Instagram tends to be a photo as well as a video-sharing social networking type of service. Over here users are able to “like” photos, moreover follow other users so as to add their content, particularly to a feed. Instagram launches new features so that people can love using their app.
Instagram rolled out a complete lot of wonderful selling features that came perfectly for the common holiday shopping rush. They are even introducing features that are providing users with fresh ways to be able to better connect with the target audience.
Social media tends to be about this, i.e. establishing communities as well as relationships with the audience.
Continue reading on to find out the new features that Instagram has introduced.
Alternative text descriptions
Those who are familiar with things like blogging, site design, and SEO will know what actually alternative text descriptions tend to be. They are about the same thing over here.
Alternative text descriptions are when you put a description of the things that are happening within the image or even video and that in a designated place. Those users that have screen readers can get the text read out in a loud way to them, providing them with the context particularly of the image, this is even if they have difficulty reading it.
It has been claimed that Instagram’s alternative text description will allow the visual platform to be more accessible to those visually impaired users. It comes with two choices:
- One can rely upon the automatic alternative text, that employes object recognition technology so as to develop audio description upon their own. This does sound effects, you need to keep in mind that technology does possess its limitations. This is present when users are viewing photos present in the feed, Explore, as well as on individual profiles.
- One can manually develop their own custom text-based type of description at the time that users click upon the photo or even scroll through. You should know that this takes more time, nevertheless, it tends to be the better choice, as it lets you be sure that the description is actually accurate moreover that it highlights certain things that you wish to showcase.
Instagram even announced profile changes. This includes alterations to personal as well as business profiles. It is important that you know these are cosmetic interface changes, specifically with new icons, tabs, plus buttons.
An example includes the “mutual followers” choice, that lets you view which followers one has in common particularly with any given account.
The appearance of the Instagram business, as well as personal profiles, are even changing slightly, with updated layouts.
You can be able to view which of your friends follow a particular profile. With these feature marketers and even brands can get the opportunity to properly leverage social proof.
New voice messaging present in DMs
Voice messaging is actually rolling out upon a wider basis for employment in direct messaging. You can send voice messages in a one-on-one type of chats as well as in group chats. These can be up until a minute long.
It is claimed that voice messages will stay, rather than disappearing like other content, these will stick around permanently. You should remember this if you are utilizing disappearing DMs like an area of a strategy to develop urgency for sales, events, and discounts with your customers.
This feature will probably be used mainly for personal employment as the text is more efficient moreover video is more personal. This tends to be a feature which we can consider for interesting and innovative use cases.
This feature may also develop into something that is more impactful over time.
Close friends list particularly for stories
When you wish to develop segmented lists of users so as to show some Stories, you can now do this. It is possible to create “cost friends lists” upon Stories, making sure that the only individuals who can see it are those which you have selected to see it.
Business profiles (check Instagram verification badge requirements to verify your profile) have this potential, therefore you can develop a single group specifically of “close friends” so as to show the exclusive content too.
You can show them exclusive offers such as early access sale to some members by using a certain code.
Restrictions prevent eating disorder searches
Many brands will not be affected by this, but it may be a good move by this platform. Beginning in 2012, it was seen that Instagram began making some phrases, as well as hashtags, be “unsearchable.” Therefore these could not yield search results.
Terms that seemed like they promoted eating disorders were included. They had missed hashtags that promoted bulimia. Instagram has therefore updated the list so as to include the bulimia-connected searches. There are banned Instagram hashtags that you can find out about.
The in-testing features that Watch got
There are two investing updates that one should monitor. This includes new influencer features as well as side-scrolling feed views.
With new influencer features rumors are present that Instagram will be testing a new type of profile known as “creator account” profiles which will provide additional analytics or even features for influential and high-end profile users.
Instagram is presently testing a side-scrolling type of format that will be present for feed viewing which is similar to the Stories format, rather than the traditional up-and-down type of feed similar to Facebook.
Instagram has done much in 2018. The above are some other exciting features to enjoy and look out for Instagram. This social media platform is a platform that is used by many across the world.