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The Evolution of Instagram: 13 Game-Changing Updates You Can't Ignore
Megan Davies // 8 may 2023
Since its inception in 2010, Instagram has remained a force to be reckoned with in the ever-changing landscape of social media. While other platforms have emerged and been redesigned, Instagram has remained a consistent and prominent player, thanks to its user-friendly interface, sophisticated algorithms, and regular exciting advancements. As self-proclaimed social media aficionados, we’re always on the lookout for the latest features and updates that Instagram has to offer.
Here are 13 of the coolest things that Instagram has brought us in the last year, and why we think they’re worth recognising:
1. Multiple Links in Your Bio: If you’ve ever struggled with the limitations of having just one link in your Instagram bio, you’ll be pleased to know that Instagram now allows multiple external links. This makes it much easier for your audience to find the landing pages they need, without resorting to third-party “Link In Bio” software providers. While we may still need to optimize our posts for Instagram to say “Link in bio,” it’s a step in the right direction.
2. Scheduled Posts: The ability to schedule Instagram posts without needing to use Meta or third-party software is a game-changer. While it’s not yet available for posting stories or cross-posting to other social media platforms, being able to schedule your Instagram posts and reels within the app itself is a major improvement.
3. No More Sponsored Posts: As Instagram has evolved, users have grown tired of bombastic advertising and excessive sponsored content. Fortunately, Instagram has provided a solution – simply click on the “Instagram” logo in the top left-hand corner of your feed and change it to “Following,” and Instagram won’t suggest or feed you any sponsored content. (Note: this only applies to feed posts.)
4. All Videos are Reels: This change may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but Instagram has made all videos Reels by default. Whether you’re a fan of the format or not, it’s hard to deny that Reels have become a prominent feature of the platform.
5. Pin Your Posts: One of our favorite recent additions to Instagram is the ability to pin your posts to the top of your feed. This is a great way for businesses to give their marketing campaigns extra legs, or for users to highlight specific posts and make them easy to find.
6. Longer Stories: Instagram now allows for 60-second stories, which is a small but significant improvement that makes it easier to share longer-form content.
7. Evolving Reels: Reels continue to change and improve, with the platform now allowing for 3-minute-long reels (although you can also post a 20-minute video to Reels, which may not make much sense to some users).
8. Collaborations: Instagram has made it easy for accounts to collaborate on posts and Reels, allowing both accounts to leverage each other’s audiences. This is a fun feature that can help aspiring businesses and influencers gain exposure.
9. Professional Dashboard: For business owners and marketers, Instagram’s professional dashboard is a dream come true. With its comprehensive reporting tools, Instagram remains one of the best apps for tracking and analyzing engagement.
10. Hiding Like Counts: As social media becomes an increasingly controversial topic, Instagram has taken steps to create a healthier online environment by allowing users to hide their like counts. This feature has the potential to promote a more balanced approach to social media, and we’re excited to see how it develops.
11. Instagram Notes: While not everyone may be using them, Instagram Notes are a fun way to share snippets of information with your followers. They may not have caught on yet, but we have hope for it’s potential. Kind of?
12. “Quiet mode”: A personal favourite – you can turn off your notifications for a set time. You can select words/phrases/emojis for Instagram to avoid on your suggested posts. You can also hide multiple posts on your ‘explore’ page so that Instagram knows to send you fewer of those types of posts.
13. Expand someone’s profile picture: Hold down on someone’s profile picture and it expands, again – finally!
In conclusion, Instagram has proven to be a reliable and dynamic social media platform that continues to evolve and bring new features to its users. From the ability to schedule posts to hiding like counts, Instagram has made efforts to create a healthier and more engaging online environment. No social media platform is perfect and they all have obvious pros and cons, however, in comparison Instagram has remained one of the most effective as a means of entertainment, creativity outlet, inspiration board and business tool. We move forward, we look forward to seeing what exciting advancements Instagram has in store for us next.