So excited! A few months back it was reported that Instagram was working on a range of new features to promote more advertising and brand activity on the platform, including analytics tools, the ability to buy Instagram ads via mobile and specific profiles for businesses.
Well guess what, the wait is finally over, Yay! Instagram are rolling out over the next few months these new features. The first images of the new brand pages for Instagram have been spotted, with Later.com posting images of the new profile format – or, at least, how the new brand profiles look at this stage of the testing process.
As you can see, there are a few new features:
- Prominent ‘Contact’ button
- Category listing under the brand title.
For comparison, here’s how the same profile currently looks on my phone
When you click, the ‘Contact’ option it brings up a new menu with options to either ‘Get Directions’ or ‘Email’ the business.
The option to contact the business direct finally resolves one of the major headaches for brands on the Instagram platform, with not being able to include links in your content (other than the one available in your profile space).
With Instagram giving users an immediate way to get in touch will make it easier for brands to connect with potential customers, while they also won’t have to waste any bio space on putting their e-mail address into their description (in non-linkable format).
When you click on the ‘Get Directions’ option brings up a map screen with the business location highlighted with a drop-pin.
This is also a fantastic addition which will, again, save businesses wasting their bio space on such details. The addition of a specific business address will also enable Instagram to better categorise brand pages for relevant searches and ad targeting options. You’ll also be able to get to this location screen by clicking on the location listing at the bottom of the business profile header.
And the third significant addition is the categorisation of the page, seen here immediately beneath the business name field.
This is another great tool for Instagram to use in categorising each business for search, with a view to streamlining the connection process for people looking for specific products and/or services while also helping users quickly see what the brand page is about.
Instagram’s has confirmed that the new business tools are being tested with a small group of users, with a full roll out expected within the next few months. The changes could have a significant impact on how brands interact on the platform, and could also play a part in how brand content is filtered within the coming Instagram algorithm.
So how do you get the new brand profiles?
As noted, the tools are already being rolled out to some users in Australia, New Zealand and the US, with other regions to follow.
At present, selected users (those with their Instagram account connected to their Facebook business Page) are getting notifications like the below, prompting them to switch to the new business profile.
You can also make the switch via the ‘Options’ menu, with a new ‘Switch to Business Account’ function in the ‘Account’ settings.
The new Instagram brand profiles will likely be hitting your timelines soon, so keep a look out!
