Instagram continues to be one of the most powerful platforms for brands, creators, and marketers. With over 2 billion monthly active users, it’s no longer just a place for personal photos — it’s where trends are born, businesses are discovered, and communities thrive.
In 2025, Instagram has rolled out three exciting new features: Reposts Made Simple, Discover with Instagram Map, and Friends Tab in Reels.
These updates are not just cosmetic. They are built to increase engagement, discovery, and community-driven interactions — all of which are golden opportunities for businesses and marketers.
In this blog, we’ll explore these new features in depth, their impact on brands, and how you can use them to grow your audience, increase sales, and stay ahead of the competition.
Social media moves fast. What worked last year may not work today. Every new feature that Instagram introduces has the potential to shift user behavior. For marketers, this means adapting quickly and experimenting with fresh strategies.
For example:
When Stories launched, early adopters gained massive visibility.
When Reels launched, brands who pivoted quickly saw huge organic reach.
Now in 2025, these three new updates are creating similar opportunities.
If you understand them early and align them with your marketing strategy, you’ll be positioned ahead of competitors who are still figuring it out.
Until now, reposting content on Instagram was clunky. Users relied on third-party apps or screenshots to share posts. With this update, Instagram introduces a native Repost option.
You can share public Reels & posts with your followers instantly.
A new Reposts Tab is added to your profile.
Creators still receive full credit when their content is shared.
This feature has huge implications for content amplification:
User-Generated Content (UGC): Brands can easily repost customer photos, testimonials, or reviews.
Influencer Partnerships: Influencer-created posts can now be reshared seamlessly.
Content Longevity: High-performing posts can be resurfaced to new audiences.
Instead of spending more on content creation, you can now maximize the impact of existing content.
Encourage customers to tag your brand in their posts.
Repost influencer content to showcase collaborations.
Create campaigns where reposting becomes part of the engagement (e.g., “Tag us and get featured on our Reposts Tab”).
The Instagram Map gets a major upgrade in 2025. Now, users can explore tagged places their friends share — from trendy cafés to concerts and hidden local hotspots.
Fully opt-in only for privacy.
Includes parental controls for younger users.
Designed to make real-world discovery more social.
This is a game-changer for local businesses and marketers. Imagine your café, restaurant, or boutique being tagged on Instagram — it’s now discoverable to friends-of-friends through the map.
It’s like word-of-mouth, but with visual proof.
Hospitality Businesses: Cafés, restaurants, hotels, and resorts can leverage it for visibility.
Event Spaces: Concerts, workshops, and exhibitions gain more traction when tagged.
Retail: Stores can boost foot traffic when customers tag them.
Optimize your Google Business Profile + Instagram profile with accurate location details.
Encourage customers to check in or tag your location in their Stories.
Run campaigns with hashtags like #FindUsOnTheMap to build hype.
Reels remain the most engaging content format on Instagram, and now it’s getting more personal. With the Friends Tab, users can see:
What their friends liked
What they commented on
What they reposted
This update makes Instagram feel closer to real social interaction rather than just algorithm-driven feeds.
The power of social discovery cannot be underestimated. When people see that their friends are engaging with content, they are more likely to check it out.
For brands, this means:
Increased Visibility: Your Reels can spread through personal networks.
Better Engagement: Friends amplify each other’s activity.
Trust & Social Proof: If someone’s friend interacts with your brand, it feels more authentic.
Focus on share-worthy Reels (fun, valuable, relatable).
Add hooks in the first 3 seconds to grab attention.
Encourage engagement with CTAs like “Tag a friend who needs this.”
Leverage trending sounds but make them brand-relevant.
Here are a few strategies you can implement immediately:
Repost Strategically
Don’t just repost randomly. Curate UGC and influencer content that builds trust and aligns with your brand voice.
Boost Local Presence
For businesses with physical locations, Instagram Map visibility should be a core goal. Ensure your NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) is consistent across platforms.
Reel + Friends Tab Strategy
Create Reels that spark conversation. Focus on relatable moments, humor, or educational quick tips — things people want to share with friends.
Data + Insights
Track what gets reposted, what locations drive visibility, and which Reels your audience shares most. Adapt your content accordingly.
These features highlight a broader trend:
Social platforms are becoming more community-driven.
Privacy and opt-in discovery are prioritized.
Brands must shift from broadcasting to engaging.
In other words, success on Instagram in 2025 will depend on how well you integrate your brand into communities, conversations, and real-world experiences.
Instagram’s 2025 updates — Reposts, Instagram Map, and Friends Tab in Reels — are more than just “new buttons.” They’re signals of where social media is heading: towards deeper connections, authentic discovery, and community trust.
If you’re a marketer or business owner, now is the time to adapt. Learn these features, experiment with them, and use them to make your brand more visible and relatable.
🚀 At Kodo Kompany, we help brands stay ahead of the curve. From social strategy to creative campaigns, we’re your marketing heartbeat.
👉 Ready to integrate these Instagram updates into your 2025 strategy? Let’s talk.
April 23, 2024