With over a billion monthly users on the platform, Instagram has evolved to be the most opted digital marketing avenue after Facebook. All the Instagram updates that have been lately are proving to be the game-changer in the social media marketing tournament.

Instagram never ceases to surprise us! 

Rumors were going around about the upcoming updates of the most popular social network Instagram in 2021. Well, they all got true! Instagram in 2021 is bigger and better and is continuing to bring more new features to the table.

Several new Instagram updates are playing a vital role for businesses and creators over the platform and the market. For example, professional dashboard, personalized feeds, suggested posts, hidden likes, and many more!

Let us dive deep into these top newest Instagram updates and examine them closely.

In a hurry? Listen to the blog instead!

Professional Dashboard

Advertising on Instagram is easier than ever before!

A professional dashboard is available to those Instagram users who have business profiles. With this Instagram update, you can track the insights of your marketing campaigns and general Instagram posts. 

This tool literally allows your business to grow at an elevated pace. Through a professional dashboard, you get the convenience of tracking your account reach and branded postings. 

The professional dashboard tool has been live on Instagram since the beginning of 2021.

Block people without removing the following receipt

Honestly, this update relieves me from the fear of losing a follower or following after blocking people on Instagram.  It is so embarrassing to follow them again! And let them know that you have unfollowed or blocked them from your profile.

Jokes apart! As social media users, we all go through the same situation; Facing consequences after blocking someone because the previous version of Instagram removed the following receipt after blocking people.

In mid-2021, Instagram released an update that does not auto unfollow/remove followers after blocking someone. It keeps your follow receipt safe so that whenever you unblock them, they do not track your activities of blocking them. 

Hidden likes

Instagram is hiding likes! This step is so different and debatable because Instagram is all about numbers, more followers, more likes, more views, and so on! Such obsession with numbers and comparing popularity by the number of likes is no healthy practice.

Instagram took this issue into account so that people do not suffer from self-esteem issues by comparing their number of likes. 

Now hiding the number of likes is a cool new practice!

Well, it is up to the profile owner whether they want to show their number of likes or not. 

Suggested posts

Instagram is taking an innovative step for promoting the content of those profiles that are not followed by users but match their interests. This Instagram update was launched in late 2020 and is still brilliantly promoting value-based fresh content to its users.

To get featured in the suggested posts, you need to keep your account public, or otherwise, Instagram will restrict you to appear only in your follower’s feed window.

This feature is not live yet. So, we do not have much information regarding it. But rumor is, it will be live by the year 2022.

Donate with Instagram

Instagram is a giant with more than a billion monthly users. No wonder that it can get used to reach thousands of people in times of need. We all have seen the impact of social media influencing in the times of the covid-19 pandemic.

To continue this good work and help non-profit organizations, Instagram launched this donation sticker in late 2020. It is available in the story section. You can upload stories by using this sticker and tagging the needful organization, or you can raise funds for them. 

Anyway, this is how you can make good use of this platform.

Alt text

It seems like Instagram decided to resolve every issue of its marketers in 2022. This Instagram update is here to provide your posts one more way to reach more people. 

Earlier, before the arrival of alt text in the images, the creators seemed to depend on the mercy of the Instagram algorithm to reach the masses. But now, as alt text is here, your image will be shown at the top whenever someone searches the similar keywords you have used in your alt text.

It means you need to know the trending keywords of that point in time to leverage the alt text feature. Also, you cannot use similar keywords for different posts. But here is a relief, you can also edit the alt text whenever you feel like it.

Story archive settings

Another relief for Instagram users! Who likes to stroll down memory lane. With this new Instagram update, you can visit story archives as calendars. You pick the month and scroll up for the relevant year, and there it is! 

You saved a lot of time and energy finding that one story archive that you wished to see!

Because before this update, you have to scroll story by story until you find the one you were looking for! I must say, that was dedicatedly painful! 

Also, one more exciting Instagram update is categorizing your stories with respect to the locations. If you have mentioned the location in your stories, they will appear in the world map given in the story archive dashboard. 

Isn’t it cool to see your memories virtually pinned on the world map!

 Account Activity

Have you ever Instagram stalked someone and accidentally liked their old posts? Oh, I can not imagine the utter feeling of shyness and unease! 

Well, quit worrying! Because Instagram has launched an account activity section to save you from sheer embarrassment. You can go to your settings > account > posts you have liked, and voila! You got the record of every post you have liked so far.

Other than this, you can have a look at every personal setting that might make a difference in your Instagram browsing expiring. 

You can also retrieve the posts and stories that you have deleted recently. It is another cool feature in this section. Go to the settings > account > recently deleted to view or restore the posts before the due date.

Post Insights

It was never easier to track the source of impressions on your posts until this feature arrived. With post insights, you get the most simplified and categorized insights on your post engagement.

This feature is only available for professional accounts. So, to get a clear understanding of the sources you are getting more engagement from, you need to have a professional profile!

You only have to click on the view insights button. That is given below on each one of your posts from a professional account. And then scroll up! It is the window where you get a detailed report on your post-engagement metrics.

Moreover, you can also use various ad spy tools like PowerAdSpy to keep a check on your competitors as well as your Instagram ads.

Upload multiple imagery stories

Isn’t it exciting to upload as many images in one story as you like without even editing them to make a collage? No one saw this feature coming!

This new Instagram update is available for everyone. You only have to create a story using Instagram, then swipe up and look for the additional images icon. You will find it somewhere between the ‘add music’ and ‘polls’ feature.

Interactive Story Stickers

Nowadays, Instagram is more fun than it ever was! Before the arrival of these quirky stickers, emojis were the only support you would have gt to express your emotions. But today, Instagram story stickers are hitting everyone with their qualities of relating to the people’s emotions and showcasing them in a more fun way.

Also, they are a great way of promoting your account. Hence using them gives your account a boost in the platform.

Single click promotion

This feature is only available for professional account holders. Now, boosting your content on Instagram is only a click away! You will find a ‘promote’ button at the bottom of every post in your professional id. 

Interlinking accounts

With this new Instagram update, you can publish stories and posts on more than one social media site linked to your Instagram accounts. Conveniently, you do not even have to open other social sites to publish anything individually. 

This update has helped marketers save time and effort of posting ads individually to other social media sites of the same brand.

Request Verification

How cool it is to get verified by the platform and have a blue tick with your name. Instagram never made it this easy to get verification on the spot! 

Now, you only have to visit your settings > account > request verification, and your process begins!

Instagram reel captions

2020 saw a boom in the emergence of new faces in the Instagram influencer industry. All because of the reels. They are 15-second video content, the exact replica of another social media site Tik-Tok.

The first version of reels did not have the privilege of long-sized captions. However, seeing the booming popularity of reel content, Instagram updates to increase the length of captions in the reels. 

Now, people can share as much content as they can. In the form of captions, even when they could not include them in the reel video.

New Instagram Algorithm

I guess we all are familiar with the announcement of Instagram’s CEO that “Instagram will no longer be a photo-sharing app”. 

What does this statement entail to you?

Instagram has been a square photo-sharing app its entire life, and now suddenly, it is changing its whole motto! That pill is kind of hard to swallow. 

Well, you can persuade its meanings in whatever ways. But the experts believe that Instagram knows that video content is the future. And hence it is more focused on the reel and igtv content.

It means, if you want to grow on Instagram, you need to follow the algorithm. In the present trend, the Instagram algorithm is boosting reels more in its platform.  

How To Update Instagram In 2024?

The present-day big version of Instagram got released in 2021. 

We have seen the impact of the platform on businesses. They are using Instagram to reach new customers, recruit talent, and gain valuable insights about their business. 

With new updates like Business Profiles, Shopping, Reach, and our most recent Focus on User Experience, Instagram gave businesses more ways to connect with their customers and drive growth on the platform.

Well, you need to update your Instagram app to get a hold of every feature update on the platform.

So now let us know how to update Instagram 2021.

For Android

Step 1: Go to the play store application or the app store of your device.

Step 2: Tap on your profile picture given at the right corner of the search bar.

Step 3: Choose the first option on the drop-down list; Manage apps and devices.

Step 4: A new window will open. Now choose the second option; Updates Available.

Step 5: Scroll down and search for Instagram. Once you find its icon, tap on it.

Step 6: Now, hit the update button.

For iPhone

Step 1: Go to the app store application of the device.

Step 2: Tap on the updates option given in the bottom right corner of the screen.

Step 3: Search for the Instagram icon and tap on it.

Step 4: Tap on the update button.

Upcoming New Instagram Updates

Social media evolves quickly! There is always something ready on the table. Keeping up with these changes is crucial to beat the competition. Especially when you have a business to run, being up-to-date is the priority you need to consider.

For starters, Instagram is planning to focus on video content more. It means the upcoming new updates will more likely revolve around the video niche. Also, Facebook is launching WhatsApp pay, and Facebook pays all over the world. The possibility of having Instagram pay on the platform is not obscure.

Let us discover the new Instagram updates that are about to get live by the year 2022.

Instagram Live badge

Are you ready to face the fact that Instagram is literally paying people to go live?

Yes, you heard right! Instagram is planning to launch a feature that will help creators and influencers earn from their live sessions.

This feature is not live yet, but you can expect it by 2022.

Instagram Pay

The Facebook franchise is updating every platform they own with a payment gateway. Firstly they introduced facebook pay to support the small businessman in Facebook merchandise. Then they launched WhatsApp pay to encourage sales in the closed WhatsApp groups. Now, they are planning to introduce Instagram pay in the platform to support Instagram shops and their merchandise. 

This feature is not live yet. But the rumor is, it will launch sometime in 2022.

Link Online Shops

Have you ever felt that your personal Instagram page is getting more engagement than your merchandise Instagram page? Of course, the answer is yes! 

That is why Instagram is about to launch an update that will link your online shop to your personal page.

And with this Instagram update, say goodbye to the hassles of switching different accounts only to know the engagement stats of your online Instagram shop.

Instagram Native Affiliate Tool

Instagram is planning to launch an affiliate marketing support tool for Instagram creators and influencers. With this tool, influencers will earn a direct commission on every sale that will take place by their referral.

This tool is applicable for the products that will make the sale. The word is, native affiliate tools can be available by 2022.

Impact Of Instagram New Updates On Marketing

In marketing, promotion is a crucial factor. The aim is to reach the masses in whichever way possible. Nowadays, social media is the fastest-growing media that harnesses the attention of every class and creed of society. 

In this context, Instagram is emerging to become one of the most opted and favorite social media channels to begin your advertising journey with! The new Instagram updates have made the platform much more feasible for any marketer to create their own community.

From early 2021, Instagram has seen growth like no other platform. Its amusing essence has devised a new formula of marketing; We call it Influencer Marketing. 

With the arrival of Instagram shops, it is clear that the platform is pacing its speed to become a social media-e-commerce giant after Facebook. However, the brands on Instagram are slowly taking a different route for their product promotions.

One survey over conventional ads and influencer marketing observed that any social media ads have a probability of giving returns by 200% to 400%. On the other hand, influencer marketing on Instagram has the potential of returns by 500% to 700% compared to conventional advertising.

Let us take an example. If you invest $1 on conventional advertising, you can get $2 in return. However, if you invest $1 in influencer marketing, you can get a return ranging between $2 to $7. It is an estimated value, and the returns can vary drastically. 

But the point is, Instagram’s new updates have invented a whole new business model that can benefit both the influencer and the brand. Instagram is about to launch a native affiliate program in 2022, following this trend of influencer marketing. It will directly benefit these influencers. 

Conclusion

Instagram, the most popular social network, continues to innovate to bring more new features for users. The platform has announced a major update in the mid of 2021.

Instagram in 2022 is nothing like Instagram in 2010. Nowadays, it’s a global powerhouse with over 1 billion monthly active users and over 2 million businesses building their business accounts. That’s more than any other social network – and we’ve only just begun.

With upcoming new updates, Instagram is certifying people to exhaust every marketing tactic and get paid for them. Now these recent Instagram updates are not just making it a better social media platform where people chat with each other. But it is proving to be a marketing hub where people can promote their brands in an entertaining and sophisticated way.

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