Instagram’s Broadcast Channels option that was initially launched
to selected creators in the US is now being rolled out to all creators. As a
result, any Instagram user that owns a creator account will be able to use
Broadcast Channels to share updates with large groups of people via DMs.
What made Broadcast Channels different from regular chats on
Instagram was the fact that members of the group could only read the messages
sent by the creator, but not respond to them. Channels therefore served as a
one-way space where creators could share important news and updates with their
followers via text and images, as well as polls.
Instagram now seems to be changing the way Channels work, with
the addition of a new question prompt feature, using which members can respond to
creators and creators can in return interact with individual responses
in-stream.
Additionally, creators will also now have more control over
their Channels, with the ability to set a Channel expiration date and having a
moderator help manage their Channel messages.
Lastly, to promote the Channels integration on the app, Instagram
is also adding a new Channels tab in users’ inbox, where Channels including
ones that users have joined as well as those recommended to them will be
displayed.
