Instagram has updated: check out the new features!

As one of the leading social media platforms today, Instagram is an app that is constantly updating itself, adding new features and tools so that users have the best possible experience while using the platform.

The importance of Instagram updates

Despite the current availability of a range of social media options – each with different functions and features – Instagram continues to stand out among users, and the constant updates offered by the social network play a key role in this success.

In addition to making it easier to share good times with friends, the tools offered by the platform ensure that the user experience is both fast and fun.

This helps ensure the app stays at the top of social media.

The latest major updates

Despite Instagram making changes almost daily, many of these features end up going unnoticed by some users.

But there are also those updates that are so successful that it's impossible for them to go unnoticed by users.

Below, we list some of the main updates to the social network.

The creation of Reels

This might be the biggest one in recent times. Inspired by the success of TikTok's short videos, Reels has already become a hit on Instagram.

With a format very similar to videos on competing platforms, users utilize the feature for a wide variety of content: dance videos, recipes, memes, and so on.

Instagram Shopping

Another update that was very successful – so much so that it continues to be a hit to this day – is Instagram Shopping.

Instagram Shops is a feature that allows users to sell directly through the app.

In this area, it is possible to list products for sale, already indicating their price through a purchase tag.

Although it caused some initial confusion – since the feature completely changed the app's classic layout – the function was well received, and today it's a real success.

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Instagram's new features

It's time to talk about the latest updates available on Instagram and the role each one plays in the user experience.

Link stickers

This update marked the end of "swipe up," one of the most well-known internet expressions of recent years.

The feature, which was used by brands and influencers in Stories when it was necessary to share a specific link with their audience, has recently been discontinued, giving way to so-called link stickers.

The goal of this new feature is to make it easier for everyone to access.

Instead of swiping up, the user utilizes the clickable sticker in their story, making the experience much easier for content creators and audiences alike.

Furthermore, unlike the previous feature – where the swipe-up could only be used by accounts with more than 10,000 followers – these link stickers can be used by all users, regardless of the number of followers.

The arrival of collaborative posts

The collab definitions have been successfully updated!

Now, it's possible to add collaborators to Instagram posts. This way, the posted content will be available on both people's profiles at the same time.

These collaborative posts are a great tool for content creators, and promise to be a feature that's here to stay.

Posting content to the feed from a computer

This is a great resource, both for those who work with social media management and for other users.

The feature allows you to post your content directly from your computer or laptop.

This is one way Instagram limits access for other apps – such as automation apps, for example – to perform actions on its platform.

It was already possible to schedule posts through Facebook Business.

Function to schedule live streams

Another feature that recently arrived on the social network is the option to schedule live streams.

This content scheduling gives content creators more autonomy, allowing them to schedule the times of their upcoming live streams.

In addition to allowing users to test out potential guests for the broadcast even before the event begins, the feature is also a great opportunity for content creators to have more time to engage their audience leading up to the live stream, being able to share event news in their feed or stories.

Post your favorite photo.

I'm sure you've already come across this feature in Stories.

Despite being quite new, it has already won over users and is becoming increasingly popular. The feature, which is also a sticker, is used in stories and consists of posting your favorite photo in a given situation.

Some examples include: post your favorite carnival photo, a picture in nature, at the beach, of your pet, and so on.

When a user posts a story with the sticker, followers who view the story can click on it and post as well, keeping the sticker and the chain.

These features haven't reached you yet? Find out why.

It's worth remembering that, although these are features that can be used by all users of the social network, they depend on app updates.

While some reach all users more quickly, others may take a little longer to become available for everyone to access.

Some functions may also not work correctly depending on the model and features of your phone – such as some filters, for example, which depend on the device's camera settings to function properly.

Therefore, the tip is to always keep your app updated. That way, you won't miss out on any of the platform's new features.

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Nathalia Silva

Journalist, writer, and lover of words.

October 28, 2021

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