Instagram is among the biggest social media platforms for ecommerce marketing. It offers several methods for brands and marketers to reach customers and advertise products. Similarly, users can easily shop from their favorite brands and proceed to checkout without leaving the app. No wonder more than 200 million businesses and shoppers use the platform. Brands and marketers can get even more from the platform by keeping an eye on new features. The following are seven new Instagram features businesses should try to increase engagement, leads, and customers in 2023.

1. Stand out with a professional dashboard

Instagram first announced the “Professional Dashboard” feature in January 2021. However, it’s only recently that everyone can use it. This dashboard is a central place for businesses to track performance and discover professional tools on the platform. Plus, you can access account analytics with just a single click. Ensure your Instagram account is set to a business account to access this feature.

2. Drive engagement with “Add Yours” stickers

The “Add Yours” feature allows creators to create a photo prompt and invite their fans and followers to share similar photos in the thread. The feature allows you to add a sticker to your stories posts to make it easier to invite users to share their stories. This is similar to the other stickers, as other users can click on it to interact. The best part is Instagram rewards creators whose “Add Yours” stories stand out and get high reposts.

3. Up your “Reels” game with Templates and Duals

Instagram reels are how people create some of the most exciting content on the platform. They drive engagement and often get twice as much traffic compared to photos. Additionally, Instagram heavily promotes “reels” content in both users feeds and on the Explore page. Utilize “Reels” templates to get started quickly on building your campaigns. Options will show when you use the reels creation tool and click “Use Template.”

4. Keep the conversations going with chatbots

Keeping up with conversations is a challenge every Instagram marketer experiences. Replying to more comments and direct messages guarantees increased conversions. However, replying to tens or hundreds of thousands of comments each day is impossible because of human capital shortages. One way to get around this problem is to create an approved third-party Instagram chatbot. The chatbot can be programmed to respond to specific comments, such as when a certain word is used. Then the marketer can scroll and respond to any more detailed questions or comments quickly.

5. Scheduling and Countdown features build anticipation

Instagram recently added two perfect ways to build anticipation and tease your audience about upcoming content. First, you can use the countdown timer in your Stories. The “Countdown” option shows up in the stickers tab when posting a photo or video to your Stories. Another way to build anticipation is by scheduling live broadcasts and promoting them in advance.

6. Have you tried “Explore” Ads?

The “Explore” page has become a popular destination among Instagram users as it allows them to easily discover exciting products and content. It’s also where users go to discover a new creator or brand. Savvy brands can tap into this discovery mindset to introduce their audiences to new impressions and experiences via product ads. Explore ads appear as full-screen videos between regular reels.

7. Instagram subscriptions as a new revenue channel

Finally, Instagram creators, brands, and marketers can profit significantly from the platform’s subscription feature. This isn’t a new feature. However, Instagram has recently added several subscription opportunities for businesses to consider. One option is “Subscriber Chats” which allows marketers to invite subscribers to a group chat, thus directly interacting with paying fans. “Subscriber Reels” on the other hand allows marketers to post reels to subscribers only. Finally, marketers can set up a “Subscribers’ Home” where subscribers can access all premium content.

Summary

Instagram continually develops valuable features to help the business community better engage their audiences and monetize their products. Of course, you don’t have to employ all of them, but some can make a big difference. Try out these seven features today, and see how your engagement and conversions improve.

Written by: Troy Rumfelt