How to Use Instagram’s Newest Features as a Writer
Learn about 4 new features and how they can help you get more readers
Instagram has made a lot of changes lately, and as a writer looking to get more readers and sell more books, there are many creative ways you can use them. In this article, we will review the four new features as well as strategies you can start using today.
Photo by Tom Rogerson on Unsplash
1.) Collaborations
Have you tried the new Collaboration feature yet? It’s pretty cool!
On October 19, Instagram announced the new feature. You can now add another account as a collaborator on a post and both of your account names will show up at the top of the post and your post will get access to both audiences and engagement!
I recently tried this out with my new poetry membership, as you can see in the example below. If you have multiple accounts, this is just one example of how you can use this new feature to grow the smaller account.
Example of an Instagram Collaboration
But, there are many other ways to use this as a writer! Here are a few ideas:
Collaborate with other writers in your genre.
You could both:
Promote both of your books in a post.
Make a carousel post where you both share a quote or excerpt from a book or piece you’re writing. You’ll both get access to each other’s audiences to get your book in front of new readers.
Write a short story or poem together and share it with your followers.
Collaborate with your readers or most engaged followers. This would be a great way to recognize your most loyal readers while boosting engagement.
Share a review a reader left on your book.
Share fan art a reader made.
These are just a handful of ideas, but the possibilities are endless.
To add another account as a collaborator, start a new post on Instagram. Pick your photos/videos, and when you get to the page where you add a caption, click “Tag people”. There is now an option to add a collaborator.
Once you select your collaborator and publish your post, the other account will get a notification to accept the collaboration. Then, the post will show up on both feeds.
Inviting a collaborator on Instagram
2.) Instagram Video
The next Instagram update is Instagram Video. Yes, video has been around for quite some time on the platform, but Instagram recently did away with IGTV, and renamed both IGTV videos and regular feed videos to one video type called Instagram Video. (Very original, I know.)
This brings both types of video into one tab on your profile. The update also allows for 60-second video previews on the feed, so viewers can watch more of your video before having to click to “keep watching.” This keeps more people on the feed so they can keep scrolling when they’re done watching your video.
Video content is a really great, engaging way to spice up your profile. Here are a few video suggestions to incorporate:
About you
Why you wrote your book (or why you’re a writer)
Behind the scenes tour of your writing space
Behind the scenes of your writing process
Tips related to your genre/industry (think about what would be helpful for your target audience!)
If you’re not already, challenge yourself to do a video this week. It’s okay to be casual and unscripted, although you might find it useful to create a quick outline to guide you.
3.) Scheduled Lives
Do you do Instagram live streams? They are another great way to engage your audience and speak directly to your most loyal readers. Now, you can schedule Lives and incorporate reminders into your regular feed posts.
This update will help you get more viewers to your live streams because your followers can set reminders for themselves and will be notified when you go live.
Here are a few ways to use Scheduled Lives:
Launching a new book or project? Host a scheduled virtual launch party to answer questions about your new project.
Start a scheduled series where you go live and answer questions or talk about your progress with your current writing project. Your readers will know when to expect updates from you, and will want to join and hear where you are.
Remember, you can post live streams to your profile after it ends, or you can keep it exclusive and tell your readers that they’ll only hear the details if they attend live!
Here’s how to schedule a live stream:
Go to your Story tab, and click Live on the bottom.
On the left of the screen is a calendar icon. Click that icon.
How to schedule an Instagram live stream
Next, you’ll be prompted to enter a title and the date and time of your live stream. After clicking Schedule Live Video, you’re done! You can choose to share a post that links to your scheduled live (so that your followers can set a reminder) or you can skip that part.
How to schedule an Instagram live stream
How to schedule an Instagram live stream
4. Links in bio under 10k
This is a big one for many people, and I’m sure you’ve heard the news by now if you use Instagram regularly.
A few weeks ago, Instagram shared that accounts under 10,000 followers can now include links in their Instagram Stories. This means you can link your followers directly to your website, blog, book page, etc. without directing them to your bio link.
This is great news for smaller creators and writers who can now see who is engaging with their links in their stories. You can determine who is most interested in your content and get more traffic to the places you want your followers to go!
Keep in mind: Instagram typically rolls out new features in phases. (I would know — I’m still without Reels and it’s been more than a year since they were launched!)
If you don’t see some of these features in your account yet, they should be coming soon. Make sure your app is updated and your device is updated. Then, cross your fingers and hope you get them soon!
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