Utilizing the New Instagram Layout App
Of course the use of Instagram for marketing is old news now. In the last few years, we have watched Instagram grow and take hold not only as a social media site, but also as a new place for promotion and marketing. More recently, Instagram has rolled out ads and sponsored posts that give marketers even more options for digitally promoting their brand, product or service. Facebook reported at the F8 Annual Developer’s Conference last week that Instagram now has 300 million users. Instagram can be a gold mine for marketers if they know how to use it right.
People are making connections through Instagram every day. Some of these connections can turn out to be very profitable for a company. Previously, users could only upload one picture at a time. Now with the new Layout App, multiple photos can be added to create a single photo. When I read that Instagram introduced the new Layout App, I was very curious as to how it differed from other apps like Picstitch and Split pic. It turns out it really is a cool, unique app!
How it works
Currently, the app is only available for the iPhone, with a release for Android coming soon. After the app downloads from the App Store, it will access your device’s photos. The app lets you pick from all your photos, “faces” or recent (photos). One of the unique functions is that it allows you to pick from “faces,” which makes it easier to access pictures of the same person (a collage of your best selfies, maybe?). As you pick the photos you want to use the app populates custom layouts. Most other apps you pick the layout first, then add photos. Layout creates them for you based on the number of photos you chose. From there you can flip, replace, arrange, rotate, resize, or mirror the images inside the layout. Another unique feature is the photo booth 
function for instantly taking photos and creating a collage from them.
Why is it beneficial for marketers?
The new app allows marketers to use the Instagram platform instead of third party apps. It streamlines the process of creating and uploading to Instagram, something lacking with the 
current third party apps. This app also allows companies to add a deeper level of storytelling to their social media. This drink collage can be used to find out which drink their consumers prefer more. Universities can use this app to display different aspects of the campus in one photo. Instead of posting three individual photos, which requires the attention of the audience on three separate occasions, the Layout App grabs the audience’s attention with a single photo. The use of collage apps is not a new or groundbreaking concept, but it does give social media sites like Instagram an opportunity to embrace these functions as tools for their users.
Try it out!
I LOVE this new app. As a content strategist and social media marketer it is a great tool for my creative side. I think marketers will find it very beneficial and easy to use. Download the app and let me know what you think!
If you enjoyed this post by Elizabeth, check out some of her other blogs!
Elizabeth Muckensturm—Communications and Media Professor
