Instagram's New Searchable Map Helps Find Local Hot Spots
Instagram this week launched a new searchable map(Opens in a new window) function that lets you find popular locations nearby and filter by category.
The feature, teased by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in an Instagram Story(Opens in a new window), is accessible via location tags in your main feed and Stories, or by searching for places in the Explore tab.
Not to be confused with photo maps—which Instagram killed off in 2016 citing limited adoption and a "focus on other priorities"—the new map features round images with colored Stories rings to denote places from where people have shared public posts. Tap to watch highlights, or drag the map around to see more images and videos from around the globe.
Once you've settled on a spot, filters can help narrow down results, so you see only restaurants, cafes, sights, hotels, parks and gardens, and bars. To revisit favorite locations, open the app menu and tap Saved.
Meta quietly began testing "Map Search"(Opens in a new window) last year in Australia and New Zealand, enabling folks to discover shops and locations of interest via an in-app map. Similar to Snapchat's My Places tool, which highlights local hot spots, Instagram's latest addition provides a direct connection between users and businesses.
By introducing this new map feature, Instagram is encouraging users to stay in the app rather than having to go elsewhere for the functionality. It follows an announcement by Meta earlier this week that allowing shopping on Instagram via direct messages(Opens in a new window)—If you see something you like, DM the business to place and order using Meta Pay, then track the purchase and ask follow-up questions in the same chat thread.
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