Instagram Launches New Stickers To Help Struggling Small Businesses

Instagram is making it easier for businesses on its platform to connect its customers with their online ordering service, it announced on Wednesday. Starting today, businesses can add stickers to their profiles and Stories that are related to ordering food, buying gift cards, and fundraisers. Tapping these stickers takes the users to the related portal.

Many businesses, particularly small businesses, are suffering from the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus and social distancing efforts. Instagram is helping those companies get in contact with their customers in a way that enables them to support the business, namely through online orders that are picked up curbside or delivered, as well as by purchasing gift cards.

According to Instagram, users who tap on a gift card or food order sticker will be directed to the partner's website where the purchase can be made. Alternatively, users who tap on a fundraiser sticker will be directed to Facebook where a personal fundraiser made by the business's owner will be presented.

This feature is rolling out first to businesses located in the US and Canada, but Instagram says that it'll also be made available in other countries around the world 'in coming weeks.' The fundraising feature is merely listed as 'coming soon.' Instagram indicates that it plans to release other features designed to support small businesses in the future.

Instagram's announcement indicates this feature is designed specifically to offer help during the COVID-19 outbreak. It's unclear whether the company plans to keep these stickers around after the pandemic ends and things return to normal, however.