Instagram has unveiled a number of new changes including a revamp to its desktop site, Instagram.com, and the announcement of a major change to come in the near future.
The New Instagram.com
It’s no surprise that Instagram’s desktop presence has long seemed surprisingly out of place when compared to the sleek interface of its mobile app or even the website of its parent company, Facebook.com. Instagram surprised fans with a sudden update to the site giving it a modern, cleaner and more streamlined feel. The new website is attractive and much more appealing to use. The best news from the website is that it is now even possible to receive hyperlinked notifications! These small changes are making quite the impact.
It is very possible there will be even more changes to come based on the increase in web traffic as a result of the new design. More modifications we would love to see in the future include the addition of the Explore tab and the ability to upload images and videos. The addition of capability to switch quickly and easily between accounts (a particularly important feature for marketers and social media managers) is now possible through the mobile app and would also be a welcome inclusion to the social media giant’s website.
Saying Goodbye to the Chronological Feed
Instagram’s biggest announcement has not been received quite as warmly. They’ve announced that they’ll be doing away with the chronological feed in the next few months. According to their official announcement, “people miss on average 70 percent of their feeds”. They claim that the sheer size of the community is making it much more difficult for users to see the content they love the most and so they plan to present the content in what they believe to be users’ most favorable/desirable orders of appearance. Factors for presentation will include the relationship between the post and Instagram user, the type of content being shared and the timeliness of the content. However, all of the content will still continue to appear – a crucial note to consider!
Of course to improve your presence in users’ feeds you’ll need to continue to share high quality, engaging content and be sure to include a few hashtags that properly describe what you are sharing. There is another option for ensuring users’ see all of your posts. You can ask them to turn on their post notifications for your account which will send push notifications to their devices every time you’ve shared something new.
