National Meme Day only comes twice a year, and Instagram is celebrating by releasing an iPad app adding more meme-making features for Reels. The app is also gaining a bunch of new photo filters for the first time in forever. And memelords can get down deeper with the data thanks to new retention charts and Replay insight.
Let’s start with the new photo filters.
See, a decade ago, Instagram started as an iPhone-only photo sharing social network before blossoming into whatever it is today. Only iPhone camera quality wasn’t nearly as advanced as now, and filters helped hide that in the early days. Scroll back to the first photos on anyone’s feed and you see the evolution play out.
In a blog post mostly devoted to how IG is improving its take on TikTok, Instagram also includes the first mention of photo filters in what must be years.
New photo filters are here! Create the vibe you want by editing your photos and carousels with the latest filters. From subtle color edits to options for expressive styles, these updates make it easy for you to try various looks for your posts.
We’ve also simplified the way you post to make it easier to find the tools you need while editing. Find what you need more easily from your camera roll with better previews, the ability to zoom and search.
In total, The Verge counted 25 additional photo filters. It’s basically a whole new app.
Back to National Meme Day for those who celebrate. Instagram touts new meme-making tools coming Reels’ way:
We’re testing the ability for you to scale, crop and rotate individual clips. Change your mind? Save time while you’re editing with undo and redo features, coming soon. We’re also making it easier for you to find existing tools like Voiceover.
Explore how to create more memeable content by adding clips with audio. We’re testing the ability for you to pull from our clip hub to add clips with audio to your reel. Try connecting with your fans by playing with memes and inviting fans to create their own remix.
Plus there are 10 new English text-to-speech voices, six new text fonts and styles, and the ability to create stickers from photos and videos with an AI connection.
To help you make more unique Reels and stories, we’re testing the ability to create custom stickers from your own photos and videos in your camera roll, or from eligible photos and videos you see on Instagram. We’re also starting to test the ability to make custom stickers from videos. The ability to create custom stickers takes learnings from our Segment Anything AI model.
Lastly, Instagram has insight improvements for tracking analytics and becoming the best version of yourself on the platform.
We’re making improvements to help you better understand how your reels content is performing. We introduced a new Reels metric on Facebook and Instagram called Replays and we updated the definition of Reels Plays to also include Replays in addition to Initial Plays. You may notice an increase in your Reels Plays as a result of this.
In addition, over the coming months we are rolling out the ability for creators to see how many people are watching their Reel on a moment-by-moment basis with our interactive Retention Chart.
Meme away, good people.
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