarks, as well as Meta AI Translation, and automatic voice translation systems that help Thai creators reach international audiences more easily.
To summarize the full process:
The new Affiliate Commerce feature is among the most competitive arenas globally in social media, as platforms strive to convert content into real sales. Prae confirmed that Instagram does not consider itself late to the game nor starting from scratch, but is building on the success of Facebook's Affiliate system piloted earlier.
Instagram believes that competition in the affiliate market depends not just on the number of stores or products but on the ability to help creators build sustainable businesses.
Revi added that the most successful affiliate content today is rarely direct sales content. Instead, it stems from creators' expertise and credibility. Rather than persuading viewers to buy, creators should explain how products solve problems, their benefits, or their relevance to the discussed content, then use Product Tags on Reels or Stories to link to purchases.
When such content drives strong business results, brands can extend its visibility through Partnership Ads, which help creators reach audiences beyond their followers. Brands also benefit by connecting with consumers through trusted voices, making this ecosystem sustainable for creators to earn from their expertise.
Ultimately, the true value of platforms today is not measured by likes or views alone but by their capacity to transform creativity, expertise, and influence into genuine economic activity and income.
What we see on Instagram today represents a major transition in digital platforms—from a space once known just for sharing beautiful photos or building identity, to a tool for income generation in an era where many seek side jobs, extra income, or new careers, turning knowledge and creativity into long-term assets.
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