Instagram has rolled out a new update that lets users "discover popular local businesses near you," as per Meta's Mark Zuckerberg. This move towards a more visually informative format of presenting information about businesses and attractions comes at a pivotal time. A large part of social media and video platform users are the youth. In fact, almost half of them don't even go to Google to search anymore.
"In our studies, something like almost 40% of young people, when they're looking for a place for lunch, they don't go to Google Maps or Search," Senior Vice President in charge of Google Search Prabhakar Raghavan said during Fortune's Brainstorm Tech conference, as reported by Forbes. "They go to TikTok or Instagram."
This means that Instagram is becoming a major competitor for Google, which saw how video-based platforms like TikTok overtake their very own YouTube in terms of average time spent on the social platform by adults in the U.S.
What is the Instagram Map?
Unlike Instagram's previous iterations wherein users can simply view where a photo was taken, the app's map functions are now a lot more useful than ever. Now, the Instagram Map allows users to search and filter, as well as look up restaurants, bars, attractions, and other travel spots directly on the app. According to Engadget, the updated map also features posts, stories and guides tagged by Instagram users themselves, giving an insight into the local area wherever a person searches.
As long as a user's profile is public, his or her posts and Stories will be added to the search results on the new Instagram Map, if the content uses location stickers on them. The new map also features Instagram icons where the businesses or attractions are, allowing users to tap and view Stories or access the pages of businesses they are interested in.
How to Access the Instagram Map
There are multiple ways to access the new Instagram Map. First, if someone tags a place in a post or Story, any user can tap on the tag and the "see location" option to go to the location's page, The Verge reported. When users move around the map, they can also search the area to see what else is nearby. Users can also search for places and even cities in the Explore tab. Once there, they can tap on a place search result that would take them to the specific location on the map.
Moreover, filters can be used to narrow down search results to show only bars and restaurants, parks, or other attractions. Users can also save their favorite locations to visit them later. The saved places are bookmarked in a Saved list that is accessible by tapping the hamburger menu in the top right of one's profile.
Meta began testing the Instagram map in 2021 in certain countries, but as per Zuckerberg's update on Tuesday, the new feature is now widely available. The addition of the new map comes as the social media platform vies to become a powerhouse for social networking, commerce, travel, connectivity, and more.
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