.png)
Just when we begin adapting to the ever-changing Instagram app, in comes a brand new update. Since its launch in 2010, Instagram has been consistently churning out updates - which for the most part, are a welcomed change!
It can feel overwhelming trying to keep up with all of these changes, especially at the rate they're rolled out. We’ve pulled together the most recent Instagram updates for 2022, so you can keep on track of all of the changes and use them to benefit your social media strategy!
Let’s get started…
Take a Break
Over the years, we’ve seen a lot of conversations surrounding the amount of time users are spending on social media. We’ll be the first to admit how easy it is to wind up in a social media binge and lose hours endlessly scrolling.
Towards the end of 2021, Instagram released its new feature, “Take a Break”, in various countries across the globe. The idea behind the feature allows users to set a daily limit on their socials and spend time off their screen after 10, 20 or 30 minutes on the app.
Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, says this feature is part of a “broader effort to try and give people more control over their experience of Instagram,” suggesting that it’s important to pay mind to wellness and mental health in the age of technology. The feature quickly became a success and popular amongst users - after trialling it, more than 90% of people kept stuck with the “Take a Break” feature.
Hiding Likes
After years of testing, Instagram rolled out its new feature giving users the ability to hide how many likes they receive on posts. The person posting can see the total number of likes they receive, but the number of hearts wouldn’t be invisible to the public.
The forward-thinking update was a way to depressurise the Instagram space and make it less of a competition for likes. Once the update rolled out, there’s been a massive increase in brands and users alike opting for hiding the likes on their posts, and there was a polarising contrast between those who love it and those who hate it!
Link Sticker in Instagram Stories
Previously, adding a link to Instagram stories was strictly reserved for influencers, verified accounts or anyone with over 10,000 followers. However, the new customisable link sticker was a welcomed addition to Instagram stories. Like any other sticker, they have a pretty uniform appearance - a link icon with a URL against a white background.
Even though a simple link might not seem like a groundbreaking change, it really is. Link stickers make it easier to link to content outside of Instagram, and small businesses can promote their work before reaching the 10k milestone.
Order of the Feed
This year, Instagram finally decided to give the people what they want; a decent algorithm. The decision to give users more autonomy started by introducing three new options, Home, Favourites and Following, to redesign users’ feeds.
The favourites option allows users to select their top Instagram accounts, and thus the posts from these accounts will be shown before others. The home feature sticks to Instagram’s standard algorithm, showing users posts they think they’ll be interested in.
Plan your Activity
First up is the brand new feature designed to make the Instagram app less cluttered and user-friendly. The activity section of the app allows you to manage all aspects of your content, from bulk managing content in the form of deleting and archiving posts to managing interactions (likes, comments, story sticker reactions, etc.).
The activity section can be found in the top right-hand menu of your profile!
And there you have it, our quick guide to the latest Instagram updates of 2022! Got a favourite new feature? Get in touch with us and let us know.
.svg)