Instagram joins the list of platforms trying to expand their subscription model, and it recently officially announced Instagram Plus – a new paid subscription that adds a variety of tools and features that will not be available to users of the free version. The move is designed to grant content creators and users who are interested in wider control over their account additional capabilities for audience management, content distribution, and profile customization.
At the center of the innovations are the stories tools. Until today, users who wanted to share content with a limited group had to settle for the "Close Friends" list. With Instagram Plus, it will be possible to create and publish stories for different groups of people, which will allow a more precise division of target audiences within the platform.
In addition, the subscription will make it possible to extend the duration of time that a story is available for viewing from 24 hours to 48 hours. Instagram will also offer an option to highlight the story so that it appears more prominently to followers. Alongside this, advanced viewing metrics will be added, including the option to see how many times users went back to watch a specific story, as well as a search tool that will make it possible to check whether a specific person viewed the story.
The profile page will also receive upgrades as part of the subscription. Instagram Plus users will be able to perform additional design customizations, including choosing a dedicated icon for the app and changing the font in the profile bio. In addition, it will be possible to pin up to six posts to the top of the profile – compared to the options existing today – as well as upload content directly to the account or to highlights without it appearing in the main feed.
Instagram emphasizes that this is an optional subscription only, and that the regular experience of the service will continue to be available free of charge and without change for all users.
The launch of Instagram Plus will take place gradually soon around the world, including in Israel. At this stage, Instagram is not changing the basic user experience, but adds a new layer of capabilities for those interested in more advanced tools to manage their presence on the social network.