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We’ve got a string of Instagram updates to tell you about today and most of them are centered on giving the user more options as far as how their account page is presented to the wider world.
A black android smartphone on white table with Instagram account grid displayed on screen. Photo by Nathana Rebouças
First, we have an increase in the length of Reels which can now be up to 90 seconds long. Second, we have the option to import audio to Reels. Third, we’ve got another Reels addition: Stickers, namely, the ability to place them over top of the Reel. And, finally, we have the titular ability to pin pictures to your main grid on Instagram, a much-requested feature that we are surprised took this long to implement.
As we have covered on this blog multiple times in the past, Instagram is really aiming toward becoming a catch-all app for both media and eCommerce. These updates are probably part of both making content easier to access as well as transforming the account page into a kind of storefront or showcase of the best of the best which, we assume, makes transactions a lot easier on the platform.
It’s not only about selling things, either, as the app is also making it easier to connect with your favorite creators and pay them real money to continue producing content. As we said, it’s really becoming an all-in-one solution for social media but, from some perspectives, is also becoming quite bloated as a result.
Have you used some of Instagram’s newer features to present a more curated look for your account? Let us know what other features you would like to see Meta add to the app in the future in the comments below.
Kehl is our staff photography news writer since 2017 and has over a decade of experience in online media and publishing and you can get to know him better here and follow him on Insta.
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