New Instagram Updates that You Need to Know About

From new content creation tools to updated ad features, Meta has been on a roll releasing Instagram updates for brands and creators to leverage as you create content on the app. Can’t seem to keep up? Don’t worry — we’ve compiled all of the important Instagram updates you need to know about. Let’s get started.

1. Instagram Reels Updates

Last week, Meta unveiled a range of new updates for Instagram Reels, covering everything from video editing to analytics. Here are the main updates:

• New video editing tools include features like undo/redo, as well as the ability to crop, scale, zoom, and rotate individual clips in Reels. 

• New audio features allow you to add clips with audio to Reels via Meta’s GIF “Clip Hub.” This will enable you to add popular memes into your own photos and videos, providing more ways for creators to produce more relevant and engaging content.  Additionally, 10 new English text-to-speech voices will also be available in select countries.

• Updates to the drafting process make it easier to edit your in-progress Reels by giving you a streamlined view of all your saved drafts. Soon you’ll be able to preview your drafts, rename them, and schedule them in advance. This update could be a game changer for Social Media Managers who are drafting and posting from their mobile devices.

• A new sticker tool allows you to create custom stickers from your own photos and videos in your camera roll and add them to your Reels or Stories, allowing you to create more personal, unique content. 

• ‍Improved search tools make it easier to find what the tools you’re looking for while editing. Now, you can find what you need in your device’s camera roll with enhanced previews and the ability to zoom and search.

• Enhanced Reels insights include a new metric called Replays, which will allow creators to better understand how your Reel is performing. Additionally, Meta is planning to roll out an interactive Retention Chart that creators can use to see many people are watching their Reel on a moment-by-moment basis.

2. Instagram Photo Updates

For the first time in a long time, Instagram has released 25 new photo filters that you can add over your photos and carousels before you post them to your feed. Meta states, “From subtle color edits to options for expressive styles, these updates make it easy for you to try various looks for your posts.”

3. ‘Close Friends’ Feature Expansion

In 2018, Instagram introduced the ‘Close Friends’ feature as a way to share Stories with a  smaller, more intimate group of friends. Now, Instagram is expanding on this existing feature to feed posts and Reels, allowing you to share even more content to a select group of individuals that you choose to add to your Close Friends list. This update also allows users to tailor the visibility of each post, providing a more personalized and selective sharing experience on the platform.

This tool could be beneficial for brands looking to build a deeper sense of community. Invite your most loyal influencer partners, customers, and brand fans to your ‘Close Friends’ list and share exclusive content, early access promo codes, and more. This is a great way to build strong emotional ties with your community members and turn them into loyal brand advocates. 

4. Ad-free Instagram Subscription 

Meta recently announced its paid, “no ads” version of Facebook and Instagram in Europe as it responds to new EU privacy regulations. If users choose to opt in to the paid subscription, users will need to pay an additional fee, around €9.99 per month when purchased on the web or €12.99 per month through app stores, to cover both profiles on Facebook and Instagram. Meanwhile, the free user experience will stay the same, supported by existing ad controls like Ad Preferences — meaning advertisers can still run personalized ad campaigns to reach those in this region. 

For marketers, the rollout of ad-free Instagram could entail losing reach to EU users who find the subscription worthwhile, making it increasingly important to integrate influencer marketing into your growth strategies to continue targeting these audiences through organic content. 

Learn more about how to build powerful influencer relationships on Instagram in our webinar, Meta + Aspire Present: The Power Of Personalization. 

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