Reach should become the focus of all metrics
For several months now, Instagram boss Adam Mosseri has been trying to convince creators to focus more on the reach of their accounts than on the number of followers. Instagram is now adjusting the metricsso that the “Views” metric is at the forefront of all analyses.
The new metric “Views” in Instagram Insights, source: socialmediatoday.com
Views will become the primary metric for all formats: Reels, Live, Photos, Carousels and Stories. This way, Instagram ensures that all creators see the same metrics and can better understand how their content is performing regardless of the format. Based on this, companies and creators can then develop strategies to achieve their goals.
The most important things about “Views” at a glance:
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The previous “Reels Plays” will be renamed “Views”
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For posts that are not Reels, Instagram adds “Views” as the primary metric
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Other metrics, such as accounts reached and interactions, will still be available and should still be considered, but some will be found in a different position
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While the “reach” metric does not take into account the multiple viewing of posts by users, the “views” metric also includes repeated playback or viewing
Why are views so important?
For some time now, Instagram users have not only been shown posts in their feed from accounts they follow. Over half of the posts that users see in their feed are content that the Instagram algorithm believes might interest the user. These AI recommendations are based on user behavior. Therefore, the question of how many views your post has received is more important than the question of who follows you.
Screenshot lock for temporary direct messages
Instagram wants to introduce a new feature that Block screenshots of temporary DMs would provide more security for senders of temporary messages.
Those: Alessandro Palluzi via X
Instagram plans to introduce screenshot blocking for all DMs exchanged in “Vanish Mode” or when the “View Once” option is enabled for images and videos.
Vanish Mode is a feature that allows users to set their messages to self-destruct as soon as the recipient leaves the chat.
The “View once” function allows the chat partner to view sent content only once.
The screenshot shown here, which shows the planned screenshot lock, was taken from the backend code of the app by the developer Alessandro Palluzi and shared via X.
Instagram already has a feature that notifies users when the recipient takes a screenshot of content that was sent in Vanish Mode or for one-time viewing. However, blocking screenshots entirely is a much safer measure that is primarily intended to protect younger generations.
Start chats from Instagram stories
Creators can now Start chatting with peoplethat they have mentioned in their own story, directly via the mention in the Instagram story. This is also possible with several people if they were all mentioned in the story. At the beginning of the private chat, the relevant story is then shared. Social media expert Radu Oncescu shared the innovation on threads:
Screenshots of the new feature, source: Radu Oncescu via Threads
It is not yet known when the function will be available to all users.
Location sharing with friends on Instagram
The Friend Map on Instagram, source: theedge.co.nz
Current Instagram is testing the new feature “Friend Map”. This is intended to enable users to see the location of their friends in a separate display area within the app.
The friend map looks similar to the map Snapchat users will be familiar with. It allows you to share text and video updates in the map based on the location where they were recorded. This map is only shared with a select group of people that users can specify. According to Meta spokesperson Christine Pai, for example, the group “close friends” can be specified for viewing, or people who follow them.
It is still unclear when the test phase will be completed and whether the Friend Map will be available to all users.
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