Instagram is introducing a bunch of features to increase engagement levels on the platform. Some of the features may appear familiar, like location-based content, which offers a new take on Snap Maps.
The first new feature is a repost button that you can use to repost public Reels and feed posts. Reposts will be recommended to your friends’ and followers’ feeds, and they’ll also be in a separate tab on your profile.
To ensure transparency, reposts will be credited to the source. Further, if content is reposted by someone else, it may be recommended to that person’s followers, even if those people don’t follow you, allowing creators to reach more people.
The new feature also marks a slight shift in how Instagram works. Since reposts will be collected in a designated tab, it will be easier to find similar content. So far, the easiest way to share other users’ content has been to repost it on your Instagram Story.
The more interesting feature is the addition of an opt-in location map, which will be in your private messages. The map will highlight the last active location for friends who opt in for the feature. It can also bring together content from specific locations, like a music festival from where many people post. It’s somewhat like Snap Map.
You can also open the map to see content your friends and favourite creators are posting from interesting or fun locations. No matter how you use the map, you and your friends have a new, easy way to connect with one another.
By default, location sharing is off. If you do share your location with friends, you have controls to customise the experience. First, you can choose who you share your location with: Friends (followers you follow back), Close Friends, Only selected friends, or no one.
Second, your location is updated whenever you open the app or return to the app if it’s been running in the background. You can turn off location sharing at any time. Third, if you have supervision set up for your teen, you have control over their location-sharing experience on the map. You will receive a notification if your teen starts sharing their location.
The next update to Instagram involves what Reels content friends have interacted with. Friends is a new tab in Reels where you can see such content. It will also have recommendations from Blends you’ve started, and easily start conversations about them. The feature started rolling out earlier this year and is now being launched globally.