Latest Instagram updates: the new features and how to use them for web marketing

It is time for change on Instagram, the world's most widely used image-based social network: over the last few days, users will have noticed quite a few changes to the smartphone app.

In recent years Instagram has become a powerful online marketing tool, and with the latest update of June 2018 it aims to push users to spend even more time on the app and companies to use it to advertise themselves.

Let's look together at what is new in the latest Instagram update:

- IGTV has arrived, a direct competitor to YouTube. This new feature lets users publish videos far longer than the standard 60 seconds of the feed, from 10 minutes up to 1 hour for verified accounts. But the real novelty is the format: unlike the usual video apps, it uses a vertical format, which became very widespread after the introduction of Instagram stories.

- Staying with Stories, there is news here too: from the last few days it is possible to interact with other users through stories, by asking them questions or inviting them to ask some, which can be answered directly from the story.

- Another recent addition is the division of the "explore" section into categories: the tabs aim to split content into broad categories, to offer users content closer to their personal interests.

- It is now possible to start video chats from direct messages, with a maximum of four participants.

- As for the integration between Facebook and Instagram, two very important features have been added: the ability to share the same post on both platforms at the same time and, of particular interest to anyone using paid advertising on social media, the opportunity to promote Instagram posts directly from Facebook's ad management, so that all your ads are under control in one well-organised place.

But how can you make the most of all these new Instagram features? By relying on a communication agency!

Our web agency in Como has been working in online marketing through social networks for years and knows all the tools the web offers, optimising the strategy according to our clients' needs.