Instagram Stories and SnapChat - What is your feelings on this?

So I am sure by now all or most of you have heard about the new Instagram stories update. What are your feelings and thoughts on it? I have seen so many posts and comments on this update that go in both directions. Some hate it and are verbally attacking Instagram for "stealing" Snapchat, then there are those who are loving the update and are very supportive. I for one had no real thoughts on it at first, I was not a big IG user, so this update meant very little to me and I am fairly new enough to SnapChat that staying OR leaving it for another platform (if it came to that) would not bother me too much (but of course I had to hop on IG and check it out LOL)

But the more I saw all these posts, articles and comments on this new update the more involved I got in the conversations, either through comments or private messages on IG, SnapChat and Facebook and opinions of my own started to form. 

Now Snapchat does have a few things that are great, the ability to add emojis and BITemojis to our snaps, the simplicity of sharing our snapchat through the snap code. Those are winners. But we will have to wait and see what Instagram does and what they add. 

 I  personally look forward to using Instagram/IG stories.. For me, it  consolidates some of the platforms. I think it can strengthen marketing  strategies and relationships we have with people on the platforms we  use...example... say we have 4 hours a day on  social media and we divide that time between 5-6 platforms, neither  platform (nor our followers) are getting the due diligence it may  deserve. BUT if we are able to consolidate our platforms that are able  to do multiple things, then we can spend less time and accomplish  more..OR the same amount of time (4 hours) and get a stronger reach and  more interaction. Now yes, I know we can share images on Snapchat as  well as our video clips..BUT it is not a photo sharing platform as  Instagram is. On Instagram people can give likes (hearts) comment  directly on the post and even share our posts. That is a big plus for  IG, it allows more interaction and closer connections with our  followers. Adding the ability to take video and share our stories just  simply increases the content we can offer our followers. It can now give  us the ability to move off of multiple platforms and build on one. 

For the handful of people who are ready to seize this moment, there is a  huge opportunity to be among the first Instagram users to understand  and leverage this new tool ...a tool that, if used well, has the  potential to directly contribute to your bottom line or followers.

 the fact is, that Instagram’s version of Stories — which is in most ways  identical to Snapchat’s — carries insane added value that Snapchat  simply can’t match. The feature is buoyed by Instagram’s massive network  of users, vast directory of hashtags, easy one-click discoverability,  seamless integration with Facebook, built-in business analytics, and  many other elements that have made Instagram a long-term power player in  the social media scene.