Instagram is making a big change in how it lets you share information about yourself

2 weeks ago 14

(Image credit: Instagram)

Instagram just made it a lot easier to share and perhaps grow your account with Profile Cards. These two-sided and digitally portable Instagram ID cards feature key information about you and your account and that can be shared in just about any way you can imagine.

Mine started showing up early Tuesday morning, though Instagram tells us they're rolling out globally as of 11AM ET. Featured prominently near the top of your Instagram account, next to "Edit Profile," the "Share Profile" button opens a two-sided card (you swipe to rotate the card and see the other side). There's no opting out of Profile Cards, but then people only see them if you share the cards.

On one side of the Profile card is your avatar, username, full name, pronouns, bio, and the first link that you've shared on your link list. It's essentially almost everything you've put in your Instagram profile. On the other side is your Instagram handle and a scannable QR code, which people can use to instantly find your account on Instagram. Yes, it's quite similar to Snapchat's profile cards.

You can change the background on the backside of the card (the one with the QR code) but not the front.

Instagram Profile Cards

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Share options are extensive. You can copy, link, and send to WhatsApp, Threads, Messenger, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and even Snapchat. You can also add the card to your story. All of this could help you grow followers as people discover who you are and how to connect to your account if they happen to stumble on your Profile Card.

If they scan the QR code with their smartphone camera, the link takes them not immediately to the full Instagram profile but to the rotating Profile Card. Once they close that, they land on your Instagram Profile page.

Instagram likens the Profile Card to sharing a business card, but this obviously has a more personal and social bent.

The goal, as Instagram sees it, is to stay connected and even grow business opportunities by sharing your Profile Card with brands and potential collaborators. It is, at least, a nice boil down of the Instagram version of you.

Profile Cards should appear on Instagram's iOS and Android versions, though I'm not yet seeing them on the desktop.

This is the first significant platform change since Instagram started allowing us to post up top 20 pictures in a gallery. However, while that one dealt with engagement and perhaps keeping people on the platform longer, this is about account- and maybe user growth. Instagram hasn't had to focus much on that since, in recent years, it's been the dominant social media platform, even beating back strong competition from Snapchat. However, TikTok, despite its troubles, continuously puts Instagram's loyal base at risk. TikTok is constantly rolling out new tools to enhance the platform's usage. Perhaps Instagram is realizing that it needs to keep pace.

A 38-year industry veteran and award-winning journalist, Lance has covered technology since PCs were the size of suitcases and “on line” meant “waiting.” He’s a former Lifewire Editor-in-Chief, Mashable Editor-in-Chief, and, before that, Editor in Chief of PCMag.com and Senior Vice President of Content for Ziff Davis, Inc. He also wrote a popular, weekly tech column for Medium called The Upgrade.

Lance Ulanoff makes frequent appearances on national, international, and local news programs including Live with Kelly and Mark, the Today Show, Good Morning America, CNBC, CNN, and the BBC.

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