Instagram looks like it will keep its spot as one of the top photo-sharing social networks in the world thanks to a slew of new updates announced today at Facebook's F8 Conference.The biggest update is for creators who want to share their fashion choices with followers.
No more dropping product URLs in a post's comments or personal bio: starting next week, creators will be able to directly link to products through their post images by tagging specific items.
Only participating brands will be linkable, which are listed in a company post.Instagram is getting in on fundraising, too.
Today, US users (more countries later) will be able to raise money for causes they care about by using a specific sticker that links to a donation campaign.
Instagram claims 100% of the funds will go to the chosen nonprofit; check out all the details on the Instagram post here.Finally, Instagram users will get a new camera design in the coming weeks, which rearranges all modes, new and old, into a radial dial around the shutter button.Users will also be able to share content that isn't a photo or a video.
With Create Mode, they can share "popular creative tools like effects and interactive stickers" so users can post things without needing to take a picture or shoot a video, though the details are a bit vague.There's another feature Instagram is toying with or rather, an omission.
The company is exploring hiding post 'likes' and video views while users scroll through their feed, starting with a trial in Canada, per TechCrunch.
It's not hard to see why: perhaps hiding interaction numbers will nudge users to appreciate posts on their merit, not how Insta-popular they are.