Instagram’s New Rumored Feature Could Be Fun

Instagram could be looking to do more for advertisers than unveiling new filters, as the Facebook-owned service may soon allow users to use the picture sharing site to also book appointments with local businesses. Some of the global businesses that initially tested their ads on Instagram’s Stories were Airbnb, L’Oreal, Nike and General Motors, with positive results.

Created in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, Instagram was purchased just 2 years later in 2012 by Facebook for $1 billion. According to Bloomberg, the feature would allow the 8 million-plus businesses that use Instagram to attract customers to get more use out of the social media network. With 300 million daily users, advertising on Instagram is a bonus for businesses. Instagram head of business James Quarles says that 80% of the site’s users follow a business of some kind, making it logical to have the service shift focus to local shops and not just spring break selfies and food pics.

Some of the benefits are that business owners with an account can see when people are viewing posts, the demographics of your followers, how many people liked a post, and what their comments were. Businesses can simply convert their Instagram account to a “business account” in order to receive access to insights and analytics. According to Instagram, “By optimizing for reach, you can show your ads to the maximum number of people in your audience and control how often they see your ads.”