By Danny Cardozo | @DannyLCT

With the rapid growth of social media, Instagram is staying ahead of the game with a recent host of network updates. From integrated Boomerang and mentioning friends in Stories to integrated Story links, Instagram is appealing to broad audiences by seamlessly blending our social world ever so closer.

The first of three large updates arriving to Instagram is integrating Boomerang into the same Instagram app. Previously, to use Boomerang a user would have to download a separate app to create a 2-second looped video and submit it through the Twitter network. Now you won’t have to leave the app to access Boomerang. With the simple swipe to the right, you can access the new Boomerang button and begin sharing your cleverly looped videos.

Instagram is also bringing friendships closer together by allowing you to tag your friends when creating stories. Just like you would tag in a typical image post, you type the user’s name beginning with “@’ and their profile you should appear. This update will also allow you view tagged videos of your friends.

The Instagram Stories updates don’t stop there. Along with a Boomerang button and a text box to tag friends, verified accounts will now also be able to post a link in their story. This new integration will allow businesses to promote their websites through Instagram’s social network. Considering their substantial success in the short period that Stories has been available and Instagram’s general continuous growth, this update will increase the value of Instagram as a business earning tool.

These series of updates is asserting Instagram’s position in the global market of social media. Moreover, they continue to dial in to the growing social trends and appealing to the interest of its rapidly growing youthful demographic. In the meantime, we praise Instagram for proving their most outspoken critics wrong and most importantly, for continually reinventing the cyber-social wheel.

What do you think of these new updates? Tweet us your thoughts @Socialmediadel.