The Unofficial Chair 8 Instagram Wishlist
At this point, it’s essentially a running theme that Instagram is the worst at listening to its users.
I mean, you should hear the collective groan in our office on the day a new feature is launched on the ever-evolving platform. I can only equate it to the excited disappointment of reaching the front of an ice cream shop line only to find out that they are sold out of chocolate and only have rainbow sherbert left. (No offense to the sherbert lovers out there, but really?)
Now, are we grateful that platforms like Instagram are evolving to provide digital marketers with new ways of reaching our target audience? Of course! That’s how we push our own boundaries, stay on top of trends, and provide the best results for our clients. However, too often these new features fall short of what agencies, businesses, and really all users are wanting.
So, I decided to do a little research of my own! What new feature would you like to see on Instagram? That’s the question I asked my fellow Lifties, and here are their answers:
Grace
Let us add links to captions! We know you can do it (looking at you Facebook 👀) Not only would this help guide the user experience more intuitively, but it would also prevent the dreaded “Link In Bio” drop-off when attempting to make conversions on posts.
Likewise, let’s bring back the swipe-up feature for links in Instagram Stories. We are grateful that the link sticker update provided all accounts with the ability to link in Instagram Stories, however, these stickers can get lost in the composition of the graphic, photo, video, etc. We loved swiping up! We just wanted everyone to have it.
Hart
What if profile’s had the option for a hero banner image, specifically a video? We love seeing these on websites, Linkedin & Facebook, and it would provide yet another avenue to introduce your business and re-use that amazing content you’ve been creating for Instagram Reels!
Delaney
This has been my #1 request for years! We need the ability to share and collaborate within saved folders. Not only would this prevent me from having to dig through months of DMs to find the curry recipe my Mom sent me that one time, but it would also allow for greater collaboration amongst marketing teams. I know us Lifties would love to create a shared “Inspiration” folder where we can store all of the amazing content we see on a daily basis.
Andrea
Finally, we’d love to see the ability to select cover images for non-square photos. After all, a majority of users now prefer the portrait 1080 x 1350 image option on Instagram, and it would be great to not cut-off your friend’s head or legs when the photo appears on your profile.
Honorable Mentions:
No more sponsored posts populating on users’ personal pages (please)
More reaction options for posts. We want to laugh, cry, and thumbs down!
Add a more clear, user-friendly way to view trending Instagram Reels templates.
Instagram Shop video placements to really show off how a complex product is used.
Instagram Shop category for service-based businesses. Why shouldn’t I be able to purchase a car wash or dog daycare package on Instagram?
Repeat it with me: “No more bots. No more bots. No more bots.”
Add a “Near Me” feature, which will populate photos from local businesses within a small radius of your current position. Because, I really need to know what a restaurant’s fried pickles look like before I make a decision of where to eat!