by Are you up to date on changes from Instagram? Wondering which recent Instagram updates are important to marketers and business owners?
In this article, we explore Instagram changes that affect your marketing.
#1: Instagram Video Stickers
Backdrop Sticker
Instagram's new Backdrop sticker uses artificial intelligence (AI) to replace the background of a photo in Stories. Users can have Instagram auto-select the foreground or choose it themselves. They can then pick a random background prompt, create their own, or let Instagram select a static background. After sharing, the user's prompt becomes a sticker for others to try.
Cutout Sticker
Instagram introduced a new feature that allows users to create animated stickers from video clips shared on the platform, expanding upon the existing Cutout sticker option for still images. This addition enables users to isolate specific elements from videos and turn them into GIF-like stickers, providing a wealth of creative possibilities for enhancing Stories and Reels.
However, there are some restrictions to this feature: the original creator must have posted the video publicly and have granted permission for others to create cutouts from their content, which is an opt-in setting by default. Additionally, if the creator deletes the original post, Instagram will also remove any stickers derived from that post.
#2: Instagram DM Features
‘People You Follow’ Filter
Instagram has introduced a new direct message (DM) filter option explicitly designed for creators, which allows them to filter their inbox to display only messages from profiles they follow within the app. This feature enables creators to prioritize DMs from the profiles they have chosen to follow.
Instagram's CEO, Adam Mosseri, explained that adding the “People you follow” filter was motivated by the recognition that creators often engage in DMs with numerous people they don't follow, such as when negotiating deals or planning collaborations. However, creators sometimes want to focus on people they know to create a safer and more positive experience.
Our Take: The new filter is a welcome addition to an already crowded inbox. As part of Instagram's efforts to create a friendlier and more controllable environment, this update allows users to filter their chats and view only the messages coming from the people they follow. This feature is handy for influencers who receive a large volume of incoming DMs from people they don't follow yet, as it helps them organize their inbox and prioritize who to respond to first.
It is unclear whether this filter applies to all Instagram accounts, such as business and creator accounts. Despite the limited space in the Instagram inbox, which already includes primary, general, broadcast, and request channels, adding the “People You Follow” filter is an exciting development. For individuals who receive a high volume of Instagram DMs, this new filter could prove to be a valuable tool, helping to ensure that they don't overlook messages from the people they care about most while also providing a more streamlined experience separate from other DM uses.
Read Receipts
Instagram has officially rolled out the ability for users to turn off read receipts in DMs. Like the option on cell phones, Instagram users can now disable read receipts, preventing others from knowing whether they have read a message. To turn off your read receipts, tap “Settings and privacy” and tap “Messages and story replies.” Then, tap on “Show read receipts.” Users can toggle read receipts on or off for all of their chats or specific ones.
Our Take: The newly introduced feature on Instagram that allows users to turn off read receipts is a much-anticipated addition to the platform. While this feature has been in testing for some time, it is now officially available to all users. Despite difficulty locating the feature, social media and Instagram expert Chelsea Peitz believes that disabling read receipts should be the default option on all messaging platforms.
While it may be convenient for the sender to know if their message has been seen, the anxiety and passive-aggressive behavior resulting from read receipts is unnecessary. In reality, there are many reasons why someone may have seen a message but not replied immediately, such as receiving a phone call or simply forgetting to respond. Overall, introducing this feature on Instagram is a positive step toward reducing the pressure and awkwardness that can come with online communication.
#3: Instagram Creator/Influencer Campaign Management Tools
Instagram is expanding its Creator Marketplace, a platform designed to facilitate connections and collaborations between brands and creators, to eight new markets, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Japan, India, Brazil, and China. This expansion follows the successful testing of the creator marketplace in the United States in 2022, which saw thousands of creators and brands onboarding.
Instagram is also introducing new machine learning-based recommendations in the US to help brands more easily discover creators who are the best fit for their campaigns, with eligible brands gaining access to these recommendations over the coming months on Instagram's Creator Marketplace in Meta Business Suite.
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The Creator Marketplace aims to simplify the process of finding relevant creators for various types of collaborations, with a particular focus on Partnership ads (formerly known as branded content ads). These ads allow advertisers to amplify content with a creator or partner's handle, making them the most performant and transparent way for advertisers and creators to run ads together. Brands can join the creator marketplace through Meta Business Suite. In contrast, creators can join from their professional dashboard in the Instagram app then create a portfolio to showcase their unique qualities.
To connect brands and creators, Instagram is testing new custom, machine learning-powered creator recommendations for each brand and offering search filters for creator and audience attributes. Once creators find a match, they receive brand messages in a dedicated Partnership Messages folder, and brands can reach out directly or create and send a project to multiple creators outlining the opportunity details, including the rate. After agreeing on the collaboration, advertisers can boost organic Instagram content as Partnership ads or create new Partnership ads in Ads Manager.
Our Take: Introducing AI-powered matching in Instagram's creator marketplace is a significant step toward helping brands and influencers connect more efficiently. By using machine learning to match creators with companies that align with their creative style and audience, the platform is streamlining the process of finding the right partnerships. This development is particularly beneficial for creators, as they will be more easily discovered by brands that are a good fit for their content and audience, increasing their chances of landing collaborations.
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GET THE DETAILSWhile still relatively new, the influencer industry is rapidly evolving, and the vetting process for determining whether a creator is suitable for a particular campaign can be challenging. The creator marketplace aims to address this issue by providing a platform that facilitates the discovery of creators by brands, making the process more straightforward and effective. As the marketplace expands to more markets over the next several months, it will offer increased opportunities for brands to find creators looking for similar audiences.
#4: Instagram Future Features
Interactive Live-Stream Games
Instagram is experimenting with new features to enhance live streams within the app, providing some broadcasters with the ability to choose a game to play with their viewers during the stream. Selected creators now have the option to engage their audience with either “This or That,” a question and answer prompt, or “Trivia,” both designed to foster increased engagement.
Our Take: These additions could be an attempt to encourage more people to use Instagram Live or to incorporate more gamification elements. During a live stream, the broadcaster can share two options and ask viewers to choose between them in “This or That” or present multiple-choice questions for real-time audience participation in “Trivia.”
While these features may align well with certain creators' brands, audiences, and niches, Instagram's motivation could also be to compete with the robust live-streaming experiences offered by other platforms. The success of these new features remains to be seen, but they have the potential to increase interaction and engagement during live streams.
‘Get Orders’ Sticker
The platform is testing a new feature called the “Get Orders” sticker that allows users to create a product and attach it to their Instagram Story to receive orders.
Our Take: The new sticker makes it even easier for users to purchase products directly from Instagram, further enhancing eCommerce and online shopping. Instagram’s eCommerce capabilities have proven highly effective, as many users find it convenient and tempting to make purchases.
While Instagram is currently testing the “Get Orders” sticker, users may soon see it appearing in their Stories. By clicking on the sticker, potential customers can purchase products with even greater ease, streamlining the buying process and potentially increasing sales for businesses on the platform.
The sticker appears to be specifically designed for Instagram Stories, with no mention of its availability on Instagram Reels.
Profile Grid View
The platform is experimenting with a new feature that allows select users to preview how their Instagram feed posts will appear on their profile grid before publishing. This option aims to help users maintain a cohesive and visually appealing Instagram aesthetic by ensuring that each update fits seamlessly into their overall profile layout. Some users now see a “Show preview” button within the post-composer process. By tapping this button, users can preview where the post will be positioned in their current Instagram profile format, considering any pinned posts.
Our Take: This addition aims to help users maintain a cohesive and visually appealing Instagram aesthetic, which can be particularly important for lifestyle or aesthetic-focused brands. However, it's crucial to remember that while a well-curated grid can help communicate a brand's identity and topics to new visitors, most followers will not regularly return to the profile once they have followed.
The stress of constantly tweaking and perfecting the grid layout should not overshadow the importance of creating valuable content. If curating an aesthetically pleasing grid brings joy and aligns with a creator's brand, it can be worthwhile. However, if it becomes a source of stress and consumes excessive time, it's essential to recognize that most engagement will come from individual Instagram posts appearing in followers' feeds.
Utilizing Instagram's pinned posts feature is a powerful way to showcase important information and encourage profile visitors to engage with multiple pieces of content. By strategically selecting pinned Instagram posts, creators can provide a clear sense of how they work and what value they offer. The ability to pin up to six posts—three on the primary content grid and three on the reels grid—presents an opportunity to create a compelling narrative for potential followers.
Ultimately, the goal should be to encourage “binging” behavior, as bingers are buyers. When visitors watch several pieces of content in a row, they are more likely to take further actions, such as visiting the creator's website or joining their email list. By using calls to action that encourage viewers to watch another piece of content, creators can guide visitors deeper into their customer journey and build lasting relationships with their audience.
Chelsea Peitz teaches sales professionals how to leverage social media and technology to build a powerful personal brand and develop content that generates real leads. She's host of The Chelsea Peitz Podcast. Her most recent book is What to Post.
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