Instagram’s New Layout App Allows Easy Photo Collage Creation For Brands

Instagram has just released a new app called “Layout” that provides a powerful creative tool for brands and other users of the platform. The new app allows for the easy creation of collages, which have become popular with Instagram users who have used one of several third-party apps to create them, such as Diptic and Framatic. Now, users can arrange multiple photos in a variety of grids using Instagram’s own Layout app.

Layout exists separate from the core Instagram offering, as a standalone app. Although it is currently only available for iOS, an Android version will be made available at some point in the future.

Instagram users can use the new Layout app to easily and quickly create collages from their phone’s camera roll. For brands, using a collage can often help their posts to be more engaging for their followers by telling a more effective story than a single image, making collages a valuable marketing tool.

Importantly, the company has made its new app very easy to use. When you first open the Layout app, you can scroll through 11 pre-made layouts to choose the one that is best suited to your post. Alternatively, you can tap on images in your camera roll and the app will automatically build them into various layout previews as you go, allowing you to select the one that you like best at the end. Another helpful feature is the “Faces” view, which uses facial detection to pull out the images from your camera roll that feature people, instead of you having to scroll through all of your photos. Another function is called “Recents,” which provides you with a view that contains up to 30 of your most recently used images. Conveniently, the app allows you to move, resize, zoom, mirror and flip each image before you tap “save” to keep the finished result.

Another feature is a built-in “Photo Booth,” which allows you to take a sequence of up to four photos, which are subsequently placed directly into the layout previews. A “Get Ready” message is flashed on the screen before each photo is taken, to simulate a real-world photo booth experience.

The new Layout app is likely to become popular with brands who are seeking a simple tool to make creative and engaging posts. Considering the fact that many brands now generate their highest social media engagement on Instagram, the app’s release seems well-timed. Many brands have jumped on board right away, including Victoria’s Secret, Sephora and Shutterfly, who have all posted collages using the new Instagram app.

There are competing apps that provide more advanced features, including InstaCollage, Moldiv and Instavid, where users can choose more complex layouts with irregular shapes, custom frames, and more. However, the simplicity of Layout will make it appealing to a wide range of brands who want to quickly put images together without learning all of the details of a complicated app. It’s likely that Instagram’s new app will therefore gain popularity, despite its reduced functionality in comparison to some others that are available.

For iOS users, the Layout app can currently be downloaded from the App Store.