Do I talk about Instagram too much? I feel like lately, I might be.
But here’s the thing; Instagram is blowing up, especially over this last year. They recently hit 600 million active monthly users, and they continue to update the platform with new features it seems, every month.
If you’ve not updated your app recently, Instagram Live is now available to everyone. I was delighted to learn this last week, though I’ve not yet had time to try my first live video.
To access Instagram Live video, just swipe right from your main Instagram screen and you’ll see you now have 4 options there: Live, Instagram Stories, Boomerang, and Hands-Free.
Just remember: Instagram Live is only live while you’re broadcasting, unlike Facebook, where, after you’ve finished, it adds the video to your timeline so people can watch it after the fact. Check out this article from Buffer for all you need to know about Instagram’s Live feature.
Hands-free is relatively new feature as well. It allows you to hit the button, then it automatically records 10 seconds of video before turning off. You no longer need to be holding the button down the entire time you record.
Last month, Instagram’s upgrade was to add seasonal stickers, geolocation and things like time and temperature. Sound like another app you know???
Finally, I wanted to share with you a couple of really great Instagram resources I’ve come across lately.
The first is an e-book/guide to marketing with Instagram called The Instagram Marketing Guide for E-Commerce Business. It’s packed with tons of information and tips. And oh yeah, it’s free!
Secondly, give this article, How to Integrate Social Media Into Your Website to Increase Your Ecommerce Sales from PhotoSlurp a quick read.
I’ll be back later in the week with a great Instagram tool I’ve been playing with over the last couple of months, and want to introduce you to.
