Only half of the year has passed by and Instagram has already rolled out several significant updates. These new updates will play a key role in helping brands better market themselves on Instagram.

Each update is unique and paramount.

In this article, we will analyze each and every one of these updates and will investigate on how advertisers can utilize these new features.

1.Instagram TV – IGTV

Instagram has recently launched IGTV, a new standalone app that will allow users to watch long-form vertical videos from popular creators on the platform. Content creators can now upload videos that are up to an hour long, a feature that has highly been appreciated since videos were earlier restricted to just one minute. Though IGTV is a standalone app, users will be able to watch it from within the Instagram app as well.

IGTV will automatically begin playing vertical videos from people that the user follows as soon as one login. The user can swipe up to explore a range of long-form videos from tabs like, “For You,” “Following,” and “Popular”. There is a “Continue Watching” option as well. IGTV users can like, comment and send videos to friends via Direct Message. Videos creators on IGTV can also develop Instagram Channels for different videos that viewers can subscribe to.

2. ‘Questions’ Sticker

Instagram has added a new feature that lets you ask your users for questions through your Stories.

As a digital marketer, this new feature has a lot of potentials. Once a user adds this sticker to his/her Story, followers can send a question within a box available to type the question in. Users can then answer those questions through Stories so that all of their followers can read the answers.

The idea is to get individuals to connect more through Stories, which is a major concentration for Instagram.

3. Music stickers

This new update allows users to add a soundtrack to their Stories.

The stickers allow users to add a song from a database to their Story, while at the same time, it also allows users to record a video while playing music. The sticker also displays the name of the song along with the name of the artist.

 4. @mention Sharing On Stories

This new update allows users to share someone else’s story on their own with the tap of a button if they have been mentioned in the story. The new feature has been highly celebrated by users as it helps them in sharing photos and videos from events that they attended.

When a user is added to a story, a notification is sent to that user. An option will be available to add their story to the user’s story. The users can then add their own content, stickers, emojis etc. to it and then share it. The name of the original user of the story will be visible so that followers can their explore their profiles.

5. Expansion of Shoppable Tags

Instagram has officially expanded its Shoppable posts and tags, a native integration that makes it easy to tag and shop products directly from organic Instagram posts.

These tags have also been extended to Stories. When users see shoppable tags in any story, once they click on it, they will be redirected to the shopping page with the name and description of the product.

 6. Video Chat

Instagram has rolled out a new feature called “Group Video Chat” through which more than two users can video chat with each other. The video screen can also be minimized so that users can continue browsing their messages and feed during the video chat.

Users can only call their followers, and that too only if the user is following them as well.

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