Facebook owned Instagram’s desktop version now gets a search bar on its interface, thereby adding more functionality to the web version bridging the gap between its mobile counterpart. Now, users will notice a search bar placed on top of the page that allows them to find hashtags, profiles and images based on a user’s location, similar to its mobile version.
The search bar also lists a dropdown of suggestions related to the text entered in the search bar. In addition, there is a ‘Top Posts’ feature that lists the most popular results for a search over recent posts.
“Web search is part of a broader commitment to improving discovery across our platforms,” an Instagram spokesperson said. “With 70 million photos shared to Instagram each day, if something is happening in the world, it’s likely being captured on Instagram.”
The new search bar is also in sync with the changes made to Instagram’s web version last month, with those redesigned profile feeds along with a clean, minimalist flat UI design. In addition, the company also added a new feature last month which allows Android and iOS users to upload the high-res FullHD images on the platform, though the feature has not yet been rolled out for its desktop version. The company also added a new feature under its ‘Explore’ tab allowing users to view trending topics based on real-time events.
Instagram currently has about 300 million monthly active users and by sprucing up its web experience, and might be positioning itself as a Twitter competitor. The photo-sharing app also ramped up its ad offerings, giving marketers a platform to direct their advertising based on region and demographics, similar to its parent company Facebook which allows advertisers to target consumers based on geographical and demographical data.
To recall, Facebook acquired Instagram for $1 billion back in 2012. The app was initially released in 2010, and quickly gained popularity among users making it one of the most popular photo sharing app of our time.
