Instagram: New Ways to Connect

Whether it’s catching up with followers, sharing cool content, or exploring interests together, connecting with others is why people come to Instagram.

1. New way to share thoughts

To that end, Instagram have introduced a new feature, Notes, to enhance communication and connection among users on Instagram. Notes are short posts with a maximum of 60 characters that can be composed of text and emojis.

To leave a note, users can go to the top of their inbox and select followers that they follow back or people on their Close Friends list. The note will appear at the top of their inbox for 24 hours and any replies will be received as Direct Messages in the user’s inbox.

Initial feedback has shown that users appreciate the ease and casualness of this feature to share what’s on their mind and start conversations. This feature is a fun, casual and spontaneous way for users to express themselves and connect with others.

2. Create moments with friends

People love sharing their daily experiences through Stories – from the big moments to the small details. Instagram have released new features in Stories that will help users connect with followers in more spontaneous, fun ways.

• Add Yours nominations: Add Yours has been a popular feature in Stories, helping people share in creative and unexpected ways. Instagram is now testing an update that allows users to invite friends to participate by tapping “pass it on” when they see a prompt that reminds them of that friend.
• Candid Stories: Instagram are also testing Candid, a new feature that allows users to capture and share what they’re doing right now in a story that’s only visible to those who also share their own. Users can start a Candid story from the Stories camera, the multi-author story at the top of feed, or from the daily notification reminder that starts after their first Candid. Instagram are also testing a similar feature on Facebook Stories.

3. Collaborate and keep up with groups

• Group Profiles: This is a great solution for sharing posts and stories with a select group of followers. With this new feature, users will be able to create and join dedicated profiles where they can share content that will only be visible to group members. Plus, their posts will appear on the Group Profile rather than their own. To create a new Group Profile, simply tap the “+” button and select “Group Profiles.”
• Collaborative Collections: Instagram are also testing a new way to connect with followers over shared interests with Collaborative Collections. This feature allows users to save posts to a collection within their group or in 1:1 DMs. Users can start or add to a collection by saving a post directly from their feed or sharing it to a follower via DM and saving it from there.

Staying connected with friends and brands is at the heart of the Instagram experience. Instagram are continually testing new ways to help users connect with friends and brands in meaningful ways. So keep an eye out for new updates!

Not sure where to start? We can help get you started on Instagram for your business. Pop us a mail: hello@barrkmarketing.com.

(Source: https://about.instagram.com/blog/announcements/updates-to-instagram-messenger-and-stories)