Instagram rolls out Maps feature globally, helps discover popular locations

Instagram has announced the global rollout of a new Maps experience that allows people to discover popularly tagged locations around them. Users can filter locations by specific categories such as restaurants, cafes, and beauty salons.
People are naturally in discovery mode when they open Instagram and they come to the platform to discover new places and businesses around them. For businesses, this discovery leads to more than just a connection point – it translates into business impact and sales.
The maps feature may help people in discovering popular locations and see what’s happening nearby via tagged posts, stories, and guides shared by the IG community. Users can also find relevant locations on the map when searching certain hashtags. The feature was launched in Japan a year ago and has been globally rolled out today.
Here’s how users can use Instagram Maps
Users can discover a new place by tapping location tags in Feed or Stories content. Further, they can search the name of a city, neighbourhood, or place in Explore. Hashtag search is also available for local hashtags (e.g. #newdelhi). Previous stories you’ve posted that include a location sticker can also be viewed via a map in the Stories archive.
Also, users can browse recent stories, top posts, and relevant guides of tagged locations to learn more. They can also filter by location categories to narrow your search. One save locations to a collection to revisit in the future or share places via direct message to friends or groups.