Instagram brings mentions, links, and Boomerang to Stories

Instagram is trying to add more value to its Snapchat counterpart with a bunch of new features. One is being able to make Boomerang posts on Instagram Stories. Much like how the standalone Boomerang app works, just tap the record button and have the camera stitch together a burst of photos to turn these into a GIF-like video that plays forward and backward.

Stories now also lets you mention Instagram accounts. Just type in the “@” symbol with the username and an underline will appear underneath the name. This will be the link to that user’s profile. You will get a notification in Direct if you’re mentioned in someone else’s story and you can tap preview to see said story (if it’s still live that is). If you get tagged in a story of someone you don’t follow, you’ll get a notification in your message requests.

For the first time, Instagram is also letting verified accounts add links for readers to “See More” beyond what was shared in the Stories section. The link will appear at the bottom of the stories and will just need you to swipe up to be redirected to the site, right inside Instagram. This new version 9.7 update is coming to Android, iOS, and Windows 10 users.