The news: Instagram’s one-to-many messaging feature, Instagram Broadcast Channels, is primed to have a moment.

Why it matters: Despite the name, it’s a space for brands to connect with an opt-in audience that feels more like a group chat with friends.

• Users who follow an account with a channel will receive an automatic invitation to join once the first message has been sent.
• Messages sent in channels appear in the direct messaging tab on Instagram, just like a regular DM or group chat.
• Brands like Favorite Daughter, e.l.f. Cosmetics, and Nike have already set up channels. Meta also regularly uses its channel to share product updates.

The catch: Channels is currently only available to creators and select business accounts with over 10,000 followers. But Instagram says it is rolling out the feature to more business and professional accounts over time.

Between the lines: Brands already have an entry point through creators, many of whom use channels to share product recommendations, reviews, and other shopping-related content.

• One-fifth (19.2%) of US social shoppers had seen shopping-related creator or influencer content in Instagram Channels, with that figure rising to 26.4% among millennial social shoppers, per our March 2024 “US Social Commerce” survey.
• Instagram has also enabled its branded content tools, such as paid partnership labels, in Channels, giving brands an opportunity to extend their influencer campaigns there.

Yes, but: The jury is out over how well channels can drive conversions compared with other social content.

• Only 6.4% and 4.0% of social shoppers in our survey said the content they saw in group chats and DMs led them to make a purchase, compared with 53.9% for short videos. We did not ask specifically about channels, but those figures help provide a baseline for what brands can expect.

The big takeaway: As social interactions continue to shift into smaller, more private spaces like group chats and DMs, marketers must find a way to participate that doesn’t feel intrusive. Channels can provide brands an avenue to connect with loyal fans outside of the algorithm-driven feed.

Stay tuned: For more on how creators are influencing social purchases, look out for our “Creator-Driven Commerce” report, publishing September 20.