Instagram has confirmed that it’s testing a brand new strategy to its UI, with customers in India now capable of open the app direct to the Reels feed, versus the normal feed submit show.
As you may see on this instance, the up to date UI seems acquainted, however will give attention to Reels particularly. Tapping on that first submit will broaden the Reels view to the full-screen, scrollable Reels show.
Final week, Bloomberg reported that IG was testing this up to date variation in some markets, with the intention to put extra emphasis on Reels engagement.
And now, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri has shared some extra perception into the experiment:
“Reels and DMs have pushed most all our progress at Instagram over the previous couple of years, so we’re exploring making them the primary two tabs. That is simply an choice out there to a small group of individuals in India beginning immediately. Images from accounts you comply with are nonetheless within the residence tab.”
So it’s not a full-on reformation of the app right into a TikTok clone. But it surely’s sort of shut.
Which is smart. As Mosseri notes, Reels are the place IG customers at the moment are spending their time, with Meta lately reporting that general video watch time on IG is up 20% year-over-year. Meta has additionally reported that Reels now make up 50% of all time spent within the app.
Folks simply aren’t posting to the principle feed like they used to, whereas Reels drives extra consideration, and extra engagement. And as such, based mostly on the info alone, it is smart for Instagram to place extra emphasis on this ingredient, and current Reels entrance and heart to assist drive curiosity.
Instagram’s lately launched iPad app additionally opens to Reels direct, and it appears inevitable that, at some stage, Instagram will not less than let extra customers decide into seeing Reels up entrance, as an alternative of static picture updates.
Which is a serious shift away from IG’s roots, and that’s undoubtedly going to harass some customers. However once more, the info reveals that that is doubtless one of the simplest ways to go, based mostly on engagement developments, and driving retention and curiosity.
In fact, customers would additionally desire much less algorithmic intervention, and a purely chronological feed. Or not less than they are saying they’d, although on that entrance, the info reveals that engagement rises when algorithms are utilized to spotlight probably the most related content material to every consumer.
So, mainly, Instagram is following the info, and can proceed to take action in its improvement selections.
Which doubtless means you’re by no means getting your chronological feed again, however Reels are set to get extra focus.
Mosseri additionally notes that the feed experiment in India is decide in, and uers can revert again to the unique expertise at any time when they select.
