Instagram has launched a new feature, and it could provide clues as to where the social network is headed in the future.
Once Instagram had grown as a “photo platform”. With the acquisition by Facebook (now Meta), the great onslaught on social media competition began. Popular functions of the competitors have been successfully copied or the entire orientation has been adapted. Now the introduction of story likes has started on Instagram. TECHBOOK reveals how you can use the function and what that means for Instagram.
This is how the story like works
Today, many users may have seen the following message on their smartphone:
While it was previously only possible to react to Instagram Stories using “Quick Reactions”, this is now also possible with a Like. Just click on the newly added heart in the bottom right corner of the story.
In contrast to the well-known reactions with emojis, the story likes on Instagram do not appear in the private messages of the other person. Rather, you get a message in the activities. So just like when someone likes a picture from the feed.
Is Instagram focusing more on stories again?
Instagram-Veterans will vaguely remember a time before Instagram Stories existed. Competitor Snapchat popularized the concept of videos or images that automatically disappear after 24 hours in the 2010s. Snapchat hit like a bomb, especially in the USA. Instagram followed suit and established the function quickly and successfully.
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With the current move, Instagram seems to want to increase the focus on Instagram Stories. Most recently, the focus was on reels, i.e. upright videos up to a maximum of one minute. Insta was reacting to the huge competition from TikTok, which is particularly popular with the younger target group. But stories and reels are not mutually exclusive. But what is becoming increasingly clear: simply posting pictures seems to be losing importance.