Instagram Notes were supposed to be the new “status updates” that were popular on other social media platforms years ago. So I, like many users, was excited to try it. But, Instagram Notes haven’t brought back the same importance and fun that status updates had.
Instagram Notes Were Exciting at First
Instagram Notes first started trials in 2022 before fully launching at the end of that year. The feature reminded users of things like status updates that were popular on Facebook and MySpace many years ago. It was exciting to have a way to share some words on a platform that is mostly photo and video-based.
When the platform added a feature to simply share a song as your Instagram Note, users were excited to have music accompany their profile. But since then, Instagram Notes haven’t quite achieved their full potential. If you look through the ones from those you’re following, which you can find on the DMs page, you will probably notice only a few people have a Note.
Why I’ve Been Disappointed With Instagram Notes
Despite being excited about the launch of Notes, they ultimately fall short for me. Here are the reasons…
1. Instagram Notes Are Not Easy to Find on the App
Unlike Stories, Reels, and photos, Instagram Notes are not featured in your home feed. You have to go to your message inbox by either tapping the messages icon in the top right corner of your home feed or by swiping left. People don’t tend to go to their DMs unless they are looking to message someone, so Instagram Notes don’t get much exposure at all.
Most of your followers probably won’t see your Instagram Note. Plus, they often get cut off in the tiny bubble where they are displayed, so even if people do see it, they won’t be able to read the whole thing or hear the song you posted unless they tap on your Note.
2. Instagram Doesn’t Notify Anyone When You Post a Note
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This is another reason that Instagram Notes don’t get much exposure. No one will know you’ve posted a Note unless they go looking for it. DMs send a push notification when you send one, so the recipient knows to look at it.
Other posts sometimes send periodic notifications, but also get prime real estate on the home feed. Notes don’t benefit from any of these.
3. You Couldn’t Even Like Notes Until Recently
Instagram went nearly two years without allowing us to even double tap to like a Note. You can like them now, but not having a like feature for so long made it hard to engage with Notes, so a lot of users just forgot about them.
4. Not Everyone Has The Notes Feature – So Not Everyone Can See Them
For some reason, whether users haven’t updated their app or other issues, not everyone even has Instagram Notes. This means that a portion of your followers will never see your Note even if they wanted to. This makes posting a Note even more pointless.
For example, while writing this, I asked my sister to check out my Instagram Note. She didn’t even know what I was talking about.
This is yet another engagement problem that Notes has. You can’t publicly comment on Notes which makes it hard to start a conversation. You can reply to them, which sends a direct message or DM, to the user who posted it.
Notes aren’t easily shared with others though, which limits their reach. If you want to reach a lot of people, you are obviously better off posting on your Instagram story or sharing a post.
Why I Still Use Notes Even Though They Fall Short Sometimes
While Notes don’t have much reach or engagement, sometimes that can be a good thing. Instagram Notes are easy to create and post to your profile. I still use them occasionally when I just want to share a quick thought that doesn’t require much effort or just a song I am listening to at that moment.
Sure, maybe only a couple of people will see it, but for little things, that’s okay!
