In 2022, Instagram is still one of the biggest players on the social media landscape. But Instagram isn’t just growing – it’s also ever-evolving and changing. With new social networking services like TikTok, Twitch and Discord hot on its heels, Instagram’s new updates come as no surprise. But for social media marketers, the volume of new features can be overwhelming. Let’s look at the top 5 Instagram features that benefit both brands and creators alike.
New Instagram feature #1: Story links
Not so long ago, story links were only available to Instagram accounts with 10,000+ followers. Now, this Instagram feature is available to everyone – no matter your follower count! To include a link in your Instagram story, simply click on the sticker icon at the top right and then tap on the ‘link’ sticker. From here, copy paste the desired URL and there you have it. This new Instagram feature is a win for digital marketers who use Instagram to increase website traffic.
New Instagram feature #2: Collabs
You may have noticed when scrolling on Instagram recently that the social media platform is testing a new collabs feature. This feature allows two Instagram users to co-author a post – both of their handles appear on the post and it’s shown on both profiles. What’s more, the co-authored post shares likes, comments and views. This opens up a new way for brands to not only partner with influencers, but also boost awareness and engage with another community.
New Instagram feature #3: Partnership inbox
This new Instagram feature may come as a surprise! There’s now a sub-folder in the direct messages tab for partnership messages to ensure that creators don’t miss opportunities from brands. That’s right – these messages are no longer buried in a creator’s inbox; they now skip the request folder and get priority placement. Gone are the days of missed partnership opportunities because of a full inbox! Of course, this is equally beneficial to brands.
New Instagram feature #4: Find creators
Instagram is currently testing a new suite of features to help brands and creators connect. Matchmaking, if you will. On the brand side, users can filter creators by follower count, location, age and gender, which will make it easier for brands to organise shortlists for multiple campaigns. Creators, on the other hand, can show interest brands by adding them to their preferred brand list. That way, when a brand is looking for creators to partner with on Instagram, those who’ve added the brand to their list will appear at the top of the search results. Genius!
New Instagram feature #5: Calendar tool
PSA, fellow social media marketers – there’s a new calendar tool in Instagram Insights! Finally, we can say goodbye to third-party apps for social media reporting. Instagram is planning to double the data tracking period from 30 to 60 days to provide a longer tracking period. We asked, and Instagram listened. According to the social media platform, they’ll keep making updates based on feedback. This new feature only applies if you have a business profile.
How do you plan to leverage these new Instagram features in your 2022 Instagram strategy?
