Instagram announced on Friday that it is adding a few new features to Stories to provide users with more inventive ways to share content and interact with one another. Most significantly, the social network is launching a new “Reveal” function that allows you to publish a secret story that your followers may find by sending you a direct message. Instagram is also releasing new tools that enable you to use Stories to showcase memories and share your favorite tunes.
To use the new reveal feature, press the sticker symbol when building a story and select “Reveal.” Next, the system will prompt you to write a clue about your hazy narrative. Once you publish your story, only friends’ DMs will allow them to see the material.
Though the function might be a great way to strike up a discussion with a buddy, authors would find Reveal particularly helpful since it would increase interaction for their stories. Instagram claims that you don’t need to approve every direct message for your story to appear, relieving artists from the burden of sifting through hundreds of them.
In addition, Instagram is introducing a new “Add Your Music” sticker for Stories that enables users to post a song that best captures their mood and invites their followers to the same. The function expands upon Instagram’s “Add yours” sticker, which lets users add their own stories to those of others in response to a challenge or theme.
Users may also watch a virtual Polaroid created from a picture by shaking their phone using the new “Frames” feature (click the “Shake to reveal” option if you don’t want to shake your phone). Stories typically convey details about your current activities, but this new feature resembles a nostalgic post.
When you choose a picture to highlight, the Frames sticker will instantly include the date and time of the shot. Another option is to caption a virtual Polaroid.
“Cutouts,” a further new feature, allows users to create a personalized sticker from a portion of any video or image on their camera roll to add to a story or reel. Similar functionality to Apple’s image cutout tool allows you to “pick up” an item from a picture or video with a single finger tap.
Instagram announced on Tuesday that it is modifying its ranking algorithms to better showcase material from independent, smaller producers, coinciding with the launch of the new tools. Instagram is removing content aggregators from its recommendations and substituting original material for reposts. The declaration came after months of criticism from authors who said the algorithm had hurt their reach.
