Instagram is the most popular social media platform amongst influencers and this success is expected to maintain until at least 2024. As Instagram continues to be a keen favorite with content creators, the platform is constantly releasing a new catalog of features to help it become more user-friendly and profitable for them to use. To discuss this further, Netinfluencer will explore all of Instagram’s latest transparency tools. 

What Are Instagram’s Transparency Tools?

In December 2022, Instagram announced a new set of features that would help creators better understand why their content is not suitable for non-recommended followers. As such, these tools give influencers guidance on what is appropriate on the platform.

These tools also aim to create a better communication network between creators and the platform itself. Therefore, users will now get updates on any technical issues or outages, meaning that they can be reassured that problems are being resolved. 

Creators can also monitor the security of their account, reviewing whether it is at risk of being taken down. In turn, this aims to keep creators aware of their content distribution and whether it violates community guidelines. 

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How Do the Tools Work?

Recommendations

Instagram prides itself on its content distribution strategy, enabling new content to be seen in a variety of ways such as on the Explore page, Reels, and the Feed Recommendation tab. These new transparency tools allow creators to understand where their content is being shown and why some of it may not be suitable for distribution. 

In addition, if a certain post has been flagged or censored, creators can now appeal this decision within the app. This will then send the content back for another review and users will receive a notification when the internal team has come to another decision. 

Technical Issue Notification

Many creators feel a sense of frustration when a platform is suffering issues as it can lead them to believe that there is something wrong with their content or follower base. Plus, these outages can damage an influencer’s engagement rate, which can harm the chances of receiving brand opportunities in the future. 

The platform recognizes these concerns and has now added an issues update to the activity feed. Thus, influencers will now receive a notification, alerting them of any technical issues or service errors. 

However, as this feature is still in Beta, select users across the US will only gain a notification when there is a widespread concern. But Instagram hopes to roll this tool out further if it continues to see good results. 

Account Status

The Account Status tool acts as a comprehensive hub for all of your account and content needs. This tool allows users to see if their account is at risk of being disabled due to inappropriate content or too many community guideline strikes. 

Influencers can also view what content has been removed as well as the reasons why. Again, if a creator feels that this decision is unfair, they can request another review to help revive their content and keep their account active. 

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Why Were They Launched?

For the past two years, Instagram has been trying to make its interface more transparent, helping influencers and other professional accounts to learn more about the nuts and bolts of the platform. These new tools are just another step in that process, aiding users in learning how content is reviewed and spread.

Many also believe that these transparency tools were launched to help users know if they have been shadowbanned. This is when a user’s content is blocked or hidden from others without their knowledge. 

Therefore, with assets such as Account Status, influencers can uncover why their content has been censored and what they can do to make it more suitable for general viewers. 

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How Can You Access Them?

Instagram’s latest tools can be found on the Account Status dashboard, which is located in the account setting of your profile tab. Here, you can also discover whether your reach has decreased as well as any other details regarding the security of your account. 

Benefits of Using Instagram’s Transparency Tools as an Influencer

Instagram’s newest transparency tools give more insight into the phenomenon of shadowbanning, helping to dismiss the alluring theories that surround it. With this new information, influencers can work to redefine their content strategy and the nature of their work. Thus, this is a fantastic way for influencers to monitor how the platform views their posts and work to solve any issues that arise. 

The outage notification is also a useful feature and it can help influencers feel more at ease when they are experiencing any unexplained issues. Creators can also use this feature to explain the issues to their followers, reassuring them that content will be available soon. This helps to foster a successful bond of communication between the platform, influencers, and their followers, ensuring that all bodies are aware of any technical issues or updates. 

These tools also allow influencers to appeal any unfair decisions, forming a more personable connection between users and the platform. Plus, now that users can request additional reviews within the app, influencers do not have to undergo any arduous processes to retrieve their content. This makes it simpler for creators to resolve issues and continue using the app as normal. 

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Instagram is undoubtedly one of the strongest forces within the social media industry and continues to be a valuable asset to many influencers. The platform’s new transparency tools allow creators to understand their reach and how they can adapt their content to suit Instagram’s internal reviews and algorithms.