Instagram has been rolling out a lot of new features. In recent weeks, it seems like Insta has been updating its features and adding new Insta camera effects more than the app has been updating its algorithm (which is a relief, because we’re still trying to understand Instagram’s latest algorithm).
Like anything new, the Insta-realm has some mixed opinions about one of Insta’s latest features, the “ask me a question,” feature. So, we asked some millennial and gen-z women (who aren’t hyper-famous) what they thought about the new Insta question sticker feature and here’s what they had to say:
“I like how the feature opens up a dialogue between you and your followers without having to open up your DMs, but at times it can be a bit much. People ask wild or dumb questions and on the flip side, people will just go on and on about themselves. It’s not 100% a bad thing, but its more often than not annoying, so I usually skip stories with the questions feature. I have yet to use it myself even though I noticed the feature within the hour it was released. It can be embarrassing to not have anyone ask you questions. I also think it can be inauthentic to pick and choose which questions you want to answer just to make yourself look good.”
— Debbie, @thelastdebutante
Alright. We had our fun with the question feature on instagram…
But if you’re still doing it someone needs to tell you that you are not a famous youtuber or something, I’m am clicking straight through your Q&A so sorry
— Emory McClard (@ItsEmoryMcClard) July 23, 2018
“As a fashion blogger, I use the questions feature to interact with my readers and get a better sense of what they want to see for me. What worries me is this feature being used with younger demographic. I remember in middle school ‘ask.fm’ was popular and stirred up a lot of cyberbullying at the local level.”
– Caroline Voigt, @queencpv
“I think this trend ended almost as soon as it began. At first, it was novel and interesting. You can ask anyone *anything*, and they’ll respond on their story! But soon Instagram became oversaturated with *everyone* asking for you to ask them something. Now, I don’t see it posted on any of my friends’ stories. In fact, I’ve seen people write Don’t Ask me Anything as a way to jump on the this is annoying train before others. Now it almost seems too self-indulgent; you believe that you’re so interesting
that people want to ask you questions.”
— Lauren Crain, Digital Marketer at Health Labs.
“I love that it’s another chance for people to engage and share silly or fun questions with their friends and followers. On the flip side, it runs the risks of every new social media capability; some people use it for nefarious purposes like bullying or being inappropriate. I blog about fashion a lot, so I would love to use it to poll my followers on clothes or shoes I am buying or other fun content. I would love to see this feature used in our IG analytics – what is the engagement like? What question performed the highest, etc.? From an influencer standpoint, it’s always nice to see what content people really
like.”
— Jess, Lifestyle Blogger, @aneutrallife
Let’s all just agree to stop posting “ask me a question” stories unless you are a celebrity or Instagram famous. If you have a question for someone… just text them or shoot your shot in those DMs boo boo.
— Blake Karlin (@Blake11Karlin) July 12, 2018
“My opinion is that it is a strange feature for anyone normal, it seems to be something tailored to more famous or popular Instagrammers. This is because normally, if a friend or someone you actually know has a question about you, they’ll just ask you privately and you’ll tell them, even via Instagram DM. However, the popular Instagrammers with followers who don’t know them and who don’t usually have access to them in this way, benefit from the feature by gaining more interaction with their followers.”
– Stacy Caprio, Online Marketing Consultant, WillImproveYourLife.com
“I love the, ask me a question feature on Instagram’s new update! And before you jump to the thought that this question is opening the door to some crazy DM’s! Let’s face it, the unsolicited D*&% pics were sliding into our DM’s without the prompt for an, Ask Me a Question before this was even a feature. The new feature enables you to build trust and a great relationship with the awesome followers you have. It enables my followers to ask me things I may not think to tell them or even discuss. It allows me to get as personal as I want with my answers. It also prompts content that is not on my page. It’s a direct insight into what my followers want to know versus what I choose to share only. If you plan on making your page a business, this type of information is priceless. The best part is, for the bad apples asking the weird questions, you choose whether or not you even post or answer. It’s that simple, there’s always a positive.”
– Mary Casarreal, @mcasarreal
For everyday users, it’s unclear whether the feature is a hit or a miss just yet — but if you can find a way to make it work for you and make it fun for you and your friends, what’s the harm in a little Q&A?