Instagram is rolling out a new feature for everyone that Google Maps can also implement in its app. Meta’s social media app is enhancing the experience for users who like to discover places based on geotags. Previously, clicking on a tagged location in a post would reveal information about the location and other posts on the platform.
Now Instagram has added the functionality to create guides and suggestions for users who love discovering new places when they travel. Not only does the app show you all posts tagged with the same location, it also gives you more details about businesses in the surrounding area. If someone tags a city in their post, you’ll be able to view all the businesses and locations tagged by other members.
Also, if any of the companies have their own Instagram pages, you can easily access them from the search results. Similar to the Google Maps “search area”, users can zoom in or out of the map view and search for more places. You can also filter the results. The feature is already available to many users on Android and iOS.
New Instagram maps updates: how to use it
To use the new features, you can do it in two ways. The first is to simply click on the marked location on a post you see. This also applies to reels and stories. Any geotag you see will open all related posts. You can also search for a location directly.
Now, after selecting a location, you can swipe down to expand the map. Pinch to zoom in or out and you’ll see the “Search in this area” option. It will show multiple pins on the map. These are restaurants or cafes that have been tagged by many users. Although the pins are a little fuzzy on the screen, you can swipe up to see the list of all these locations. The top navigation strip offers options for filtering results.
Google Maps can learn from this
Google has a reputation for being the best at providing reliable search results. And its Maps app takes advantage of the plethora of information it has about locations and businesses. But what is missing is the social media element.
Google hasn’t been great at creating a social media platform of its own. Currently, Google Maps relies on submissions from its Local Guides program. Depending on the ratings received for a business, it is suggested to users. Instagram, on the other hand, has a wide variety of content. But there are millions of content to browse that would be time consuming.
Google can integrate content from trusted sources into its map search results. For more local businesses, you’ll have to rely on inputs received from users visiting these places.