You may soon spend (or waste) even more time on Instagram than you do now.
Starting yesterday, Instagram now features a revamped explore tab that features Trending Tags, Trending Places, curated content, and a new Places Search.
Basically, it’s an easier way to explore the world, putting users right in the middle of current events as they happen – whether that means the demise of yet another Hollywood relationship, or updates in the wake of a natural disaster on the other side of the world.
This will make it easier to check out your next vacation spot or keep in the know on all the trending topics in time for happy hour banter. One search of the hashtag #bonnaroo, for example, will make you feel more like you were there (and likely result in even more FOMO).
At the top of the Explore page you’ll find new curated collections that will be updated regularly and feature interesting accounts and places, “from musicians and extreme athletes to stunning architecture and gorgeous beaches,” as promised on Instagram’s website.
The new explore tab will display the most trending tags instead of showing a grid of photos. When you tap on one of them, you’ll find the most popular image on the top, followed by the most recent photos associated with the hashtag. Trending places get their own designated section as well.
The new explore tab is expected to roll out in other countries shortly, but the whole world will now have the new search, which lets you look for people, tags, and places from a single box.
It was only a matter of time before Instagram adopted a feature to take advantage of the real-time offerings of the 70 million photos and videos that Instagram’s 300 million users upload every day. The change could make Instagram more influential than Twitter, becoming so much more than a place to showcase your photos.
The advantage in a platform with a focus on imagery rather than text is that it offers a more personalized experience and the opportunity to make an immediate connection with the subject matter.
We’re all for it.
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