Instagram Just Released a New Update and It's a Game Changer
Just this week, Instagram released a new feature! This one has been a long time coming and will hopefully prove to be one of the most useful updates yet. You can now follow hashtags the same way you would follow an account!
Until now, there were only two ways you could interact with hashtags. Your options were limited to clicking a hashtag on a post or searching for a specific tag in the “Explore” section of Instagram.
As we know, hashtags are used as a clean and simple way to categorize posts. For example, if you search #vermont you will find posts related to the state. We find that people don’t often search for their favorite hashtags on a regular basis to keep up-to-date because typing a tag in a search box each day is somewhat tedious. That’s where the luxury of the new feature comes in. You now can follow any hashtag as you would any other user account.
How it works:
When you follow a hashtag, it will add a selection of top posts that Instagram chooses based on the algorithm. This selection will be added to your feed and will appear in the same fashion as the user accounts you follow. The plus side of this is that you will be able to see and follow what you are interested in without the need to search for it.
Following a hashtag is easy, and below we will show you how! All you will do is search for a hashtag, or click a tag that is on a post to bring up the page of hashtags. You will now see a blue “Follow” button at the top of your screen. Click that and you’re set!
Something to think about:
Once you follow a hashtag, selected images will now show up in your feed, but the problem here is that a certain one hashtag can hold meaning for multiple things. For example, you may want to follow #theoffice to see updates related to the show, but don’t want to see anything related to anyone’s work life. The good news is that there is a way to coax Instagram into showing you the posts under that tag that you actually want to see and filter out those you don’t want.
To do this, just tap on the three dots at the top of any hashtag post. Then select ‘Don’t Show for This Hashtag’ from the menu. This will filter out any similar posts from the hashtag you follow. The more you do this, the more Instagram will learn your preferences.
