Instagram is making its social media platform more shopper-friendly. The social media company added a new feature to its Instagram Stories.

Introducing Shopping Tags

The Instagram press team revealed on their official blog on June 12 that it would be launching a new way to shop. They explained that they would add different stickers to Instagram Stories. These stickers would feature a shopping bag icon.

If users see an item that they want to add to their clothing collection, they could click on the sticker. Once they click on the label, they would find a miniature version of the item and the phrase "See Details." The "See Details" box would take users to a separate area in the app that would allow them to see the price and the option to view the item on the company's website.

Connecting The Brands

With the new shopping tag stickers, Instagram hopes that it could bridge the connection between its 300 million daily Instagram Stories users and brands. Some of the brands that have confirmed their participation in this feature include Aritzia, The Kooples, and Adidas. Other brands will be revealed at a later date.

In a recent survey, Instagram users revealed that they find inspiration through Instagram Stories. Users watch their favorite brands' stories to get an inside view of the brand's upcoming products. The survey also found that 33 percent of Instagram users have become more interested in either a brand or product after seeing it on Instagram Stories.

Instagram News

In addition to the shopping tags' inclusion, friends can repost your Instagram stories. Instagram calls the new feature @mention Sharing because it automatically allows a person to be mentioned for 24 hours directly. The person that is tagged in the @mention Sharing would receive a direct message with an option that states "Add This to Your Story." Users will be able to tap the opportunity and put additional items into the story if they want to share it.

The social media network is also toying with the idea of letting their users upload longer videos. A report from the Wall Street Journal stated that sources close to Instagram were looking at a new feature that could give users the chance to upload one-hour videos. However, the report was unclear where either the Instagram Stories section or the users' main timeline that they wanted to put the experimental feature.

On Tuesday, May 15, Instagram's Chief Executive Officer Kevin Systrom revealed on Twitter that Instagram was working on a way that users could track on how long they use the app. "Usage Insights" would be an essential tool for the Instagram community. Systrom confirmed the upcoming feature after an Android app developer found a specific piece of code and gave it to media outlet TechCrunch.