Instagram is introducing new features that will aid users in reaching out and engaging with their audience. They also have a third feature out which they hope will drive more meaningful engagement. Here is a look at the new Instagram Stories Questions feature being tested, and the “All Caught Up” notification. I will look at what this will mean for marketers, as well as show off one last new feature.
Instagram Stories Questions
Instagram Stories Questions is a new question and answer feature for the Stories platform. The tool lets you quickly add a question to a Story post which can then be answered by people who viewed your story. Their answers are then sent to you via private message.
The new feature, which was first reported to be in testing last April and is now available widely, works in a similar manner to the already available Poll sticker. To add a question to your Story, choose the Q&A sticker from the sticker list. Type your question and it will automatically be displayed in your posted Story. Chris Mikulin demonstrates it in the tweet below.
EXCITING: Instagram adds the ability to ask questions in stories. Hasn’t rolled out to everyone quite yet. pic.twitter.com/3jg0itKeIe
— Chris Mikulin™ (@cmikulin) July 1, 2018
Instagram Stories Questions is currently still in testing. Many users have reported having access to it in the last few weeks. The site is expected to officially launch the feature in the months to come.
Catching up with updates
Instagram has also announced a new “You’re All Caught Up” notification on users’ feeds. The short message informs you that you have already read all the new content posted by the profiles you follow.
Below the spot where the message appears, you will find all the posts that you have viewed and other posts from the last two days. This is a useful feature as Instagram is now largely driven by an algorithm.
Instagram said that the notification is a simple means of keeping track of the posts you are following. By scrolling below it, you can find the posts you might want to respond to. Commenting on these posts is a good way to show the people you follow that you are truly interested in their content. This is an effective way to encourage engagement between you and them.
Mute Instagram notifications
This feature is being carried over from Facebook where you are allowed to mute notifications from the app for certain amounts of time. Here is a look at the options:
This will allow you to turn off notifications for work, or just when you want some peace and quiet. You can also turn notifications off entirely with the “Until I turn it off” setting if you only want to know what’s going on with Instagram when you actually go on Instagram. The company is likely hoping that this will drive more meaningful engagement for long-term success. This feature is currently in testing while they try to figure out this theory.
Using these features to increase engagement
The Instagram Stories Question tool being rolled out by the site adds another means of using the Stories feature to engage your audience. Including a specific question in your Stories image or video updates is an effective way to get your audience to respond to your posts. This gives you an opening to get them into longer conversations, driving engagement further.
The Instagram Stories Question tool and the “You’re Already Caught Up” notifications are just two of the little improvements that Instagram has rolled out in the last few months. These tools can have a significant impact on your engagement strategy. Check them out and discover how you can use them for building your Instagram following.