With good reason, Instagram is one of the world’s most popular social media networks. It offers an exciting, fast-paced, and visually stimulating platform for people to share, engage with and interact with each other. From filters to stories, the features offered on Instagram are some of the best available.
Let’s get right into it—here are some of the top Instagram features and why people can’t get enough of them.
7 Best Instagram Features
Variety of Filters
Instagram users have access to a variety of filters and other image-editing options to make their photography look professional and attract followers. On top of that, the platform’s high-quality resolution and variety of aspect ratios provide users with plenty of options for styling their photos. Instagram’s minimalistic look and feel reduce the noise and allow users to focus more on the content.
Live Video
Live videos are another great feature of Instagram, mostly used by influencers. This allows users to broadcast something that is happening at that exact moment to their followers. This can be anything from a live Q&A to a step-by-step tutorial. It is also a great way to interact with followers in real time and respond to their questions and comments.
Followers can also get notifications whenever someone from their list goes live on Instagram—they can choose to join. Ask any millennial, and they’ll tell you they’d rather go on IG Live on a fun night out instead of using the mobile online casino to win side cash.
Your Activity Center
This year, Instagram has introduced new features to allow users more control over their content. The “Your Activity” feature gives people the flexibility to monitor how much time they spend on the app and manage what is shown in their account.
With this tool, you can track who you have interacted with recently, look up searches, and delete multiple images at once. Additionally, you can opt to archive photos so they are removed from the Instagram display but still stored securely. All of these measures help guarantee that users have full control over their content on the app.
Direct Messaging
One of Instagram’s most popular features is the ability to send and receive direct messages, or DMs for short. Well, perhaps not the best—many users send unsolicited messages, or as we call it, “sliding into the DMs.”
This feature allows users to have private conversations with one another and share a variety of content, including photos, videos, links, and messages, all without having to post them publicly on their feeds or Stories.
Direct messaging also provides a platform for users to get better to know each other one-on-one, creating a more intimate relationship.
Geo-Tagged Content
Geo-tagging is a helpful Instagram tool that allows users to link specific posts or stories with a physical location. If clicked, the tagged location will take visitors to an area where all associated posts can be viewed. This feature lets customers discover more about your brand and explore related posts easily.
Plus, when people check-in at your place, they spread your name to their friends which can help you expand your reach and gain new followers. Geo-tagging is a great way to showcase your content and grow your Instagram following.
Hashtags
Do hashtags even need an introduction? These are one of Instagram’s most useful features. Using the right hashtags, users can easily browse and explore what other users post under a particular topic.
Hashtags are especially useful when users want to find new accounts related to a specific topic or when they want to expand their reach on the platform.
Additionally, they can also use hashtags to help categorise their posts and make them easier to find. Nowadays, people even have hashtags on their birthday cakes—that’s how popular they’ve gotten!
Schedule Instagram Live
Reminding people of your upcoming live stream event on Instagram can be quite a challenge. But worry not, as the Story feature now allows displaying reminders on the creator’s profile. This reminder will show basic information such as the topic, day, date, and time of the Live Stream.
Users can access further details in a pop-up window by tapping this preview. Creators can also use the ‘Remind Me’ option within the prompt to stay on top of their upcoming sessions. With this helpful feature, you’ll never miss an important live stream again!
Stories
Every brunch gathering ends up on IG stories. They let users share photos and videos with their followers for 24 hours. This feature is great for influencers who want to engage with their audiences by providing an inside look into their lives and work. Instagram users can also create themed stories, which are collections of images or videos that are organised around a particular topic.
Most people create story highlights from memories or travel photos they don’t want to post on their grid. This way, they can view all their themed stories in one place without having random ones intertwined.
IGTV
IGTV, or Instagram TV, is a great way to watch longer-form videos. This allows influencers to upload videos that can be up to one hour long. Since IGTV videos can be easily shared on Instagram Stories, they are a great way to increase engagement and reach a broader audience. While reels are currently the biggest IG trend, IGTV allows longer videos to be posted online.
Shopping and Payments
It didn’t take long for Instagram to provide its users with an excellent shopping experience. The app also allows users to set up and run their own online stores within the platform to promote and sell their products easily.
The platform supports various payment options, including Apple Pay, PayPal, and credit cards. This is a great way for influencers and other Instagram users to monetize their presence and reach.
These are just some of the reasons why people love Instagram. Its features are designed to be easy to use, making connecting with people and sharing content easier and more fun. Instagram has become a powerful platform for networking, communication, and creativity, and it’s worth exploring all of its features.
