Instagram’s New Repost, Map & Friends Tab: What It Means for Brands

Instagram just dropped a fresh wave of features currently being tested: Reposts, a Map for discovery and a Friends tab in Reels. On the surface, they’re small updates. But together, they signal something bigger – a push towards more socially connected, discovery led formats. And that matters for how brands show up.

TL;DR

Instagram’s new Reposts, Map, and Friends tab are all about shifting the platform back toward connection, community, and discovery.

For brands, that means:

• Reposts → Create content worth resharing (UGC, memes, competitions)
• Map → Tell hyperlocal stories and drive real-world discovery
• Friends Tab → Partner with smaller creators to tap into trusted networks

What do the New Features do?

For years, Instagram has been criticised for drifting too far into polished, broadcast style content. These updates swing the pendulum back to connection.

• Reposts bring more of TikTok’s shareability into the feed
• Maps turn local discovery into an interactive storytelling layer (for those that consent to its use)
• Friends tabs in Reels put more weight on trusted, close knit recommendations

Instagram wants to make itself less about one-way broadcasting and more about grassroots creativity and relevance.

How brands can get involved

Reposts: Lean Into UGC

Reposting opens a big door for brands. Instead of relying purely on ads or polished posts, you can encourage followers to reshare their own takes on your products or campaigns. Think:

• Building repostable memes, moments, or snackable visuals
• Running competitions where the best UGC gets amplified by the brand
• Encouraging micro communities to carry your message further with more authenticity than a paid ad

Map Feature: Go Hyperlocal

The new Map is perfect for location-based storytelling. Brands with physical touchpoints can win big here:

• Drive footfall to store launches or events by linking content directly to a place on the Map.
• Seed geotagged campaigns that feel at home in specific neighbourhoods and places
• Create pop up activations that live both online and offline, discoverable through Map-based browsing

Friends Tab: Tap Into Close Networks

The Friends tab in Reels shifts attention to smaller, trusted networks. That’s a win for nano and micro creators, and for brands willing to think smaller to reach deeper.

• Partner with creators whose inner circles are highly engaged
• Seed personalised, friend to friend content that feels authentic, not like a campaign push
• Use Reels here to build loyalty and word of mouth

These updates are a clear pivot back towards community, discovery and familiarity – the things that made Instagram sticky in the first place.

For brands, the playbook is simple:

Build content worth reposting

Tie stories to places and moments

Leverage creators whose networks actually know them

The brands who adapt fastest will earn more than reach. They’ll earn trust, relevance and cultural cut through.

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