Popular photo-sharing platform Instagram has recently begun to roll out a handful of new features to its Explore tab that could allow more users to see posts.
The company has started to introduce Location Stories, which is set to allow users to view the stories posted in any area that user is interested in. To do this, a user enters the name of the location in the search bar at the top of the Explore tab, or by tapping on the location that appears on a post.
If the user’s account is open to public viewing and they then post a story containing a location or a popular location-based geo-sticker then the post will be open to be searched and viewed by any user wishing to do so. From there, these users will be able to view stories, click through to a profile and follow the user.
For the user to check whether their story is featured on a Location Story, then they can check who has seen and watched it by tapping it and the list of users appears. If people who do not follow them appear, then they can assume it has been featured. If the user wants to remove it from that page then they can simply click on the ‘X’ button to remove it.
However, if the account has been set to private, then only the user’s followers will be able to see the posts and stories they’ve shared and it will not appear on the Location Story or Instagram’s second new feature – Hashtag Stories.
Hashtag Stories works in a similar way to Location Stories, with the difference being that it would add the posts shared by public accounts that contain certain hashtags to a separate storyboard instead of the location date or geo-sticker.
Instagram has said that these features will help the user share experiences as they unfold. Location Stories is currently available on the Explore tab for iOS and Android versions of the app with the 10.22 app update, with Hashtag Stories expected to be rolled out over the next few weeks.
As well as these two features, Instagram is also testing a third new feature – archives. For many users who keep an eye on the number of likes their posts are generating, a post which is not attracting as much attention as hoped, they tend to delete the post. Some users may regret this later on.
However, Instagram is testing archives, which will allow the user to hide the post from their timelines so followers cannot see them instead of deleting it, giving the user the option to reinstate it at a later point if they wish. To archive a post, a user clicks the three dots icon on the right of the post, and selects the archive option to hide it.
Should this feature be deemed successful and become fully integrated with the service, it could help users who want to get rid of certain posts such as posts containing an ex-partner, or they can use it as a way to only show the true highlights of their life.
- Chrome to warn users regarding insecure web forms - August 20, 2020
- Google trials virtual business cards in India - August 14, 2020
- DuckDuckGo claims Google market share would drop if users given choice - August 11, 2020
[…] month, it was revealed that the archive feature was being tested. This test was deemed successful and will now become a permanent aspect of the platform; it has […]