The 7 Most Exciting Features Coming to Instagram in 2019 That You Need to Know About
Instagram is rapidly evolving as a platform. The slew of new businesses and massive concurrent user spikes have created several different trends and counter-trends over the years.
In 2019, Instagram is continuing to evolve its product to retain its place as the social platform of choice for new users. Today, we will be looking at some specific important features that are coming to Instagram this year, and why you should be aware of them.
Let us begin.
1. Instagram Stories is getting a brand-new camera
Stories is one of the most popular features of Instagram and is used by more than 500 million daily active users. It’s no surprise that Stories gets a lot of new features regularly.
At the F8 conference this year, it was announced that Stories is getting a new Camera design and a new “Create Mode”.
The new UI will have a semicircular dock that allows you to switch between different shooting modes like Boomerang, Rewind and Superzoom. To the left of the switcher will be your GIFs, text and sticker options.
The new Create Mode is designed to allow people who haven’t uploaded any photos or videos to create Stories of their own.
2. The new Donation Sticker will allow you to raise money for a cause
Stories is getting a donation sticker that will allow users to raise funds for nonprofit causes from within Instagram itself.
You can use the sticker to search through a list of supported non-profits and customize the sticker to improve conversions. Once you’ve posted the story, you can revisit it to see how much money you have raised.
3. Creator profiles are on the horizon
Creator profiles are a major new feature coming to Instagram that will allow influencers to take even greater control of their online presence and monetization.
Just like business profiles, creator accounts have access to Instagram Insights in addition to a detailed analytics suite that lets you deep dive into engagement metrics, audience online timings and demographics.
Creator profiles will also be able to see follow/unfollow stats, making it much easier to understand what kind of content is working with their audience. They will also have some additional filters for DMs, allowing them to prioritize messages from potential partners and brands.
4. You will be able to buy stuff directly from your favorite Instagram creators/influencers
Instagram is testing a new shopping tag that will allow artists and influencers to tag an item of clothing or accessory such that their followers can buy it without leaving the Instagram platform. This feature was previously only available to businesses through shoppable posts.
Instagram has said they will allow notable public figures, athletes and creators access to this feature so their Instagram presence can be monetized more easily. Until this feature came around, influences were restricted to asking people to click the link on their bio or their Stories. But now they can act as real sellers online.
5. You will be able to create your Instagram Stories filters.
The AR integration with Instagram is happening thick and fast. At the F8 conference this year, it was announced that Spark AR Studio, the software that brands use to make Stories filters, will now be available for everyone (including desktop users).
With this new announcement, expect to see plenty of creative new AR effects to make a splash on Instagram Stories in the near future.
6. Instagram is considering getting rid of likes
Recently, images began circulating which showed that Instagram was trying out a new feature – hiding likes on photos – the very thing that became synonymous with Instagram in the first place.
According to spokespersons, the move is part of Facebook’s new drive to make social media less of a pressurized environment. They want people to enjoy their experience on Instagram without worrying about how many likes a piece of content gets.
The only way you will be able to see how many likes a picture got is if you tap through all of the likes and tally them up yourself. Otherwise, it will only be visible to the owners of the content.
This sounds like a good idea – get people to connect with each other without the pressure of generating likes, but it remains to be seen how the community reacts.
7. Several new anti-bullying options are coming
Facebook also announced at the conference that they are testing features like “away mode” and others to combat online bullying, a cause that Facebook has mentioned they care about deeply.
The “away mode” will let you take a hiatus from Instagram during periods of your life where are under undue stress, such as a break-up or loss of a loved one. Users can step away from notifications and activity without having to delete their account.
Facebook is also testing a feature that will nudge a user when they are about to post a negative comment to give them an opportunity to stop and think before hitting send.
So, there you have it – several exciting features that are going to change the face of Instagram as we know it over the next few months. As always, make sure you stay tuned to our blog to ensure you get the best information about Instagram, and how you can use it to build a better future for yourself and your brand.