Instagram Notes: What are they, and why should you use them?

Hey there gorgeous, 

Today we’re going to take a quick look at the Instagram Notes feature. This is one of the newer interfaces you can have access to talk to your people via, and I do think it can be a bit of an untapped resource. 

First up, what are Notes? 

If you open your DMs you should be able to see Notes at the top of your screen.  It should look like this, with little captions by peoples profile pics:

 

If you find you don’t have them, it is possible that you have not updated your IG app of late. 

Update by going to the App Store.

Click your icon to open your account

Tap Purchases,  find the Instagram app and tap Update.  

How does one post to Notes? 

Open your DMs ( chats list) 

At the top of this list you will see your profile picture

Tap ‘Share a thought’ and write your note ( up to 60 characters) 

You can add music or tag people who let you as well. 

Tap Share 

If you want to change your note,  pop back into your DMs, tap on your note and either choose ‘Leave a new note’ or ‘delete note’. 

So, what are Notes for and why would you use them? 

Ostensibly Notes are just another feed that you can talk to people in.  Only you need to be mutual follows to appear in someone’s Notes feed. You need to follow them and they need to follow you. 

What this means is that Notes are in some ways a more intimate channel than others. 

They are quite restricted though (you can only use up to 60 characters, and you can only share one Note at a time….. and it will only be visible for 24 hours) and as such I think sometimes people aren't quite sure what to do with them. 

One of the best things about Notes is that your mutual follows can reply to them directly into your DMs.  Because of this, using Notes is a good way to start up conversations with people and deepen your online relationships.  

Some ideas for things you could do with your Notes 

-ask questions of your audience

-leave short inspirational quotes

-get feedback about things you are wondering

-broadcast new offerings

-simply leave emojis to convey how you are feeling or what you are up to

Another cool thing about Notes, and I think not many people are aware of this, is that it is the only IG feed that reaches everyone of your mutual followers. So if you have 500 mutual followers (you follow them and they follow you) and you write in your notes daily, everyone of your mutuals who opens their DMs will see your profile picture at the top of their chats, keeping you in the forefront of their mind.  It’s a little bit like a billboard, but far nicer. 

The only other feed that guarantees anything like this is Channels, but people actually have to subscribe to these. 

Notes will get you in front of every single one of your mutuals. And with organic reach being constantly, slowly constricted, this can only be a good thing. 

Finally, when should you post to Notes?

I don't think this is hugely critical, but if you think in terms of trying to post most days you will be able to take advantage of regularly being at the top of mutual followers DMs (or Chats as IG is now referring to them).

I hope this helps you wrap your head around Notes and as always, please let me know if you have any questions!

X Ilona 

PS The lovely hand printed notebook in my pics is by the ever talented @jo___olive