These 3 new Instagram functions are Stories and Live more extensive

 

App gets new ways to communicate

The social photo medium announces an update on their blog that mainly adds new ways to communicate with your followers and friends. The functions are intended for Instagram Stories and Live, which are already very successful and popular parts of the app. Android Planet tells you what new features you can expect.

1. Music as an answer to questions in Stories

It has been possible for some time to place a box in Verhalen where people can ask questions. You can then answer these in the following Stories. From now on it is also possible to respond to questions with a song from the music library.

Ideal if you want to ask your followers or friends for new music, or want to know which song best fits the moment in your Story. As soon as you respond to someone via a question sticker, you will now also see a music icon. If you tap here, you can choose a number to answer.

 

If someone responds to your question with a song, you can play them in advance to listen. If you then want to share your favorite track, you can take a photo or video in which the music will play automatically.

You can also find new camera effects under the heading ‘Music’. For example, these filters move to the rhythm of the song. Unfortunately, the possibility to add music to your Stories is not yet available in the Netherlands. It is possible that this will soon roll out, now that the music function has been expanded.

2. Questions in Live

One of the most important new features for people watching or recording live videos on Instagram is ‘Questions in Live’. When your favorite influencer or pop star will soon hold a Q & A, questions from viewers will be shown a lot more clearly.

First there was an endless stream of reactions from people on live stream. Moreover, these reactions were difficult to read and quickly disappeared in the event of crowds. Often a question sticker is placed in Stories before a question-and-answer conversation on Instagram.

If that person then goes live, they will see an overview of all questions in the form of stickers. By tapping on it, the question also appears on the viewer’s screen, until a new one is selected. This way you will know much more quickly what someone is talking about when you switch on later, or do not pay attention during a live stream.

You also send in new questions during the livestream by going back to the question sticker of that person in Verhalen. In addition, it is possible to share photos and videos with your followers during a live stream. Instagram hopes to make the Live function much more interactive.

3. Countdown sticker

Finally, a new sticker has been added to use in your Stories: the countdown sticker. Set here a moment where you want to count down, and the timer continues to run. It is possible to count down to a certain date, but also until a certain time in the future.

You can not count down further than a year from now. You can add a photo or video and choose the widget ‘countdown’ with the stickers. After you’ve created a certain markdown, it will remain available to post in multiple stories.

Your friends can share and follow these too, until it ends. Everyone who follows or has shared the ticker will receive a notification. You will undoubtedly see this sticker on New Year’s Eve or the Friday afternoon.

Update gradually available

The update with new Live and Stories functions will be rolled out gradually by Instagram in the coming days. Download the most recent version of Instagram to get started.

→ Download Instagram in the Play Store (free)