Instagram’s most recent app update has added Location and Hashtag Stories to its Explore tab to make it easier for users to see what’s happening around them and find Stories related to their interests. The app is owned by Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB).
InvestorPlace took a close look at the update and it’s clear the battle with Snap Inc’s (NYSE:SNAP) Snapchat for users and features is at a whole new level. Here’s what’s in store.
- Location Stories are now part of Instagram version 10.22 on iOS and Android phones. A new story ring appears at the top of Explore featuring stories from people in your vicinity. Stories come from people who have used location stickers on their stories. You will also be able to search for any location and see a story ring for that place at the top of the location page.
<em>Courtesy: Instagram</em>
- Hashtag stickers help users add more context to their story and are available when users click the sticker icon at the top right of their screen. Users can select and tailor the hashtag before adding it to a story. Like with mentions, Instagramers can add hashtags using regular text as well and people watching a story will be able to tap the hashtag sticker or text to go to the hashtag page and explore related posts.
- Hashtag Stories on Explore are coming. According to Instagram, this will help you find Stories related to your interests. When you search for a hashtag, you may see a story ring at the top of the page featuring Stories using that hashtag. Plus, if you add a location sticker or hashtag to a post, you may be included in the larger story. If your story is added, you’ll see a line at the top of your Stories viewer list.
- Selfie filters now look and act like its Snapchat’s Lenses. Called Face Filters, this turns an ordinary selfie into “something fun and entertaining,” according to Instagram.
<em>Courtesy: Instagram</em>
- Rewind lets you make videos that play in reverse and it joins the other camera formats Boomerang and Hands-Free.
- The hands-free timer is just what you’d expect: It lets you take photos hands-free.
- The selfie sticker feature was designed to use with a front-facing camera. As part of the update, when users take a photo/video and tap the smiley face shown on screen, they’ll see a selfie sticker featuring their profile photo, that lets them capture a mini selfie.
<em>Courtesy: Instagram</em>
- The eraser brush was recently added to the drawing tools menu. It lets users remove things they’ve drawn, or experiment with removing colors from an image. Snapchat debuted a similar eraser function a few weeks ago to remove objects from a photo by tapping the scissors tool.
If your account is set to private, only your followers will be able to view the posts you’ve shared, and photos and videos from your story won’t appear on hashtag or location pages.
