Instagram is really excited about a new feature, Map, which has just been officially introduced in India and is a feature that helps people discover the trending hangout spots, cafes, and restaurants within the application.
With the update, Instagram has acquired a new local discovery feature therefore, users are able to discover places easier because it is provided with location tags, stories, and posts other people in the same area have uploaded.
Through this launching, Instagram will make more interesting and personal local exploration.
The feature, available in certain markets of the world already, is being extended to the users of both Android and iOS in India.
Enjoying a Smarter Way of Exploring Places
The new Map option allows returning to search near locations with the help of hashtags or location tags.
When you open the Explore page or tap on a tagged spot in a story, you can now see a display in the form of a conjugated map with businesses, tourist attractions, and hot cafes around in the area.
Users can even narrow search results based on category, i.e., restaurants, cafes, beauty salons, or any other attractions, and so on, to see exactly what they want.
Instagram has also incorporated the use of Google Maps like functionality capabilities in it, where a user is able to save a location, share it with friends, and even read the reviews or photos left by other users of this application.
This specifically caters to the younger audience and the travelers who tend to use Instagram as a way of arranging their outings or locating the next Instagrammable location.
According to the official newsroom update by Meta, this rollout is included in the strategy of Instagram to add more real world value to the application adding to it that it would no longer be a mere photo driving application but a fully developed system of discovering the lifestyle and travelling content.
India a developing location based feature market
India remains among the biggest markets in the world where Instagram and its usage, the number of active users, is in the millions, who are seeking local and international trends every day.
The company thinks the Map feature would make their interactions with local businesses stronger, as it makes restaurants, stores, and places more visible to the users.
Many brands are already promoting with the help of location tags and stories however, the new interactive map allows people to see them without placing them in the app.
This may also help small and medium businesses to use Instagram to advertise locally and interact with the audience.
Another useful feature for the users is that the map retrieves the content of the public posts and stories, thus providing a more updated and active view of the trending in the neighborhood.
E.g. a cafe that is virally going by a Reel would immediately feature as a high point on the map and trigger offline traffic.
As India moves towards becoming more digital in discovering and experiencing the local, the Map feature of Instagram is a logical progression.
It could be the search for your next cup of coffee, a trending gallery of works of art, or even the top of local street food, but now you do it all with the help of Instagram without having to leave the app.
