If you’re a frequent Instagram user like us, you may have noticed that there are some layout changes and new features on the app. Keeping up with social media trends and changes are an essential part of boosting your online presence and being able to meaningfully connect with your target audience.
In this post, we’re going to take a look at all of the Instagram updates that happened in September 2020, so let’s get started!
1. Reels and Shops tabs tested on the home screen
Instagram is now testing three versions of the home screen that add shortcuts for the Reels and Shop tabs. They are slightly different from each other and feature different placements of the “+” button for new posts, the notifications button, and the search bar.
They also changed the toolbar on the bottom of the screen to include new shortcuts for the reels (the one with a video icon) and shop (the one with the shopping bag icon) tabs.
Although Instagram launched reels in august to compete with TikTok’s success, they weren’t included in the app’s layout until this update.
2. New in-app checkout for the U.S.
Instagram is prioritizing in-app purchases and checkout. Powered by Facebook Pay, this new feature allows eligible businesses and creators to create a sort of storefront inside the app.
Creators can also tag the products in their posts to drive on-platform sales further. Live Shopping is also now coming to Instagram, which allows people to purchase items that they’re viewing from a Live in real-time.
This can all be managed from the Commerce Manager or through an integration with partners like BigCommerce or Shopify.
3. Automatic Closed Captions Coming for IGTV Videos
Closed captions are an incredible asset to social media videos (and marketing videos in general!). They allow you to connect with your target audience much more effectively and make your content more accessible for people with hearing disabilities.
Now, automatic closed captions are going to IGTV videos. When you upload your video, you’ll be able to choose to use “auto-generated captions” by enabling a toggle bar quickly. Although this tool isn’t 100% accurate, it sure helps increase accessibility overall.
Another way to make your content more accessible is by adding alternative text to your image posts, so people with screen readers can know what the post is about.
