Instagram is testing a new feature which lets users tag their friends in video posts, instead of simply still photos. The feature is currently being trialled with a small number of users, although hopefully it won’t be too long before it rolls out to everyone.
The feature works in a similar way to tagging photos, only that instead of overlaying tags on top of the content, there is a page titled “People in this Video” that shows everyone in a video.
Photo: @cablegirlsrd/Instagram
Improving the Instagram experience
“We’re always testing ways to improve the experience on Instagram and bring you closer to the people and things you love,” a spokesperson for Instagram told TechCrunch. While it wouldn’t give exact details, the spokesperson confirmed that the feature was being rolled out to a “small percentage” of users for beta testing.
The feature is intended to improve video discovery on Instagram. It could also potentially be monetized by giving brands or influencers the opportunity to point viewers toward particular Instagram accounts in a more fluent, structured way.
Source: TechCrunch
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
