Instagram has announced new designs in Explore tab allowing you to discover more photos, videos, products, and stories. The updated Explore tab has brought a new navigation bar with fast access to common features and tasks. Since its launch, IGTV has been struggling to make its mark, even after making it first in the new navigation bar. This navigation bar features shortcuts to Shopping along with other channels such as Food, Art, Travel, etc. In other words, navigation bar can be customized according to your interest.
Instagram wants to provide a more immersive experience so that people can engage with content, be more specific, about what they want to discover. Now on Explore grid, you will get to see auto-playing stories clips. Tapping on one will play the story and swiping will show more similar stories on the same topic. This will help influencers and artists to reach out to more people and gain more followers.
IGTV and Shopping
IGTV and Shopping are the most important features of the company. These shortcuts are pinned to Instagram navigation bar, therefore, making it easier to find products and videos of your interest. In addition, this shortcut of IGTV on the navigation bar will let you browse recommended videos from creators you follow. Tapping on the ‘Shop’ in the navigation bar allows you to browse specific types of products on Instagram such as clothing, beauty, and home decor.
Instagram Stories
Over 500 million people use Instagram stories every day. Explore recommends the posts based on the topics you are interested in. The grid will now provide you with personalized stories recommendations. Instagram is going to roll out this feature in the coming weeks. More than half of the accounts on Instagram use Explore every month, in other words, it is the most important step for Explore.
Amount of data posted on Instagram every day, Explore surfaces the content which is more relevant to you. As stories are an integral part of Instagram, Explore will make stories reach even greater audiences. It is designed to help people discover the contents, of the people, they don’t follow. Social media wants you to use and see more of the stories.
Instagram and Businesses
This could be beneficial for businesses to boost sales that sell Instagrammable products. For businesses, in order to be eligible to have their products tagged, they need to be a part of Instagram’s Checkout beta. Checkout feature lets you shop for products without redirecting, to the third-party website, as well as Shopping in Stories and Shopping Collections. Initially, Instagram is rolling out product tags to a small group of prominent influencers. Both the influencers and artists will receive performance insights into their shopping posts.
In conclusion, Instagram is trying to make Explorer even better with new ways to discover, and a better place to connect with your interests.