Hacks // 10 Instagram Features You Probably Didn’t Know About

When it comes to Instagram, it seems like every time you open the app these days there is a new feature, icon or button to press.

With all this innovation it’s easy to miss all of the great features that will make your business life so much easier. 

Here are 10 great tricks and features that the gang at #SMPerth absolutely can’t do without.

Hiding repetitive ads

If you are on Instagram a lot the chances are you’ll get hit with the same few advertisements time and time again (this month it’s the same 10 seconds of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina). These can easily be avoided, however, in just two clicks. Next time you see the ads just go to the top right hand corner, click the three dots and click ‘hide post’. The post will now be hidden so on future scrolling missions it won’t be there to annoy you.

Spring clean your search history

It’s no secret that Instagram’s algorithms show you posts based off what posts you’ve liked previously. This can mean you find yourself looking at the same three dogs in clothes day after day. If you’re looking to break free of that cycle and look at something new, why not clear your search history in settings. Start off with a clean slate and open yourself up to new things!

Bring your filter to the front

If you’re doing Instagram branding correctly then it’s highly likely you use one or two filters all the time. To save yourself from constantly scrolling through the 25 filters why not move your favourites to the front. Simply hold, drag and drop your desired filter next to the ‘Normal’ filter and it will save you countless scrolls in the long run.

Review your liked posts

If you’ve ever wanted to take a look at what your past self was looking at on Instagram, checking out the ‘Posts you’ve liked’ section in ‘settings’ is a must. Looking at all the posts in a stream can give you a clear perspective on what things you like or are drawn to on Instagram, giving you valuable information about what people like you could be interested in as well.

Saving a quality post

While this isn’t exactly a secret, it’s important enough to put it in here anyway. Saving posts is hugely beneficial, if you see a post that you could take inspiration from or do something similar to on your own account, SAVE IT. If you don’t, chances are you’ll never be able to find it again. 

Pre-approving tagged posts

Approving tagged posts is a great feature for businesses to make sure that no inappropriate content gets distributed with your brand’s tag attached. This doesn’t happen often, but when it does this feature is a lifesaver. Get into ‘settings’ and turn it on if you haven’t already (under the ‘photos and videos of you’ tab in settings).

Keep track of your competitors with notifications

If you’re interested in what the competition is doing on Instagram, using post and story notifications is a great way to do that. Just go to their home page and click the three dot menu for the option to enable it. You’ll be studying the competition in no time!

Scout locations and event venues using location PLACES search

If you’re looking to book a work event or a find a location suitable for work meetings use the ‘Places’ search option to get the truth about what the place is really like. This search style will give you all the photos other people have posted from that specific location, allowing you to get a more accurate view of the place and avoid all the shiny, professional photos from their website or social media account.

Automatically filter and remove inappropriate comments

It sometimes feels like social media is 2018’s equivalent of the wild west; there are no rules. Your business can be happily posting on Instagram when all of a sudden it comes under fire from a hail of swear words and anger from the comment section, seemingly without rhyme, reason or merit. To protect your business from this, set up ‘manual comment control’ in ‘settings’ to screen out specific words or phrases so you can stop your stakeholders reading wild comments, and you can deal with them personally and privately.

Stop the competition checking out your story

While you want people to see what you and your business are doing on a day-to-day basis, you might not want to show your competition. The ‘Hide your Story’ feature is a great way to do that. Simply go to their page, click the three dots in the top right hand corner and press ‘Hide your story’, allowing you to post without fear that prying eyes are watching your every move. 

If you want to read more about Instagram and get some great inspiration, check out our Instagram Stats for 2019.

I am a public relations and marketing professional who has a love for all things sport. When it comes to social media I am all about video, it's quick, vibrant and completely unique every time. Currently I am an Intern at #SMPerth and a marketing assistant at Peel Thunder Football Club. If you're looking for a early tip for the Super Bowl, a safe bet is LA Rams. You'll thank me later.