In recent weeks, Instagram users have been able to experience a number of new options in stories, and brands are already taking advantage of these features in their Digital Marketing strategies.

Users can now use various styles of text in their stories by changing the font between "Classic" "Modern", "Neon", "Typewriter" and "Strong". You can also choose text color from many more colors than before, and even select a text color that is present in the colors of the image.

Instagram also unveiled a new library of transparent background GIFs in collaboration with Giphy, which allows app users to place gifs in their stories. According to the social network, the reactions have been very positive and this is one of the preferred features of the users of the platform.

Now, it is also possible to see if a user is online or not, in private messages. When you open the message inbox, you can see if a user is currently online or how long you have been online.

From the perspective of Digital Marketing, these features can bring a new dynamic and differentiation factor to the brand stories, making them more appealing. The message status indicator can be particularly useful for brands because it can encourage users to start business conversations if they see an online status indication:

All these updates seek to captivate users and keep them in an app that has come to dominate and gain ground over others like Snapchat. For business, it's another opportunity to create fun online personalities, creating a rapprochement of users.