It seems that Instagram has changed a lot this past summer. From Instagram Stories that rolled out in early August to the new algorithm, it’s hard to keep up. But the changes don’t seem to be coming to a halt- on Aug. 31, Instagram announced a new feature that users have been begging to have since the photo-sharing app’s inception: a zoom feature.
You heard me right. Instagram users can now pinch and zoom in on photos to take a closer look. While many are excited about this bonus feature (us included), it’s important to recognize how this will impact Instagram marketing technique.
Firstly, since users are now able to get as close as can be to images on their timeline, marketers may want to spend extra time producing high-resolution, high-quality photos. Before, you could get away with your image being a little grainy because users wouldn’t notice on such a small image. However, zooming in can make the image appear fuzzy. If you upload a low-resolution photo, this feature will not do you any favors in terms of aesthetics, which is what Instagram is all about!
This new feature also brings great new opportunities for companies. It’s a chance for brands to become even more creative on the platform and think outside the box to get users to interact with them. Word of warning though: a big mistake in social media marketing is to hop on the latest bandwagon just because other brands are. Make sure the zoom feature makes sense with your messaging if you choose to utilize it.
Of course, the best way to explain the zoom feature for brands is to show some examples. Here’s our top 3 Instagram pics that capitalized on the zoom feature thus far!
The key to all these examples is that there a reason for the user to zoom in further: to read something, to get a unique view of something or to just in get closer to products they love! Most also used a relevant hashtag, such as #zoom, #instazoom, or a hashtag and the magnifying glass emoji , so users could find their zoom-centric posts.
Good luck using the new feature and we can’t wait to see what brands do with it next!