Instagram has confirmed that it’s testing a brand new method to its UI, with customers in India now in a position to open the app direct to the Reels feed, versus the normal feed submit show.
As you possibly can see on this instance, the up to date UI appears acquainted, however will deal with Reels particularly. Tapping on that first submit will develop 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, to be able 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 development at Instagram over the previous few 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 right now. Pictures from accounts you comply with are nonetheless within the dwelling tab.”
So it’s not a full-on reformation of the app right into a TikTok clone. However it’s type of shut.
Which is smart. As Mosseri notes, Reels are the place IG customers at the moment are spending their time, with Meta just 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.
Individuals simply aren’t posting to the principle feed like they used to, whereas Reels drives extra consideration, and extra engagement. And as such, primarily based on the information 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 just lately launched iPad app additionally opens to Reels direct, and it appears inevitable that, at some stage, Instagram will no 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 information reveals that that is probably one of the simplest ways to go, primarily based on engagement tendencies, and driving retention and curiosity.
After all, customers would additionally favor much less algorithmic intervention, and a purely chronological feed. Or no less than they are saying they’d, although on that entrance, the information reveals that engagement rises when algorithms are utilized to spotlight essentially the most related content material to every person.
So, mainly, Instagram is following the information, and can proceed to take action in its growth choices.
Which probably 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 each time they select.
