Keeping up with Instagram’s constant evolution can feel like a full-time job. As social media managers rolling into a new year, here are 10 important Instagram updates that you need to be aware of:

1. 1. Test the Waters with Trial Reels

Ever wished you could preview how your content might perform before going all in? Trial Reels let you do exactly that. This feature gives you 24 hours to gather valuable insights from non-followers, including Views, Likes, and Comments. Think of it as a focus group for your content — helping you refine your approach before launching to your main audience.

1. 2. Broadcast Channels Get Interactive

Broadcast Channels have evolved from a one-way street into a vibrant community space. You can now engage in two-way conversations with your audience through replies, and spark discussions using custom prompts. Better yet, you can track your channel’s performance through new metrics like interactions, story shares, and poll participation. Instagram’s even throwing in some best practices to help you maximize engagement.

1. 3. Smarter DM Management

Managing message requests just got easier. The new filtering system lets you prioritize conversations based on what matters to your brand — whether that’s focusing on verified accounts, sorting by follower count, or specifically engaging with fellow creators and brands. It’s like having a virtual assistant organizing your inbox.

1. 4. Hashtag Following Gets Retired

December 13, 2024, marked the end of hashtag following in feeds. While this change helps reduce spam in your main feed, hashtags remain valuable for content discovery. They’re still working behind the scenes to connect users with relevant content, just in a more controlled way through the Explore page.

1. 5. The Power of Carousels

Carousel posts are currently stealing the spotlight when it comes to reach. Multiple pieces of content create more opportunities for interaction, and Instagram’s algorithm loves engagement. There’s also an interesting factor in how Instagram handles carousels: if someone doesn’t swipe through your carousel the first time, Instagram will often show the second slide automatically next time, giving your content a second chance.

1. 6. Adding Music Now Gets Your Posts into Reels

Want more eyes on your static content? Photos and carousels with music can now show up in the Reels tab. It’s a simple way to get your regular posts in front of people who spend most of their time scrolling through Reels.

1. 7. Best Practices in Professional Dashboard

The Professional Dashboard now has a best practices section that actually tells you what works. You’ll find guidelines about how often to post, what makes photos pop, and ideal reel length. It also looks at your account’s performance and gives you specific tips based on what’s working (and what’s not).

1. 8. Views Become Primary Metric

Instagram cleaned up their analytics by making “Views” the main metric for everything. Whether it’s a photo, carousel, story, or reel, they’re all measured the same way now. They’re even counting when someone comes back to look at your content again, just like they’ve always done with reel replays.

1. 9. New Creative Tools for Content

Instagram dropped some new creative tools that make it easier to jazz up your content. There are fresh fonts and text animations for your Reels and Stories, plus a bunch of new effects to play with. The text tool is way less clunky now, and you’ve got more options for adding stickers and text to photos and carousels.

1. 10. Comments on Stories

Stories just got more interactive with the addition of comments. By default, only people you follow back can leave comments, which helps keep the spam down. But you can change these settings if you want to open up the conversation to more people.

Remember, Instagram’s landscape is always shifting, but staying informed about these features can help you adapt your strategy and maintain meaningful connections with your audience. Keep experimenting with these tools to find what works best for your brand’s unique voice and goals.