Here Are 3 Ways Instagram Is Trying to Bury Snapchat
We get inspo for everything from style to vacation destinations on Instagram. We also love to follow celebs (and despair when they delete their accounts — and come back!) to get a peek behind the scenes. And while it’s really Snapchat that has been the leader in live video, especially with the new Spectacles, Instagram is rolling out new features to try to squash its sunny yellow competitor. Here are some of the updates that are making them some real competitors.
1. Live video. Today, Instagram announced that they are adding live video so that users can connect with their followers live and then have the videos disappear when they are done recording. To go live, just swipe right from your feed and tap “Start Live Video.” Then, you can share for up to an hour — your followers will get a notification so they can tune in. You can choose to pin a comment to the video or turn off all comments altogether.
2. Instagram Stories. This feature debuted a little while ago, but according to Instagram, it’s really taken off. Over 100 million people use Stories daily! All the skeptics are believers now, it seems.
3. Instagram Direct. While Direct itself isn’t new, now there’s a feature which allows you to send disappearing pictures and videos in messages. Swipe right and take a photo or video, then tap the arrow to send a direct message. You can choose a group (or create a new one) and you can also send to individual friends at the same time. These little gems disappear from your friends’ inboxes after they have viewed them. And you’ll even see if they hit replay it or were naughty and took a screenshot. If it sounds familiar, that’s because it is — it’s what Snapchat is known for. But if Instagram can do it in a way that’s better and more engaging, they might be able to steal Snapchat’s thunder. Maybe we’ll see InstaGlasses next?
What do you think of Instagram’s updates? Tell us @BritandCo!
(Photos via OlegShvydiuk/Getty + Sharon Mccutcheon / EyeEm)