By Christina Botte, EGC’s Director of Social Media and Jonathan Baker Social media favorite Instagram recently launched three new features: “Reposts,” “Map,” and “Friends.” How do users of the platform feel about these additions? Why New Features? As with any upgrade or addition, Instagram’s main purpose behind presenting new features is to improve overall user engagement. Enhancing the platform to more “friend-focused” may be the goal—but these new features may prove beneficial in social media advertising as well… Reposts The “Reposts” button (à la TikTok) allows users to reshare public posts and Reels both to their individual profiles and to the feeds of their friends as well. And since these reposts now appear in followers’ feeds—and live on dedicated tabs—brands have multiple opportunities to be discovered organically. If that seems good, it gets better: Brands and original creators receive full credit. In short, “visibility equals value.” (Yes, the Instagram “Reposts” is a definite “win.”) Map The “Map” feature (much like “Snap Map” on Snapchat) lets users share their real-time location with friends and followers. Instagram subscribers, however, have complained that this feature is on by default. Although the purpose of “Map” was to encourage discovery and local engagement, there is understandable concern over user privacy. (Branding opportunities for local businesses will therefore depend on the willingness of subscribers who don’t mind being visible via “Map.”) Friends The “Friends” feed is located on on a team in Instagram Reels. Here, users can view public content that their friends have interacted with. Essentially, this feature is like the earlier “activity” feed, where users interacted with content posted exclusively by their friends. Through the Friends feature, users can see and discover content through reels their contacts engage with. (These reels serve as another opportunity for brands and creators to gain exposure—and by extension, added value.) EGC closely keeps track of these updates to help our clients adapt. Not every new feature may be a fit—but knowing what to lean into is how brands stay ahead. Care to socialize with EGC about social media? Let’s discuss how these latest developments from Instagram—as well as other social media platforms—impact your content strategy. Also, be sure to visit the Social Media Mastery page of our website.
