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Since May 2020, Instagram has been testing exciting new features to enhance the user experience. Among these features is the “Pin Comment” feature that just released on July 7th. This new Instagram feature allows users to select a comment and “pin” it, moving the comment to be the top comment. This way when anyone checks out the comments, the pinned comment is the first they see. With this feature you can pin your own comment, or a comment from one of your followers. Can’t decide what to pin? No worries! This new Instagram feature actually allows you to pin up to 3 comments per post.
It’s been a big year for Instagram introducing numerous new features to improve app users’ experience. With COVID-19, every company faced challenges. Instagram responded to some of their challenges by releasing a “Stay at Home” sticker that encourages social distancing and creates an online community on stories. In addition to that, we saw the new ability to post to multiple accounts, new ways to navigate story mentions, watch IGTV previews, and much more. This new feature is just another accomplishment for the app this year. YouTube and Twitter have had the pinning feature for quite a while now, so it was time for Instagram to get on board anyway.
If you didn’t know Instagram is owned by its parent company Facebook, who in recent weeks has taken quite a hit. As of now, the ending to the Facebook Ad Boycott is unclear, and Instagram has also seen the financial effects of this as a subsidiary. Looking back to 2019 however, Instagram brought in more than $20 million in advertising revenue so it’s not a shock they are able to release these new features so frequently. According to Bloomberg, this equates to over a quarter of Facebook’s sales!
How Instagram’s new feature works:
Step 1: Create a post!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CCHESwQhJaj/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Step 2: Read through the comments your followers left!
Step 3: Identify your favorites
- Pick these comments strategically. Make sure you select comments you want all of your followers to see!
Step 4: Slide right on the comment til you see a tack character.
Step 5: Select the Tack character and you’re done!
- Keep in mind, your commenter will be notified if you pin their comment.
Step 6: If you want to delete a pin, simply swipe back and retap the Tack.
When to pin a comment:
1. To spread positivity
https://www.instagram.com/p/CB8jr_NARLo/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
As an influencer, you have a really special position where your followers look to you as a resource and friend! Pinning comments that spread the love and positivity can make your page a happy and motivating place to land on the Internet. This will set the tone for what to expect in the comment section and hopefully keep the trolls away.
If someone comments why they enjoy following you or gives you positive feedback on something you shared, pinning their comment can let new followers know what to expect from your account. Not to mention a good referral can also boost your following and engagement per post. We recommend testing this feature out to see what works best for you. Maybe comments with questions get more attention once pinned, maybe sharing others comments starts a conversation right on your page. The more the try out, the better you can use this feature to your advantage.
2. When your caption is really long
http://www.instagram.com/p/CCgtKflAwZz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
It’s been shown that meaningful captions with stories or advice tend to do really well on Instagram. Posts that provide benefit to the viewers are usually shared more and get overall higher engagement. The new pinning feature is great for posts like these that may not fit the character limits of a caption. We’ll often see influencers write “continued in caption..” and the end of a long post. Now, they can pin that comment to the top so that readers can find it easily. In fact, if they can pin up to three comments to share everything they want to say!
3. To help strengthen your community
Pinning comments that you enjoy can strengthen your community in many ways. If you have a large following, this can be a great way to show your followers that you read their comments and value what they have to say. It also enhances your conversation. For example, maybe you shared a post about a new product and there are tons of frequently asked questions in your comment section. Pinning one comment with your reply allows you to be a better resource for more people in one comment! Another example of a comment to pin could be someone sharing a thoughtful statement about an important issue you discussed in your caption. Acknowledging new opinions and learning from one another is so important!
Let us know how you are using this new feature on our socials!
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