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The Top Instagram Updates You Need to Know: July 2020 https://ift.tt/3faB4R8 Keep informed with this rundown of Instagram’s latest updates. From new ad formats to Instagram Shop upgrades, Instagram is constantly introducing new features for marketers. But if you don’t know about them, you can’t take advantage of them. Stay in the know so you get ahead of Instagram trends and give your marketing that extra edge. Here are the new Instagram updates for July 2020. Jump back to previous months: Bonus: Download a free checklist that reveals the exact steps a lifestyle photographer used to grow from 0 to 600,000 followers on Instagram with no budget and no expensive gear. Top Instagram updates you need to know in 2020July 2020 Instagram updatesHere are Instagram’s latest updates as of July 2020. Instagram releases Reels in India, following TikTok banOn the heels of the Indian government’s decision to ban TikTok and several other Chinese apps, Instagram released Reels, a 15-second video and audio clip feature, to a broad user group in the country. India is the fourth country to test the TikTok-inspired feature, following Germany, France, and Brazil, where Reels was introduced last November. Source: Instagram TikTok’s departure from the Indian market leaves ripe opportunity for Instagram. India was TikTok’s largest user base outside China, with more than 120 million monthly active users. Part of the reason for the app’s success is that it allows creators to parlay popularity into viable income streams. For now, Reels does not support direct monetization.
Videos already account for one third of all Instagram posts in India. According to Instagram’s VP of Product, Vishal Shah, 45% of all videos posted on the platform are 15 seconds or shorter. The in-app tool lets users record, edit, add audio effects, and share the clips in the feed, stories, and explore tab. An Instagram story posted by fashion influencer Danielle Bernstein (@weworewhat) on July 20 suggests Reels may soon come to the American market, too. In the U.S., which has supplanted India as TikTok’s second largest market, officials have also publicly mulled a ban. Facebook, meanwhile, shuttered its TikTok clone, Lasso, on July 10. Instagram tests a central Shop tabSome users may see the heart icon in the app’s navigation bar swapped for a shopping bag in the near future. As TechCrunch reports, on July 7, Instagram started a small global test that replaces the Activity tab with an Instagram Shop tab. The shortcut makes shopping on Instagram one tap away, versus the two taps currently required to reach Shops from the Explore tab. Activity stays one tap away, too. It just moves up near the Instagram Direct paper airplane icon. Pin comments option now available to everyoneAll users on Instagram can now pin up to three comments to the top of their posts. The feature is intended to help users set and manage the tone of responses to their posts. Comments can be pinned by swiping left and tapping the pin icon. When an account pins someone else’s comment they receive a notification.
Looking for more Instagram hacks? Find our top tips and tricks here. Facebook considers ban on political adsAhead of the U.S. election, sources tell Bloomberg that Facebook is exploring a political ad blackout. The ban would mark a reversal from Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg’s previous stance on the matter. Facebook and Instagram currently allows political advertising on its platforms with limited checks against false claims and misinformation. In June, both platforms gave users the option to “turn off” political ads. A ban on political ads would partially address the recommendations put forward by the Stop Hate For Profit campaign. Close to 400 companies have boycotted advertising on Facebook and Instagram to protest the spread of online hate. Learn more about Instagram advertising. Wear a Mask reminder added to top of the feedIn response to the rise of COVID-19 cases in the United States, Instagram added an alert to the top of the feed that reminds people to wear masks. The reminder includes a link to the Centers for Disease Control website.
Here’s how to use social media for crisis communications. Facebook and Instagram launch a Voting Information CenterOn July 3, voting age residents of the United States received a message at the top of their Instagram and Facebook apps about voter registration. The message links to the state’s registration website, polling locations, early voting options, and more. Instagram now has election day countdown stickers that link to voting information as well. With additional pushes planned before November, Facebook expects to reach 160 million people in the U.S. Source: Facebook June 2020 Instagram updatesThese are the Instagram updates for June 2020 you should know about. Instagram vows to address racial inequalityWith momentum building behind Black Lives Matter, Instagram has pledged to reexamine how its policies, tools, and processes impact Black communities on Instagram. The reexamination will focus on harassment, account verification, distribution, and algorithmic bias. The company also committed to increase the amount of people of color employed in leadership positions to 30% over the next five years.
Instagram also added an “Act for Racial Justice” section to its Donation Sticker options in an effort to make it easier for people to support related organizations.
Read our guide on genuine social media activism. Access to Instagram Shopping expands to more businessesIn June, Instagram introduced Commerce Eligibility Requirements to expand access to Instagram Shopping to more businesses. Under the new requirements, which took effect July 9, any eligible business or creator account in supported markets with a minimum of one eligible product can use Instagram’s shopping tags. To be eligible, product listings need to be available for direct purchase from a verifiable website or Instagram Checkout. Instagram tests a “See All stories” gridMore than 500 million people use Instagram stories every day. The popularity of the format is likely the reason Instagram is exploring ways to bring more visibility to them. Most recently the platform tested a “see all stories” option that takes people to a full grid of stories. Previously the app tested showing two rows of stories at the top of the feed instead of one.
Shoppable product tags spotted in captionsSelect Instagram business accounts have been able to add product tags to the captions of their posts. When tapped, the tag opens onto a shoppable product page. The beta eCommerce feature was spotted by tech reporters Oriol Salvador and Matt Navara.
Instagram Direct and Messenger integration under developmentInstagram and Facebook developers are working to integrate the platforms’ private messaging channels across apps. Early prototypes have shown the option to “Get Messenger on Instagram.” The integration could allow Facebook contacts to connect through Messenger on Instagram. Features from Messenger, including chat colour customization and video chat, will likely carry over as well.
May 2020 Instagram updatesLearn about the new Instagram updates for May. Instagram opens up ShopsBrands and creators now have the ability to open Instagram storefronts showcasing collections and products that can be purchased in-app. People can visit shops from a tab in Instagram profiles, or find them through the feed, explore tab, and stories. The new native shopping experience aims to boost social commerce returns by eliminating the taps between discovery and checkout.
Learn how to set up an Instagram Shop for your business. Live ads and badges add direct revenue streams for creatorsIn late May Instagram announced plans to begin testing a new badges feature. Fans will be able to purchase badges during Instagram Live videos to stand out in the comments, nab a spot on a list of the creator’s badge holders, and earn “a special heart.” Costs for badges range between 99 cents and $4.99. During the test phase, influencers will receive 100% of the revenue they earn.
IGTV ads offer another revenue stream for creators. These ads appear when people click to see the full video after watching the preview. A small group of creators and advertisers will have access to the ad format as Instagram tests different experiences, including on with a skip option. Instagram also expanded access to the Brand Collabs Manager platform so more creators can connect with brands. Shopping comes to Instagram LiveBetween February and March, as stay at home orders were issued worldwide, Instagram Live viewership rose by 70%. To help brands and creators capitalize on larger audiences, Instagram has made it possible to tag and display products in Live videos. The test will begin with businesses and roll out more broadly over the next few months. Source: Facebook Live videos can now be saved to IGTVInstagram Live hosts now have the option to save their live videos to IGTV. Before this option was made available, the live streams expired 24 hours after the initial broadcast. Discover how to use Instagram Live to grow your followers. Instagram rolls out GuidesA new Guides tab has cropped up on the Instagram profiles of select accounts. The format features a collection of curated posts and videos along with headlines and tips that can be added. Each guide can be shared in stories or via direct message and they appear in a devoted section of the explore tab. For now guides are tailored around the theme of wellbeing, though Instagram also launched a guide on racial justice. According to Instagram’s head Adam Mosseri, travel guides were planned as the initial use case prior to the pandemic.
Anti-bullying comment and tag controls addedIn a bid to address bullying on the platform, Instagram has made it easier for people to remove negative comments and control who can tag them. Accounts now have the option to delete comments in bulk—a feature most useful for high engagement profiles or accounts targeted by trolls. To combat the malicious use of tags and mentions, account holders can limit tagging permissions to everyone, people they follow, or no one.
Giphy joins the Instagram familyIn a deal worth a reported $400 million, Facebook has acquired GIF website Giphy with plans to further integrate the site across its apps. The acquisition was motivated, in large part, by the popularity of GIFs on Instagram. According to Facebook, Instagram accounts for 25% of Giphy’s traffic. “By bringing Instagram and Giphy together, we can make it easier for people to find the perfect GIFs and stickers in Stories and Direct,” reads the press release. Bonus: Download a free checklist that reveals the exact steps a lifestyle photographer used to grow from 0 to 600,000 followers on Instagram with no budget and no expensive gear. Get the free guide right now!
Creators can now build AR effects with musicThe effects gallery for Instagram stories is about to get more musical. The latest upgrade to Spark AR, Instagram’s augmented reality platform, streamlines the AR creation process and now includes the option to add audio effects. Beyond sound, another new capability makes it possible to create AR effects that alter photos and videos from the camera roll. Source: Instagram April 2020 Instagram updatesInstagram story updates and more from April 2020. Gift card, food order, and donation tools added for small businessesTo help small businesses shoulder the economic impact of the pandemic, Instagram released a series of features for business and creator accounts. After setting-up their accounts with select partners, businesses can add “Gift Card” and “Food Order” stickers to Instagram stories. Businesses can also add these options as buttons to their profiles, in addition to a “Donate” button.
Learn how to use Instagram Stories to build your audience. Live fundraisers launch with donation buttonInstagram Live hosts can now add a donate button to the bottom of their video to raise money for nonprofits. Hosts can keep track of donations and virtually “wave” at supporters to offer thanks. When someone donates, they receive special access to an “I Donated” sticker for a limited period. All of the proceeds earned by Live fundraisers go directly to the chosen nonprofit.
Steps taken to improve transparency of high-reach accountsFacebook and Instagram are now piloting a feature that shows the location of high-reach pages and accounts. For now, the pilot will focus on accounts located outside of the U.S. but reach a large U.S. audience. The company is also looking at bringing transparency to more places, including Instagram profiles.
IGTV app gets a redesignThe homepage of Instagram’s standalone IGTV app has been redesigned to put creators in the spotlight, the company told The Verge. Among the changes, the app will also have a new Discover tab that takes a page from TikTok’s playbook by serving content from a variety of creators (whether or not you follow them). On Instagram, IGTV videos shared to Instagram Stories now play a 15-second preview instead of displaying a static thumbnail.
Check out our complete guide for IGTV. Instagram Direct comes to desktopInstagram users can now read and reply to direct messages from desktop browsers. Source: Instagram March 2020 Instagram updatesMost of the new Instagram updates in March were released in response to the global pandemic. COVID-19 Information Centre launched to halt misinformationAs the coronavirus pandemic spreads worldwide, Instagram and Facebook have announced the steps they are taking to prevent the spread of misinformation. In addition to the information centre, which contains updates and tips from global and local health organizations, the company plans to remove “known harmful misinformation” related to COVID-19. Misleading content will be reviewed by partners, and exploitative ads will be banned.
When someone searches or taps related keywords or hashtags, they are connected to accounts and resources of global and local health authorities. Some hashtags and COVID-related AI effects will be blocked and restricted altogether.
Learn how to use hashtags on Instagram to get results. Stay Home and Thanks Health Heroes stickers addedTo show gratitude to healthcare workers and promote physical distancing, Instagram added a Stay Home and Thanks Health Hero sticker to the stories gallery. When the sticker is used, the story is added to a shared Instagram story as well.
Instagram pilots IGTV ads and monetization for creatorsInstagram has confirmed that it started testing in-stream ads on IGTV, its long-form video channel, with a small group of creators. As Bloomberg reports, creators will earn 55% of ad revenue, which matches YouTube’s rates. These ads introduce a direct monetization stream for Instagram creators as competition between platforms heats up. Instagram continues to actively encourage IGTV video creation on its @creators account. February 2020 Instagram updatesHere are the key updates on Instagram in February. New Following categories introducedFollowing and follower lists now organizing accounts into different categories. Under the Following list, people can now see the 50 accounts that are most shown in their feed and the 50 accounts they interact with least. The full list of followers can also be sorted by latest or earliest. Categories in the Follower tab now include “Accounts you don’t follow back” and the 50 “Least interacted with” accounts. Support and appeals tools added to stem harassmentOn Safer Internet Day, Instagram introduced new tools to make it easier for people to track and appeal issues. People who report content and accounts will have access to Support Requests, where they can monitor the status of reports and request additional reviews. Accounts that have been disabled will be now able to appeal the decision in the app, rather than through the Help Centre. Source: Instagram Instagram launches @InstagramComms on TwitterInstagram has launched a new Twitter account (@InstagramComms) for news, product updates, and more. The company’s primary Twitter account will remain focussed on community stories, content, partnerships, and events.
January 2020 Instagram updatesInstagram updates in January included several new business tools. Growth metrics added to Instagram InsightsBusiness and creator accounts can now better track follower growth from the Instagram Insights dashboard. The new section displays audience growth over seven days in a bar chart and tallies follows and unfollows over selected time frames. This update also lets accounts can also see which posts and stories are generating the most followers. Another feature added to the Activity tab aggregates the stories that have mentioned your account over the past 24 hours. Want more followers on Instagram? Here are a few tips that actually work. Age gating options now availableInstagram has introduced age-gating features to allow business and creator accounts to control who can see their profiles. Accounts can elect to set a default minimum age, or vary age limits by country. In December, Instagram started asking people to submit their birthday when creating accounts, and pledged to provide age-appropriate experiences on the app. Secondary inbox tab created for businessesDirect messages businesses receive on Instagram can now be organized with primary and general tabs. The two-tab system is designed to separate low and high priority messages. All messages initially appear in the primary tab, but less urgent messages can be moved to general. Message requests from accounts you do not follow will also appear in the inbox, and can be sorted by All Requests or Top Requests. Just getting started on Instagram? Learn how to use Instagram for business. Manage your Instagram presence alongside your other social channels and save time using Hootsuite. From a single dashboard, you can schedule and publish posts, engage the audience, and measure performance. Try it free today. The post The Top Instagram Updates You Need to Know: July 2020 appeared first on Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard. Social Media via Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard https://ift.tt/1LdunxE July 29, 2020 at 04:27PM
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