One small step for Instagram, one giant leap for Social Media Managers

Originally posted on Tuleburg

Finally, the social media manager’s voice has been heard. Monday, Instagram released an update social media managers have been waiting years for. Now, Instagram users can switch back and forth between multiple accounts without having to sign out.

As Social Media Director at Tuleburg I am constantly searching for better ways to manage accounts and implement strategies more efficiently. At an agency level of social media management I am operating multiple Instagram accounts 24/7. Not only am I posting photos for clients, but I am also engaging with followers on behalf of the company/ brand. Outside of my team, I am constantly in conversation with social media managers from all over to ask questions and hear if they have found new tools or tricks on how to best manage social media accounts. One of the biggest struggles social media managers had in common before the update was the inability to be nimble and to log into multiple Instagram accounts at once.

This may seem like a minor addition to Instagram. However, it has social media and brand managers around the world singing its praise. Now, Instagram allows you to be logged into up to five Instagram accounts at once. In the few short days since the update has been launched I have seen interaction from brands more than ever before. Brands are able to communicate on a completely different level now. Consumers tend to feel forgotten or frustrated with brands when they aren’t responded to in a timely manner. In most cases it’s because the social media manager isn’t actually logged into the account to receive the message.

As soon as the update was launched I saw a swarm of updates and praise from the social media managers I am in constant conversation with. These people aren’t just from fellow agencies; they are social media media managers from tech companies, coffee shops, visitor bureaus and digital agencies. Here is what they have to say about the new update:

“When Instagram allowed me to switch back and forth between two accounts, I jumped for joy. Finally, Instagram listened to the requests from Social Media Managers everywhere! This seemingly small addition to the app will save me tons of time and sanity at work. My favorite feature is that no matter which account I’m currently logged into, I will get notifications from activities happening on my other connected accounts. This means I’ll never miss a favorite, comment, or tag on any of my accounts! One small step for Instagram, one giant leap for Social Media Managers.” Chelsey Nelson, Social Media Manager at PitchBook.

“Being able to switch between accounts is a dream come true. For the longest time I felt like I neglected our Instagram account in comparison to our Twitter and Facebook, because the ease of accessibility was just not there. I often would not receive any of the Instagram notifications until I was logging in specifically to post. Which was unfortunate because our Instagram is such a huge part of our social media. With this update I can check notifications, engage in conversation, and keep posts up to date as quickly, frequently, and easily as I can with our other platforms! I think I will be more inclined to interact and encourage interaction through our Instagram now that I can be more attentive without constantly logging in and out.” – Jess Noelle Neal, Assistant Manager, Social Media Manager at Preservation Coffee & Tea

“I don’t think I have been this excited for an App update since the release of the taco emoji. If I compared the number of times I had to sign into various Instagram accounts throughout the day to the glasses of wine it made me (want) to consume, let’s just say that I would be the next Matt Bellassai of the industry.”  Kacie North, Social Media Manager at DigitalWire360

“We are so happy Instagram finally got up to date on the social media trend and now will allow you to switch back and forth between accounts without having to log in or out. Because of this feature it makes being able to post images quicker and also bring more content to our followers. We want to show all of what Stockton has to offer as often as we can so having this feature is definitely a win for our social media team.” – Haley Brown, CTA Digital Marketing Coordinator at Visit Stockton

Social media managers can agree this is the first step to some big changes in the industry. This new feature will greatly improve how brands communicate and interact with their audience. With this update we are now able to take our social media management to the next level and communicate with target audiences more efficiently.