Since barely a week goes by without an Instagram update, it can be easy to get behind. In this summary, we list the most important new features launched in 2019 to keep in mind while planning your 2020 strategy. A few of the biggest updates in 2019 included the product launch sticker, customizable story templates, and hidden likes experiment. 

eCommerce continues to grow on Instagram. The platform has slowly been releasing new features that encourage shopping in the app. This provides businesses new opportunities to get more out of their Instagram presence and posts. In October 2019 Instagram released its product launch sticker in Instagram Stories and a product launch tag option in the main feed. The two options enable users to set reminders for the item launch date, preview the product details in-stream, and then make a purchase as soon as a product becomes available. All of this can be done without being redirected off of Instagram. The hardest part of conversion on Instagram is that people don’t want to leave the app. Being able to get all the information in real-time is a game-changer for businesses. This brings impulse buying to a whole different digital level. 

Instagram provided businesses with new, customizable Story templates for Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. The pre-designed templates can be customized with color, music, and call to action effects and can be accessed via Facebook Ads Manager. This is the perfect tool for small brands looking to connect with their audience and create more relatable content. This feature is a game-changer for customizable content on stories. 

This feature will roll into 2020 but would change the platform immensely. Instagram has started its tests to hide likes on posts. Instagram's test initially began with users in Canada, before expanding to six other regions. Instagram chief Adam Mosseri says "It's about young people - the idea is to try and depressurize Instagram, make it less of a competition, give people more space to focus on connecting with people that they love, things that inspire them. But it's really focused on young people. We have to see how it affects how people feel about the platform, how it affects how they use the platform, how it affects the creator eco-system, but I've been spending a lot of time on this personally." 

Leave a comment below and let us know what you think of the 2019 Instagram updates or add more that I did not mention! At The Burnette Agency, it is our aim to tell your story through a variety of mediums, clarifying your voice and bringing overall brand awareness! Visit our website and fill out our contact form here or call us at 404.850.2081 for more information