Instagram to Expand Broadcast Channels Globally

Meta announced that Instagram will be progressively rolling out its broadcast channels globally and opening it up to more creators. Instagram first started testing broadcast channels in February with a few select creators in the US.

Broadcast channels are a new concept Meta is testing in a number of its products. It allows creators to build one-to-many communication channels. Creators can invite their followers to join and then share text, video, and photo updates. They can also use voice notes and create polls. However, only creators can post content in the channel.

When a broadcast channel is set up, followers will receive a one-time notification. Users can choose to join the channel at any time, either from the notification or by using the link pinned to the Instagram profile. Users can then react to content in the channel, respond to polls, and opt to receive or silence notifications.

In Singapore and Columbia, Meta also started testing channels in WhatsApp, primarily rolling it out to companies such as NGOs and medical research institutes rather than individual contributors. Creators will be able to post announcements using text, video, photos, or polls. Similar to Instagram, it is a one-way communication and only channel administrators will be able to post content.

While the new features are free to use, Meta is aiming to develop revenue streams through these new capabilities in the future. It is showing its commitment to the new channels by announcing a number of upcoming features.

Instagram creators will soon be able to add collaborators to their channel, so that other creators can contribute to the content. Question prompts will also be launching soon, allowing creators to gather feedback from their followers.

In its announcement, Meta stressed its continued focus on privacy and security, stating that broadcast channels are treated differently than private messages. It also said that it has “tools and reviewers to help [them] identify, review or remove content in broadcast channels that may violate our Community Guidelines.”