Instagram is one of the most rapidly evolving social media platforms, releasing new features and updates on a regular basis. These changes seem to be coming more and more frequently as the platform announced its shift in focus to video content, in an effort to maximise user engagement and face the challenges posed by TikTok. This was ushered in by the announcement that Instagram would merge IGTV into its broader Instagram Video. Now, Instagram has revealed an additional 6 new features that will undoubtedly change your posting habits and strategy on Instagram.
1. Clickable Stories Link for Everyone
Previously only available for accounts with over 10,000 followers, the ability to add links to Instagram stories is now available for everyone. In place of the once coveted "swipe up" feature, Instagram has introduced the link sticker; essentially a button that is placed on an Instagram Story that links out to a website of the user's choosing. Per usual, this link must follow Instagram's Community Guidelines.
2. 60-second Videos on Stories
Users will now be able to add music and effects to videos longer than one minute in their Stories, without the video being broken up into segments. While Reels clips were extended to 60 seconds in July, this expansion into Stories means you will be able to upload your whole Reel into Stories as well, rather than being limited to the Reels feed.
3. Upload Photos & Videos via Desktop
Finally! After years of Instagram being fully functional through the app only, the platform has announced it will allow for photos and videos to be posted via desktop. This should come as great news to marketers and business professionals looking for a more centralised way to manage your account! However, the update will not include Stories or Reels at this stage.
4. "Collaboration" Option For Posts
With influencer content still dominating the app, Instagram has now added a feature for users to collaborate on Feed posts or Reels, while adding some new music-focused features. Users will now be able to invite others from the tagging screen in the post composer in order to collaborate on a post or Reel. Collaboration requests will be displayed by an in-app pop-up, which further explains that, if accepted, that collaborative post will then appear on both usersโ profile grids, and be shown to each of their audiences in the app. Both users will also appear on the final post/Reel. Good news for Creators is that each user will be able to access organic insights, including view counts, like counts, etc.
5. New Data Analytics Available
There have been 3 new metrics added to Instagram Insights (available on Business or Creator accounts), intended to provide more data for marketers and provide more opportunity to optimise your approach and guide your content strategy.Accounts Engaged: this shows the total number of accounts that interacted with your content in a given period of time.Engaged Audience: demographic insights into users that are engaging with your content, such as whether they follow your profile or not and top cities, countries, age ranges and gender.Reached Audience: demographic information about the people you've reached with your posts in a given time period, including top cities, countries, age ranges and gender.
6. Live Stream Scheduling
Instagram Lives can now be scheduled so that users can tap through to get a reminder notification on the day of the broadcast, rather than simply being alerted with a spur of the moment notification. Broadcasters will be able to schedule a stream up to 90 days in advance from the live composer. This can include a title description, as well as product tags.
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