Instagram Update: New features for creators on Instagram

Not long after the ‘hiding likes’ feature was created, Instagram announced a new feature that would serve as good news for influencers. Instagram describes the new feature as a “new way to help creators make a living as they build their brands across our platforms”. 

So what are these new features and how can they help influencers as well as brands?  ‍

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1. Instagram Affiliate

In the coming month, Instagram will be testing a native affiliate tool that allows creators to discover new products available on checkout, share them with their followers and earn commissions for the purchases they drive.

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Testing will be done with a small group of US creators and businesses including Benefit, Kopari, MAC, Pat McGrath Labs, and Sephora first and will expand to more creators and businesses in the future. 

The creator’s affiliate posts featuring tagged products are expected to be easily identified by the "commission eligible" notification at the top (under the creator's name). The new feature also provides new ways for users to shop directly from creators and reward creators who share their products through the brand.

This feature can help both the influencer and the brand. For influencers, the new feature shows the approximate commission for collaboration with brands. This makes it easier for influencers to have a better understanding of the commission rate when collaborating with the brands. For brands, adding a direct link to brand products from influencer content will increase the inflow of users to branded product purchase pages.

2. Creator Shops

Instagram announced new features for creators who have their own product lines as well. The new feature, creator shops, helps creators to display their products and sell them to their followers directly not only through their business accounts but also from their personal accounts. This feature can be used globally from June 8th, 2021. 

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Kacey Musgraves, an American singer-songwriter, commented on this new feature, in a statement provided by Instagram, that "One of the good aspects of Instagram is its ability to continue to connect with people around the world to form a tight community. Now, if I add my own store to my profile, fans can find all the fun things I'm constantly dreaming of in the app smoothly," 

3. Instagram Live Badges

Lastly, Instagram added a badge to Instagram Live so that creators can engage directly with their fans. This feature has been continuously improved to increase profitability, including the addition of supporters' function to purchase multiple badges on Instagram Live, testing fans to send stars from recorded content, and expanding stars to nine new markets.

Instagram Live Badges feature paved the way for creators to make more money if they set certain milestones with badges. Instagram creators will be able to receive additional payments if they meet certain milestones while using badges live, such as going Live under different accounts.

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While this function serves as an additional revenue source for influencers, it also acts as other metrics to measure influencers' engagement.

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Conclusion

Through this Instagram update, it is clear that Instagram is moving into the e-commerce space with a tool that financially supports creators and is committed to helping them achieve their goals. That said, Instagram’s new features will increase the importance of social media marketing and brands will have to be aware of app updates and trends in order to get the full benefit of it.

Want to know more about Instagram updates and how it affects influencers and brands? Visit our blog to see more information on Influencer marketing through Instagram!