Today I will talk about top new Instagram features update expected to launch in 2021. Instagram is always working to bring up updates that can help Brands, Creators and users.

Based on my research, I could pull out information that is genuine and can help you stay updated as a creator. Brand or user. The features which I will cover in this blog may be available in some region.

I scrape most of the data from Android developer Alessandro Paluzzi. So, lets begin.

New Instagram Features update in 2021

Instagram Affiliate & New Shop feature

The Affiliate shop Instagram feature will help creators to earn more as a creator. Instagram has always been supportive for creators and they want them to make their living as a creator on Instagram.

Creators have always used Instagram shop to share the product they love with their fans. As you know, Creators are always trusted by their fans who are influenced by what creators recommend but at this point they do not earn for recommending. However, they may collaborate with Brands and charge fees for reviewing and recommending Brands product to their Fans.

Instagram showed its support to creators and recently announced the Affiliate & New shop feature. Now creators can tag products of the Brands they work with or use shops if they have their own product but that is not it. Instagram wants their creators to earn from the product they recommend with the help of Instagram native Affiliate tool.

This Instagram native tool which will be in testing from July 2021 will allow creators to discover new product that allow checkout on Instagram itself.

Instagram will allow creators to share the product with their audience and earn commissions on each sales.

We expect this native affiliate tool to launch globally by the end of this year.

Affiliate will test with a small group of US-based creators and businesses including Benefit, Kopari, MAC, Pat McGrath Labs and Sephora, and will expand to more partners in the future.

Facebook

Trending Reels on Instagram

Instagram recently rolled out this new Instagram feature. This feature actually pulls out Instagram creators reels based on trending music around a region. Good thing is if you make reels around trending musics your content will have good chance to be visible on Instagram trending.

Create Post from Desktop

Today there is no option of publishing post from desktop on instagram.com. Later this year you may be able to create post from desktop as well. This feature is being tested internally by Instagram and can be announced anytime by Instagram.

However, there are already option to publish post to your Instagram using Creator studio and Facebook Business suite. But the desktop version is basically the replica of the mobile version of creating post.

Ability to drag and drop image or videos:

Instagram Reels and Instagram Live Insights

This new Instagram feature was announced recently. With these insights, you will be able to view data which you could see in the normal posts if your Instagram account is creator or Brand. With this feature in reels you will see Reach, Plays, likes. Comments, saves and shares.

Instagram has launched new detailed information about Reach in Account Insights. With these Insights creators will be able to understanding more about how their content is being distributed, creators will see new breakdowns that provide transparency into which types of accounts they are reaching and which content formats are the most effective at driving Reach.

You now get access to professional insight dashboard

See real insights on your reels, available for creators and brand accounts.

Instagram Story Draft

Instagram seems to work on the story draft since last three months, and this feature will also turn out to be helpful for many creators, users and Social Media Managers. Adam Mosseri who is the head of Instagram tweeted about the story draft almost 3 months back. You may expect the update anytime.

Instagram Reshare sticker

This feature allows you to browse your favourite post, saved post to share on your story. In many Instagram accounts the \”Share the post on Story\” is not available. You can just tap on share and then come to the story and search Reshare. When you tap on reshare you will see the post that you wanted to share in the story.

Right now we have to tap on the share button to share the post on story, but with this feature you will see all your favourite, saved or personal posts at one place.

Press and hold to follow from other Accounts

They recently added this feature to Instagram but not much of us might not know this. With press and hold to follow, you will follow one account from all your other accounts. However, you will be able to follow from max 5 account at a time.

Do comment about how this feature will be helpful to you.

Reply on Reels with Video

It is found that Instagram is working on reply with with Reel. You may soon be able to reply to someone with reel video.

Right now we donot see such option on Instagram reply. We may have to wait for this feature.

Share reels to Story as Sticker Like Post

Instagram is developing this feature where you can share a reel as sticker like post. Right now if we have to move the reels we have to do the resizing as well, but with this feature you will be allowed to move the reel without resizing.

#Instagram is working on the possibility of sharing a reel in a Story as a sticker like posts 👀

ℹ️ This will allow you to move the sticker without resizing it. pic.twitter.com/Ulls8CeOBz

— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) May 12, 2021

Prompt Instagram Sticker

This prompt sticker will allow you to share a prompt with attachment. I will add once more to this when I get the information.

Change Reels Cover After Publishing

I know it’s frustrating when you get views but want to change the cover and can’t. But not anymore, as the upcoming feature update will help to change the cover even after you have published the reels.

Pre message notification

We have seen pre-added messages on Facebook Messenger, now you may see a pre added message on Instagram as well when a user is about to send a message. This will actually help in letting the user know before they text you as shown in the image below. This will be helpful for Brands handling more than hundreds of queries manually.

Schedule Live Video

Instagram keeps working on the Live Schedule, you may soon be able to schedule your live sessions with your fans by adding title and time when you are going live. The live can be scheduled to up to 90 days. It is expected that it will be same as YouTube premier schedule, users may be allowed to tap on remind me and Instagram may remind you some time before the live event is taken place

Swipe up Link will adapted as Sticker on Instagram

As some of you may know about the link sticker, but you may not know that it is expected that the swipe up link will be sticker. You may not be able to use this sticker until you have 10K followers. But let’s wait for this sticker to launch in the Future.

Swipe up link will be stickers

IGTV Ads

As you know, Instagram recently rolled out IGTV Ads on few countries. This feature is infact will help creators and Brands.

This is in fact brilliant news for Instagram creators who will now be able to monetise their IGTV channel. Instagram creators could also earn from shops, Live badges, and Brand collaboration earlier.

Instagram recently announced Live Shopping, which will let creators and brands tag products during their live videos. And over the coming months Instagram will expand shopping access to more creators who want to sell their own merchandise. Instagram is also expanding access to Brand Collabs Manager, which helps creators find potential brand partners.

However, the video monetisation option was only available to creators on Facebook, who could opt to monetise their video content and articles on Facebook if they meet the Facebook monetisation requirement.

If you are working for a brand or are a brand, it will help you positively and should know everything about IGTV Ads

Final Thoughts

The above listed features are not yet confirmed by Instagram, but you may expect this update soon.