The Latest Instagram Updates You Need to Know About

Instagram is always rolling out new features to help creators and businesses leverage their following and grow their brands. In the past year, we’ve seen the platform transformed into a multipurpose app with everything from online shopping capabilities to Instagram’s answer to TikTok - in the form of Reels. 

Here are the latest updates your brand needs to know about to stay in the game.

Collabs

Arguably the most exciting new feature for creators, Collabs gives users the ability to invite other users to co-author posts and Reels.  All the comments and likes are centralised on one post which appears on both authors’ profiles, and as one post in the feed. This is an amazing new tool for brands looking to expand their partnerships and improve their influencer marketing strategy.

Reels Audio

Taking a page out of TikTok’s books, Insta has added an audio function to reels. Essentially you can upload a Reel of yourself talking, save the sound as an audio and then other people can lip sync or use your audio to their heart’s content. This means your profile gets more exposure, you get better engagement, and you may even go viral or become a meme in the process. Win! 

Sticker Links in Stories

In a win for all, you no longer need 10k followers to add links to your story. This is fab news for brands just starting out and those with a healthy following but who were just a bit shy of the 10k threshold. Now you can share links to your website, online store or other channels like TikTok and Facebook, and do away with the phrase ‘hit the link in my bio’. 

Map Search

Map Search is back! Some may remember in the early days of Instagram when geotags had much more functionality. The maps took a brief hiatus but this month, IG brought them back in a testing capacity across Australia and NZ. Now you can use the map to find businesses and locations in your area and beyond, and find the most popular spots based on how many posts a place has been tagged in. Great for hospo venues and retail stores!

Want to learn how to incorporate these new features in your Instagram strategy? Open the 24/7 chat feature in the Simply Social® App to be guided by a team member today.