We’ve been on a bit of an Instagram hype recently, but for good reason. While Facebook has been dominating the headlines, Instagram has been busy working away in the background. The result? Updates, algorithm changes and, we think, much better usability. In this blog, we’ll be giving you a rundown of the latest Instagram updates and looking at how you can use these to maximise the potential of your profile.
If you’ve got an iPhone 6, you may be somewhat envious of the ‘Portrait Mode’ photos circulating social media. Well, not for much longer; Instagram have introduced their very own version. Meet “focus”, it’s the new feature for Stories that allows people to take more stylised images.
How can you use this to your advantage? As a highly visual platform, Instagram users are most receptive to good quality content. Utilising this feature gives you a real leg up by allowing you to enhance your images without the need for dual cameras. The images won’t exactly look like they were taken by a professional photographer (we wish!) but they’ll certainly take your selfie game up a level. And as we’ve said before, your Instagram page should be about showcasing who you are as well as what your business does. Showing some personality can really help to establish trust and build a brand following.
For as long as Instagram has existed, you haven’t been able to add hashtags or profile links to your bio, but all that’s changing now. Following Twitter, which has given hashtags a home in your bio for around two years, Instagram is finally giving you the option. Including hashtags in your bio enables you to create a better representation of who you are.
As a business, this Instagram update is a great way to promote branded hashtags, get clicks and give users the opportunity to check out what other people are posting about you under your chosen hashtag. As far as having profile links in your bio goes, you should see this as a chance to promote other businesses. This could be one that you own or just want to invest in.
Historically, Instagram has been pretty self-contained. Hyperlinks don’t work outside of a profile and it’s always been encouraged to share content you’ve created yourself, as opposed to reposting other people’s. And that’s done a pretty good job of protecting Instagram from the fake news and politics that are storming Facebook.
Now, however, Instagram is opening its doors to the outside world. And it all starts with the integration of Spotify. Adding some personality to your brand can go a long way. Sharing the music you love could be the perfect opportunity to show a personal side to the business. Sounds simple, right? Well, it is!
But it’s not just Spotify. Another Instagram update has been put in place which will allow users to share content from other third-party apps. There are a fair few in the pipeline, but GoPro is the one we’re excited about. Soon, with the new Stories integration, Instagram will be allowing third-party apps to post content directly to Facebook stories as well. Not only will this help you maximise exposure, it will make the process a lot easier.
If you have any questions about Instagram, or how best to manage your social media, shoot us a message or give us a call!
FSM.