Instagram's New Web Search Makes Content Discovery So Much Easier
Until yesterday, when Instagram unveiled its search function for desktop, users of the social site could only perform searches on the mobile app.
Until yesterday, when Instagram unveiled its search function for desktop, users of the social site could only perform searches on the mobile app.
And it was only last month that search on the app was made really usable, allowing its 300 million active account holders to more easily explore trending tags and places.
As of now, you can fully search Instagram content by hashtag, location and account from both the Instagram.com site and the mobile app.
Does this really matter?
It does when you’re looking for great content! Or if you’re trying to connect with influencers on a topic relevant to you.
Instagram is a fantastic source of live and current content (or more specifically, imagery) on just about any subject.
Figures show that over 70 million photos and videos are shared on Instagram every day. That’s a lot of up to date stuff.
Yet until recently it has been tricky to find the most recent posts on a particular topic or event.
The new desktop function makes using Instagram for research much more accessible
For some purposes, research being one of them, using an app just isn’t as quick or user-friendly as access on a website via desktop.
With the latest addition, you can browse any topic in-depth, and work out exactly what’s trending and what’s not.
Use it as a source for blog or social media content
So now when I’m trying to find interesting, current or even real-time information for a new blog or social media post, I can delve into Instagram as one of my live sources.
Let’s say I want to look at what’s posting for Dublin (a wide topic I know, but it’s to illustrate the point). I enter the term Dublin on the search box in my web-based Instagram account, and it turns up results like these:
I’m offered a drop down menu of suggested results which include places, map location, the hashtag for Dublin, and accounts that include Dublin in the name.
If I choose the hashtag, the results page displays photos and videos divided into top and most recent posts.
Use it to find accounts, content and influencers relevant to your brand
You can also now use Instagram to find out who is saying what about the topics you need to be aware of. Maybe you need to know what your competitors are doing or saying on a topic relevant to you, or from a PR point of view you want to monitor a subject.
You could also research who the influencers on a topic are within the platform, and engage with them via the site.
Takeaway
Instagram has long been a fountain of content knowledge, but it has been difficult to access what you’re looking for. With this barrier now gone, jump in and see what you can find.
If you’d like to find out more on how you can use Instagram to engage your audience, research your field, or discuss a social media campaign, please get in touch.
Original Poste here
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