Everything You Need to Know About Instagram Broadcast Channels
Still unsure about what the heck a Broadcast Channel is? Here is everything you need to know about the latest Instagram feature.
Posted 8 months ago
Written by
Mackenzie TaylorPosted 8 months ago
If you’ve been on Instagram recently, chances are you’ve gotten flooded with notifications from people asking you to join their broadcast. And the amount of people that have texted me going, “Mackenzie, WTF are Instagram Broadcast Channels?” was plentiful (and honestly? I felt pretty dang popular. Thanks, Instagram!).
Instagram is looking for even more ways for people to connect and engage with their followers and Broadcast Channels are the newest way to do just that. Instead of talking in the DMs, creators can send a message in one place to as many people who subscribe to their channel. They can share updates, send polls, voice notes, links to things, and so much more.
Still unsure about what the heck a Broadcast Channel is? Here’s everything we know about it so far:
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What are Instagram Broadcast Channels?
Instagram Broadcast Channels is a chat where those with a large following can share content with anyone who has chosen to follow their broadcast.
Creators can share sneak peeks, ask for feedback, share candid moments, and even send voice notes so their followers feel even more connected.
Only creators can send messages in Broadcast Channels while followers can send out reactions and vote in polls.
So… similar to Telegram, if you ask me!
The Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri has stated many times that people aren’t engaging on feeds as much anymore but that most engagement is happening in DMs. And Broadcast Channels are Instagram’s answer to helping creators out with more engagement and getting their followers to see their content overall.
Why create an Instagram Broadcast Channel?
Not sure why you would start a Broadcast Channel? Fair enough. Typically, you would start one to share content with a very specific group of people to see. You can share exclusive content for those who decide to sign up for your channel—an incentive for people to want to subscribe!
You can also use the channel to get feedback on specific things related to your business and/or content related to your social media. Using a Broadcast Channel can help you figure out what your audience wants from you so you can tailor content specifically to them.
How do Instagram Broadcast Channels work?
Once a creator has started a Broadcast Channel and has sent their first message, their followers will receive a notification in-app to join their Broadcast (remember all of those notifications you received? Yeah, that).
While anyone can find someone’s Broadcast Channel, only followers who join the channel will get notifications when creators share updates.
If you hate getting notifications or don’t really care about the updates, you can leave or mute a channel at any point in time.
How do you create an Instagram Broadcast Channel?
So you want to create a Broadcast Channel? Cool! Let’s do it.
First things first, you need to make sure you have a Creator account on Instagram. At the current moment, personal and business accounts can’t create a broadcast channel. If you already have a creator account, here’s what to do:
- Tap the message icon on the top right of your feed.
- Select the new message icon on the top right of your feed.
- The first option you should see is “Create Broadcast Channel.” From here, you can customize your channel with a name, audience, when the channel ends, and whether you’d like the channel to show up on your feed or not.
- Click “Create Broadcast Channel” and you’re all set to go!
How can you invite people to join your Instagram Broadcast Channel?
Now that you’ve created your channel, it’s time to start inviting people to your channel!
Send a message
The very first time you post an update on your channel, all of your followers will get a notification automatically asking them to join your channel.
Share a link
You can create an invite link to the channel and send the link to people!
Share a link to your Stories
You can share a link in your Stories to announce your Broadcast Channel and invite your followers to join!
Share messages to your Stories
Yes, you can share a message from your Broadcast Channel to your Story! This is a great way to get people interested in your channel and want to join!
How can you join an Instagram Broadcast Channel?
There are a few ways you can join a Broadcast Channel:
- You can access the Broadcast Channel by a link in the creator’s Story, the link pinned to the top of the creator’s profile, or by clicking the initial notification you receive when a creator sends their first update.
- When you click the Broadcast Channel, click “Join broadcast channel” at the bottom of the screen.
- Once you join the channel, you’ll be able to react to any content and interact on any polls. However, you won’t be able to comment on anything inside the channel.
Note: Creators have a couple different options when it comes to who can join their channel. They can open it to all of their followers or limit it specifically to their paid subscribers.
While the feature is still very new (and not yet rolled out to all countries), it has been fun to watch what type of content people are sharing on their channels. It’s definitely a great place to update your followers on any new updates or posts from you that you don’t want them to miss out on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can multiple people be creators of a single Broadcast Channel?
No, currently only one Instagram account can be a creator of a single Broadcast Channel.
Is there a way to see how many people are in a Broadcast Channel?
Unfortunately, there is no way for creators to see the exact number of followers in their Broadcast Channel at this time. However, you can track engagement metrics, like the number of people who reacted to your messages.
Can creators schedule messages to go out on their Broadcast Channel?
No, Instagram Broadcast Channels don’t currently offer message scheduling. Messages must be sent manually.
Can followers leave comments in a Broadcast Channel?
No, followers cannot leave comments in a Broadcast Channel. They can only react to the messages with emojis.
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