Adding Music to Instagram Still Posts
Instagram is now allowing users to add music to still feed photos in addition to reels and videos on their platform. According to Instagram, music is a big part of expression, and the platform wants users who post static photos to be able to provide a soundtrack to their important moments regardless of media type.
Adding music to a still image is fairly simple – there is now an “add music” option in the composing screen where you add your caption, tags, location, and other information. Once you select this option, you will be able to search for a track to add to your photo. There is also an option to choose how long you’d like the music to play; users can select a clip between 5 and 90 seconds for each post.
It's likely that Instagram has noticed the success of music integration on other platforms such as TikTok and want to provide this option for their users regardless of the type of post. There is some speculation that this change is also in lieu of the profile music (much like MySpace) that has been rumored to be coming to Instagram.
It’s hard to determine the purpose of this option so early in its use, but one possibility is to enhance still photos for users who usually browse with the sound on due to videos and reels in their feed. Additionally, music for still photos could also cause more users to browse with sound on who normally wouldn’t.
Perhaps this new music option will pave the way for more intricate still-photo options such as music slideshow options on posts with multiple photos. We are likely to find out more about this option once more data is collected on its use and success.
