• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, July 10, 2013

Instagram on Wednesday said users of the photo- and video-sharing app can now embed content outside its online community. Starting today, people can embed public Instagram videos and photos on other websites or blogs.

How does it work?

“Now, when you visit an Instagram photo or video page on your desktop web browser, you’ll see a new share button on the right side of your photo (just under the comments button). Click the button to see the embed code. Copy the block of text it gives you and paste it into your blog, website or article. When you hit publish, the photo or video will appear,” the company stated in a blog post today.

The embedding capability applies only to the Web (not the Instagram app) and only to photos and videos that are public. Embedded content shows your Instagram username and clicking on the Instagram logo takes users to your profile page on the site.

Instagram offered a few examples of how publishers might use the new feature:

-A sports publication can take you behind the scenes at a game with videos or photos from the athletes

-A news organization can provide a real-time view into a breaking news event

-A magazine can bring their readers behind the scenes at a fashion show or Hollywood event

Whether used by businesses or individuals, the move will obviously help broaden distribution of Instagram content across the Web and drive traffic back to brand and other pages on the site. The company introduced the online version of its mobile feed in February, making it a more complete digital platform akin to Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter. Instagram users, however, can't upload photos or videos through the Web site, only view them.