Instagram Introduces Story Search

A couple of months after Snapchat integrated a feature called Search for Stories, Instagram is now debuting a similar functionality called Story Search in order to allow mobile users to search Stories. Specifically, Instagram account holders can now search for a location or a hashtag, and then be shown a Story compilation generated from Story posts by other users that also come with that location sticker, hashtag sticker, or hashtag attached in that post’s caption. Moreover, Location Stories from nearby spots (but not Hashtag Stories) will also be displayed in the Explore tab.

The Story Search feature could prove to be a handy functionality for Instagram users. Apart from providing information on what is happening in a specific location, it could also allow users to check out the weather in that particular town, or see what other users think about a new trend or fresh news story. And aside from increasing the user’s engagement with Stories, it actually makes the app more useful. Story Search makes its debut right after Location Stories, another new feature that Instagram began testing a week ago. Location Stories is now made available in search as well as in Explore on the Android and iOS mobile operating systems. As for Hashtag Stories, it will begin to be deployed in the coming weeks.

Instagram also took the opportunity to integrate another new major new option -- Archive. With this feature, users can basically delete posts on a temporary basis by placing them into the private Archive section of their profile. They will be the only ones who can see this section, and they can enjoy the option of restoring those deleted posts later whenever they like.

In the associated Stories, only posts that come with a location sticker, hashtag sticker, or underline hashtag will be displayed. For Instagram users who do put these stickers or hashtags in order to make them eligible for the compiled Stories are still free to have their posts distributed more broadly by tapping the X on their Stories view counter. The Stories view counter also shows them how many other users have seen their content via the Explore tab. It should be noted that a user will only be able to view public posts in these Stories, or private posts by other users who allow that user to follow them.

So far, Stories has already accumulated around 200 million daily active users. With Story Search, users now have a tool that allows them to search content more efficiently.