Big news in social media: Instagram appears to be testing a feature that allows local businesses to better show themselves on the platform.
It all began a few days ago on the twitter profile of user Raj Nijjer, who shared a tweet of what appear to be profile pages of local in-app businesses.
Raj Nijjer brought this feature to light by providing several screenshots.
As you can see below, the pages look very similar to Google My Business panels for local businesses.
As is clearly visible from the screenshots, the panels include the business address, business category, business hours, prices (similar to Google's configuration of this feature, where more dollar/euro signs indicate a more expensive location), Web site, and phone number.
Of course, at the top are the company's specific Instagram attributes, such as a link to the company profile and three images. In this, it is unclear whether the page pulls images from the three most recent posts from the company's Instagram page or whether account managers can choose their own.
You will also see that the pages have a "Claim" button in the upper right corner. This allows business owners to claim a particular location so they can personalize their profile, similar to Yelp or Foursquare.
This suggests that pages may be created automatically based on user tag positions (but this is not yet clear).
The link to the local business section can only be made if there is a Facebook profile page for the business.
It is not yet known if there are additional features that the company can add once a page is claimed, but sure from the published screenshot are some possibilities such as a menu option, common questions and answers, or adding reviews.
Why can't I see this function?
If you are wondering why you don't have access to this section, don't worry. If you are unable to view this page, you are not the only one. There are many Twitter users who have been flocking to Raj Nijjer's email, asking about this new feature and the reason why they too are still not viewing this section.
The lack of visibility surrounding these pages is likely due to the beta testing of this tool on Instagram, which this Twitter user was fortunate enough to be among the first to try.
Nijjer told Search Engine Journal that he found the feature by searching a company's location and clicking on a large "view information" button that appears on the page.
Based on this, we can assume that this will be a location-based feature, not necessarily company-wide. This will help differentiate companies that have several locations in a similar area.
It is not yet known when Instagram plans to implement this feature for all users but it is certain that these screenshots are evidence that at least some users are testing.
What to expect in the marketing world?
Very simple: if you are a local business, keep an eye on this feature so you can claim your business and start optimizing it.
This change brings strong innovations to Instagram, solidifying its place as not just a social platform but more as a lifestyle one.
In fact, this additional information about the company provides detailed information about the business that allows consumers to learn more about them without having to leave the platform. You can see right away how important this innovation is.
Let's take an example: if you are looking for a restaurant, you can browse photos from the business profile page along with tagged photos, then view the business profile for more information, and even call and make a reservation directly on Instagram to reserve your table or see the prices first.
This can apply to B2B companies as well. If you are considering a space like a store and want to see more about where it is located and display contact information. It can also be great for recruiting purposes: Instagram is great for getting contact information directly from the platform, and this can help lead the visitor directly to your web page to learn more about your company (and maybe find out that you also sell online).
Over the past year, Instagram has added many features that allow businesses to better close the buying cycle directly through Instagram.
Since the new purchasing function added to cater to e-commerce platforms in early 2018, it now seems that things are expanding further to attract more and more local businesses.
This change brings an important lesson to all marketers: Instagram is a force to be reckoned with. The company is not settling for just being a photography platform, and with its ever-expanding and diverse user base.
