Instagram is one social media platform that is evolving at a rate of knots. Remember when all you could do on Instagram was share oversaturated images of your food? (Love you, Lo-Fi filter.)

Now the social network lets you do everything from broadcasting to your followers to creating your own stickers with AI, with a host of new features only hitting the Meta-owned app in the last few months.

If you’re happy with tried-and-tested photo and video sharing, that’s all well and good, but I’d encourage you to step out of your comfort zone. The Instagram algorithm loves early adopters of its new features.

Making the most of them will help you reach previously untapped corners of your audience or reengage followers. A great example of this is how Notes updates will appear at the top of your followers’ inboxes (but more on this below).

In this article, I’ll unpack everything you need to know about Instagram’s latest features and give you a step-by-step guide to using them all. Here’s what you can expect to learn about:

  1. Broadcast Channels
  2. Collab posts with more friends
  3. Insights on desktop
  4. Meta Verified
  5. Music on carousels
  6. Notes
  7. Reels templates
  8. AI stickers
  9. Photo stickers

Broadcast Channels

This is one of Instagram’s most popular new features among creators and brand accounts — with good reason. Broadcast Channels, which hit apps in February 2023, offer you a chance to send mass updates to followers who have opted in. 

Creating a Broadcast Channel (only available to those with an Instagram Creator account) will allow you to send text, photos, videos, voice notes, and even polls to your followers who have joined the channel. Broadcast Channels offer a unique way of sharing launches, big announcements, and company news, or just fostering a deeper sense of connection between you and your followers. 

A great example of this is how the trainers behind the Sweat app helped users stay accountable in their 12-week challenge by creating a Broadcast Channel for each program and trainer. The trainers sent encouraging messages, voice notes, and videos, and included polls to make the channels more interactive. 

Below are examples from @kelseywells and @kayla_itsines.

We have an in-depth guide to creating your own Instagram Broadcast Channel and how to use it (with screenshots), so do head over there if you’re going to take the plunge. Here’s a high-level overview of how to get set up:

How to create an Instagram Broadcast Channel

  1. Tap the message icon at the top right of your Instagram app.
  2. Tap the new message icon on the top right.
  3. Choose ‘Create broadcast channel’. From here, you’ll be able to enter a channel name, choose an audience, specify an end date, and choose whether or not to show your channel on your profile. 
  4. Once you’ve chosen your settings, tap ‘Create broadcast channel’ at the bottom. Your chosen audience will get an invite and join the channel if they accept.

Collab posts with more friends

Collabing on posts is not a new feature — Instagram made it possible for two accounts to partner on a post back in 2021 — but now they’ve opened the feature up so you can invite up to three friends to co-author a feed post, carousel, or Reel.

What’s great about this feature is that it means your content will appear in the feeds of your collaborators’ followers, too. The post will also be visible on all the collaborators’ profile grids, and all the engagement on the post will be shared by the accounts. 

Again, we’ve got an in-depth guide to Instagram collab posts here, but here’s another high-level how-to.

How to create an Instagram Collab post

  1. Tap the Create (+) icon at the bottom of your Instagram app and choose the photo or Reel you want to upload. 
  2. In your final editing screen before posting (where you enter your caption), tap ‘Tag people’ then ‘Invite collaborators’.
  3. Search for the users you want to partner with and tap their names to select. Tap ‘Done’ on the top right.
  1. Don’t forget to write your caption, add a location, and more before you post. When you’re ready, hit Share. Your collaborators will receive an invitation to join the post. Once they’ve accepted the invitation, the post will live on both of the accounts’ grids and feeds.

Insights on desktop

In a helpful move for social media managers everywhere, Instagram’s analytics, Instagram Insights, is now available on desktop, too. 

How to access Instagram Insights on your computer:

  1. Head over to your Instagram profile on your desktop browser of choice. Underneath your bio, you’ll find a short summary of your recent reach. Click the ‘View Insights’ link next to it. 
Instagram’s New Features
  1. You’re in! In the desktop version of Insights, you’ll find an overview of your Reach, Engagement, and more. At the top of the screen, you’ll be able to toggle between specific time frames, from seven to 90 days. 
Instagram’s New Features

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Looking for deeper insights than what you’ll find on Instagram? Buffer’s analytics goe beyond just showing you the numbers and uses your reach and engagement data to recommend the best time to post, posting frequency, and content format, to help you level up your channel growth. Find out more 

While this is not an Instagram-exclusive feature, it means a huge change for brands and creators using the platform, so I thought it was worthwhile including it here.

Getting verified on Instagram is certainly nothing new — that little blue tick has been around almost as long as my beloved Lo-Fi filter — but Meta has introduced a whole new way to get one.

With the introduction of Meta Verified in 2023, accounts no longer have to belong to a notable public figure to get the coveted checkmark. Subscribers can pay a monthly fee to be verified on Instagram (and big brother app Facebook). They’ll also get access to some premium features like increased access to support and account protection, and personalized stickers. 

How to sign up for Meta Verified on Instagram

  1. Head over to your Instagram profile by tapping your profile picture on the bottom right of the app.
  2. Tap the hamburger menu (the three lines on the top right).
  3. Choose ‘Meta Verified’.
  1. Read through the explainer, then tap ‘Next’.
  2. Choose which Meta accounts you’d like verified.
  3. Confirm and pay. From here on out, you’ll be charged the monthly subscription fee* unless you cancel. It could take up to 48 hours for your blue tick (and all the benefits) to appear. 





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