Meta CEO Mack Zuckerberg announced today that the company will launch a new broadcast feature on Instagram called “channel”. The feature will allow creators on the platform to share public messages to engage directly with their followers. Creators can create and share text, images, polls, reactions, and more using the new feature.
The CEO started by creating his own private broadcast channel, where he plans to share future Meta updates in the future.
Instagram has started testing the new feature in the US today, and they plan to expand it to other countries in the coming months.
Creators can use the new feature to update followers about what is happening behind the scene. Only creators can post on the broadcast channels, and followers can only react and participate in polls. Instagram also plans to add more features to the broadcast channel, like inviting other creators into your broadcast and discussing upcoming collaborations or a QNA session.
Stories have been the most common creators use to update followers on Instagram. The new feature will present a new way of getting closer to your audience. It will be a direct way of communicating with your audience and getting feedback on their content.
Instagram Channels More Takes
Channels will debut on Instagram first. But they plan to introduce the feature on Facebook before the end of the year.
Once a creator gets access to channels through their Instagram Inbox.
They can send a message and notify their followers to join their channels. Creators can also use stickers to encourage followers to join or pin the channel to their profile.
All Instagram users can see a broadcast channel and view the content, but only followers can join or receive notifications. Followers can also leave or mute the broadcast anytime they feel like.
Meta has selected some creators as early testers, including @fazerug, @tank.sinatra, and @flaujae.
The feature is subject to Instagram community guidelines, and users can report the broadcast, channel, or content shared on the channel. And it can be removed if it goes against Meta policies. According to Meta, the feature is designed for public and discoverable chat experiences. And they will be treated differently from private messaging on Instagram.
Meta also added that they have tools and reviewers to help identify, remove, and review content in broadcast channels that violates their guidelines.
