Instagram Round-up: All change with stories & pinch to zoom!

Hey everyone! I’ve been having a bit of a break over the summer and now back with the September Instagram round-up. There has been so many changes lately, most excitingly (or not depending on which camp you’re in) is the new addition of Instagram stories. Do you like them, hate them, is it just too much like Snapchat? I’d love to hear your thoughts. 

Molly over at Mother’s Always Right has decided that this new ‘micro-vlogging’ in the form of Insta stories is all about getting the balance right, and promises to step away from the camera phone if what she posts ever gets too mundane. Good plan.

Last night of holiday. But that's ok because we've had nearly 3 weeks away and it's been amazing. Also: I think I may be bringing my Instagram-phobic husband round. When I asked him to take a photo of me against the wall of this deserted fishing depot (because I liked the colours) he thought I was nuts. He still thinks I'm nuts but at least this time he took the actual photo. Small steps 😂. France, we love you 🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷.

A photo posted by Molly Forbes (@mollyjforbes) on Aug 15, 2016 at 11:31am PDT

Just in case you’re still undecided if you really need Instagram stories in your life, here’s an article from Techcrunch that explains the difference between your main feed and the stories feature. I would agree that stories are how the old Instagram used to be and I kinda like it! 

Has anyone noticed Instagram engagement is down since the algorithm change back in April? I definitely have, in fact stats suggest that engagement could be down across the board by 33%. Surely there must be a way to trick Instagram into bumping you up the like ladder? Hmm, Taylor Loren has it all worked out and tells how she ‘hacked the Instagram algorithm like a teen’.

Have you ever come across an awesome pic in your feed and gone to zoom in but nothing happened? Up until recently, there was no way of taking a closer look and zooming in on images uploaded. Instagram launched a new feature about a week ago where you can pinch to zoom on photos and videos in feed, on profiles and on Explore. You can watch the video below or find out more over on the Instagram facebook page. I actually think it’s pretty cool as it will work on video too. 

Starting today, you can pinch to zoom on photos and videos in feed, on profiles and on Explore. Dive into an adorable puppy’s smile or into every detail of your friend’s new shirt. Over the past six months, you’ve seen many exciting changes come to Instagram, from a new icon to longer videos and even a new way to share everyday moments with Instagram Stories. And as things change, we’re still focused on improving the core parts of Instagram. Zoom is available today for Instagram on iOS. Zoom will be available on Android in the coming weeks.

A video posted by Instagram (@instagram) on Aug 31, 2016 at 8:00am PDT

Getting to grips with algorithm changes and new features can be a bit of a pain. After all the techy info this month, here’s a bit of light relief from Jo of Slummy Single Mummy writing for Hippychick. I really laughed at the second to last picture in the post. Hilarious indeed. 

I'm going on a (hot) adventure today! I may give you clues as the day progresses 😊

A photo posted by Jo Middleton ☕️🍭✈️🍉🚪🌷👗🌿 (@slummysinglemummy) on Jul 18, 2016 at 10:49pm PDT

I’ll leave you with 5 of my favourite Instagrammers, here are my top picks for September:

@Someone_s_mum Danielle is a mother, blogger and ex-teacher and shares beautiful images of family moments plus daily life with her autistic son.

@tobyandroo Self-confessed mum bun wearer and over-sharer Harriet can be found sharing pics of her cute kids, gorgeous dog and is also participating in the Flex Appeal campaign right now. She’s also a fan of the emoji. Aren’t we all? <winky face>

@pushing_the_moon In her own words: “I’d like to think I’m Norfolk’s answer to Martha Stewart, but in reality I’m more a cross between Ma Larkin and Kat Slater” Best. Bio. Ever. 

@lyla_and_co Emma is a perfect example of how to make Instagram stories work for you. Plus I could listen to that Irish accent all day! 

@twins_luna_and_suki_rule_ This is (double) cute overload thanks to the gorgeous twins. Matt is very witty and I do love the quotes he comes out with. Very cool account and one to watch!