Instagram Adds New DM Engagement Options
With DM usage on the rise on Instagram, the platform is now adding some new DM engagement features to spice up your private chats.
First off, Instagramâs adding drawing tools and stickers for images shared in DMs, providing another way to customize your messaging engagement.
While youâve been able to customize your Stories and feed posts for some time, these options are now being added to your DM options, which will give people more considerations in their messaging process.
Instagramâs also expanding its cut-outs option to DMs, so you can use specific elements from your photos as stickers.
Instagram added cut outs for Stories back in May (as per the above example), and itâll now also be available as an option for DM shares. So again, itâs a new feature, as such, but itâll now be available in more places.
Instagramâs also adding new birthday indicators to usersâ Notes bubble in your inbox, so youâll know when their birthday is.
Which is always handy. I doubt that Iâd remember anybodyâs birthday if Facebook didnât tell me, and this is another simple way to spark more engagement via IG DMs.
Bonus: Thereâs also a confetti animation when you tap a birthday note.Â
Finally, Instagramâs also added some new chat themes for Fall.
âChange your chat theme to curate your own vibe just in time for moments weâre all chatting about, like âFallâ for your Pumpkin Spice vibe and âSabrina Carpenterâ in celebration of her new album.â
Iâm not sure how much use chat themes see, but again, itâs another way to change things up, and spark more interest in your chats.
As noted, Instagram DMs are now seeing much more usage, with IG users now far more likely to engage within their messages than via Stories or the main feed. For most, Reels is now the primary consumption element, with users then sharing Reels with friends via DMs. Thatâs the most common usage trend in the app, which is a far cry from its digital photo album roots, and itâs important to note such shifts in your outreach and engagement process.
Instagram says the new DM elements are being rolled out to all users globally.