{"id":90886,"date":"2022-12-21T13:50:01","date_gmt":"2022-12-21T13:50:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rockcontent.com\/?p=90886"},"modified":"2025-09-18T09:05:18","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T12:05:18","slug":"instagram-candid-stories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pingback.com\/en\/resources\/instagram-candid-stories\/","title":{"rendered":"Instagram Takes on BeReal With its Own Candid Stories Feature"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Instagram seems to be playing catchup right now, previously aiming to attract users from TikTok<\/a>, and now taking aim at BeReal and Twitter.<\/p>\n

When a new platform or feature starts to take off and become successful, it\u2019s no surprise that other social media platforms take note and start working on their response. In addition to Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok have also come up with their own versions of BeReal recently.<\/p>\n

So, what\u2019s currently happening on Instagram? Well, several new features are being introduced as we speak. Instagram states that these features are to \u201chelp people more easily share in spontaneous, fun ways to help create even stronger connections with friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"\/<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Candid Stories<\/h2>\n

Candids are Instagram\u2019s answer to BeReal<\/a>. On Instagram, you can now post one candid shot per day where your phone takes a photo with both front and back cameras simultaneously. The idea is to show something real, without filters.<\/p>\n

Just as on BeReal, you can ignore the notification to take your selfie, but if you do, you can\u2019t see what anyone else has posted.<\/p>\n

According to Instagram themselves<\/a>, you can \u201cCapture a Candid from the Stories camera, the multi-author story at the top of the feed, or from the daily notification reminder that starts after your first Candid.\u201d<\/p>\n

Add Yours Stickers<\/h3>\n

When you look at stories, you\u2019ll see an Add Yours prompt inviting you to contribute your own story. That\u2019s not a new feature, but what Instagram has added is a new \u201cPass it on\u201d prompt.<\/p>\n

If the story doesn\u2019t fit with something you want to post, you can pass the prompt to add a story to a friend or colleague to invite them to post instead.<\/p>\n

Notes<\/h3>\n

In addition to BeReal, Instagram is also taking a stab at a more Twitter-like feature with their new Notes. Users can now add an update to their profile which is only for text and emojis.<\/p>\n

You can post up to 60 characters and the update will remain for 24 hours, like a temporary sticky note. Friends can then reply to your update, which will appear in your DMs.<\/p>\n

The new Notes feature started rolling out to users on December 13th, so check if you\u2019ve got it and start testing.<\/p>\n

Group Profiles and Collaborative Collections<\/h3>\n

Group Profiles allow you to share a profile where you can post related content just for that group of people.<\/p>\n

Collaborative Collections let you save your posts in your group chat to a collection that only chat participants can see.<\/p>\n

One thing that\u2019s become pretty obvious in 2025 is this race to mimic or pre-empt what competitors are doing often leaves Instagram\u2019s identity feeling a bit scattered. You kind of get the sense they\u2019re throwing a bunch of features at the wall and seeing what users actually grab onto. Sometimes, these launches can feel oddly unfinished\u2014like, we all remember Threads trying to challenge Twitter (or X, whatever)\u2014and then just kind of stalling out after the initial hype. The question is whether all these \u201cme too\u201d additions actually make Instagram stickier, or just more cluttered for the average person scrolling at 11 p.m.<\/p>\n

Another wrinkle: users aren\u2019t always craving more bells and whistles. There\u2019s a chunk of people who just want a chill place to keep up with friends, not manage three new sharing modes and twice as many notifications. It almost feels like we\u2019re all vaguely beta testing social media companies\u2019 next moves. So while Group Profiles and Notes are cool, it\u2019s fair game to be a little skeptical and see which features actually earn a permanent spot on your home screen.<\/p>\n

What do all the new features mean for marketers?<\/h2>\n

The addition of Candid Stories allows you to choose one thing to focus on per day. In fact, you have no choice as you can\u2019t continue posting once you\u2019ve done your selfie. That focuses the mind, which sometimes is not bad thing.<\/p>\n

Think about what you\u2019re currently promoting, any new releases, the latest news from your company, and more.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t want to be too sales-y here. The idea is to be real and genuine. So you may do better with content showing off what goes on behind the scenes in your company and aiming to build connections, community, and engagement.<\/p>\n

With your brand Instagram account, you too should have the feature to post Notes on your profile. Again, you could use this for special offers, discounts, the latest news, new releases, and more. You could ask people to DM you to get the offer or to receive the link to the sales page, which shows who your really keen fans are – at least for that product or service.<\/p>\n

As for replying to people\u2019s Notes, I wouldn\u2019t say this was a good idea. It\u2019s a case of \u201cjust because you can doesn\u2019t mean you should.\u201d If you have something witty to contribute or their Note is about your company and you want to reply, I can\u2019t see the harm. But very few people will be happy about you popping into their DMs with a sales pitch.<\/p>\n

You could use Group Profiles or Collaborative Collections for your VIP clients and raving fans. Here you could share special offers and sneak peeks, just for them. It\u2019s certainly one way to get fans excited about something you know they really want.<\/p>\n

You could perhaps also use these for focus groups to get feedback on new ideas or on your latest products.<\/p>\n

And you could set up groups for different aspects of your business and use them to help segment your Instagram audience and target content at them more efficiently.<\/p>\n

Of course, the more group profiles and collections you set up, the more you\u2019ll need to do to manage them and, potentially, the longer you\u2019ll need to spend on social media. But if you choose your groups wisely and limit them to the ones you really need, you should be able to gain excellent feedback, engagement, and great data, without adding greatly to your marketing efforts.<\/p>\n

\n
\n