Welcome to the second part of our comprehensive 2023 guide on the 35 Instagram features every marketer must master. In this section, we’ll delve further into essential tools and techniques that will empower you to unlock the full potential of Instagram for your marketing strategies.
From engaging with your audience to boosting your brand’s visibility, let’s explore the must-know features that will take your marketing game to new heights on the ever-evolving Instagram platform.
Instagram Story features
Instagram Story captions
Using captions is a timeless method to enhance your Instagram Story game. They offer the opportunity to overlay text, emojis, and tags onto the photo, Reel, or post you wish to share.
Instagram Story highlights
IG Stories vanish within 24 hours of being posted, but there’s a way to preserve them – Story Highlights. By creating Story Highlights, you can “pin” and conveniently access noteworthy or informative Stories at the top of your profile.
Instagram Story links
To incorporate a link to any website in your IG Story, utilize the “Link” sticker. Simply copy and paste the web link into the designated field. The sticker will automatically showcase the website’s name, but if you desire personalization, click on “Customize sticker text” and input your preferred text, such as “CLICK HERE,” “READ MORE,” or “SHOP NOW,” to make it uniquely yours.
Interactive Story stickers
In addition to links, Instagram offers Story stickers that enable users to interact with your content without leaving the app. These interactive stickers encompass polls, quizzes, and questions, providing a fantastic way to engage with your audience, gather opinions, and generate fresh ideas.
Add yours
Among Instagram’s newer sticker options, the “Add yours” sticker presents exciting possibilities for sharing content. This sticker allows anyone on the platform to partake in a photo-sharing challenge based on a specific prompt, such as “Your June so far,” “Family photo,” or “Design inspo, please.”
These sticker prompts can become immensely popular, attracting hundreds of thousands of users who join in the fun, using them as an opportunity to share their photos.
Instagram Story shopping
Here’s another type of clickable sticker on Instagram: you can add direct links to products in your Instagram Shop, making it easy for viewers to learn more about the products and, of course, make purchases.
Instagram Reel features
Edit Reels
Instagram features every Marketer must master include a wide range of native tools for editing Reels, providing comprehensive capabilities to enhance your content. Seamlessly clip videos together, crop footage, incorporate text and music, apply entertaining transitions, and much more with these powerful editing features.
Unleash your creativity and captivate your audience with professionally crafted Reels that showcase your brand’s personality and message. With Instagram’s editing tools at your fingertips, creating engaging and shareable Reels has never been easier. Elevate your storytelling game and make a lasting impact with these essential Instagram features!
Remix
The Remix feature on Instagram allows users to create Reels that incorporate photos or videos posted by other users. It’s an excellent way to produce reaction videos, provide engaging comments on existing posts, show support for fellow users, and even perform duets.
Reel templates
Editing Instagram Reels can be a hassle, especially when using IG’s in-app program. However, there are free alternative solutions available. Reel templates offer a user-friendly approach to crafting excellent videos. These templates automatically clip your selected videos to fit a specific time frame, often syncing them to the beat of a particular song, resulting in a perfectly edited video within seconds.
To use a Reel’s template, simply tap on “Use template,” located above the account name on the Reel.
Reply to a comment with a Reel
If someone comments on your Reel, you have the option to reply with a Reel that incorporates that specific comment. It’s an awesome way to interact with your audience and leverage the content you’ve already created.
To reply with a Reel, select the comment you wish to reply to and click on “Reply.” Instead of typing your response as usual, tap the camera icon. This will take you to the Reels creation page, where the comment you’re replying to will appear as a sticker on your Reel.
Captions
To maximize the accessibility of your Reel, consider adding captions. Captioning the audio in your Reels is beneficial for individuals who may have difficulty hearing and even for those who prefer to watch Reels without sound (for instance, while their partner sleeps beside them).
Thankfully, Instagram offers automatic captioning for your convenience (Hallelujah). Simply tap the sticker button and select “Captions.” While IG’s transcription might not always be perfect, you can edit each word manually by tapping on the text. Moreover, you have the option to change the font of the captions using the available options at the bottom of your screen.
Instagram shopping features
Product tags
Product tags are a fantastic asset for retailers on Instagram (and a dream come true for online shopaholics). This shopping feature empowers businesses to showcase their products online, while providing consumers with a seamless opportunity to make direct in-app purchases.
Instagram Checkout
Speaking of effortless in-app shopping, that’s precisely what Instagram Checkout offers. This convenient feature makes the shopping experience unbelievably simple.
Instagram Wishlist
If impulse buying isn’t your style (brag alert), fear not; you can add products to your Instagram Wishlist. Simply tap the little ribbon icon next to the product. To access your saved items, click on the three horizontal lines in the top right corner of the IG shopping screen and navigate to Saved Products.
For businesses selling products, knowing about the Wishlist feature is valuable as it can be used as a call to action in your posts (“Save this to your summer Wishlist”).
Hidden Instagram features
See archived Stories
Among the Instagram features every marketer must master are Instagram Stories, which have the unique characteristic of vanishing after 24 hours, presenting both a blessing and a curse. However, there is a solution to preserve them for later use.
Marketers can access their own Instagram Story archive by tapping the three horizontal lines at the top right, then selecting Archive. This valuable feature proves particularly useful when reviewing quiz or poll results that are saved in the Stories archive, providing valuable insights into audience engagement and preferences.
See all the posts you’ve liked on Instagram
To view all your liked posts on Instagram in one convenient location, visit your profile page and tap the three horizontal lines in the top right corner. Then, select “Your activity.”
From there, you’ll have access to all the posts you’ve liked, commented on, been tagged in, and even your sticker responses on IG Stories. You can also sort these activities by date, making it easy to check if you voted “yes” or “no” to the whipped coffee trend in April 2020.
Instagram Story tags (after posting)
Have you ever posted an Instagram Story and later realized you forgot to tag someone? Well, now you can retroactively mention them in your IG Story. This means they can share it with their followers, instantly expanding the reach of your content.
To tag someone in an Instagram Story after it has been posted, follow these simple steps: Open the Story, tap the three dots in the bottom right corner, and select “Add Mentions.” Type in the handles of the account(s) you want to tag, and you’re all set.
Instagram features are indispensable tools that every marketer must master to thrive in today’s competitive digital landscape. With its massive user base and visually captivating content, Instagram provides unparalleled opportunities for brands to engage with their target audience. Key features like Instagram Stories, Reels, and Shopping offer dynamic ways to showcase products, drive interaction, and boost sales.
Embracing user-generated content fosters authenticity and trust, building strong connections with followers. Continuous monitoring of analytics helps marketers refine strategies for optimal results. By harnessing the full potential of these essential Instagram features, marketers can effectively elevate their brand presence, foster brand loyalty, and drive business growth.