Instagram is constantly testing new features to improve user engagement, and the latest aspect to undergo some testing is the main feed. The social media app is reportedly working on enhancing recommendations on the feed “based on what you love.”
The information comes from Instagram chief Adam Mosseri. “We’re testing a new, immersive viewing experience in the main Home feed,” Mosseri said on Twitter (via Engadget).
The new addition will increase post recommendations from people or accounts you don’t follow. While this could be annoying for some users, Instagram’s goal is to keep users engaged for longer. It’s important to point out that this is something that landed the Meta-owned company in some trouble recently.
Users can extensively personalize their Instagram news feeds thanks to recent updates
Instagram says this new experience will consider the frequency of Instagram use and the number of accounts you follow. Fortunately, the platform says it will offer more personalization options for users, allowing them to tailor the experience to their specific needs.
Speaking of which, the platform added two feed options a couple of months ago. Given the changes, users can now switch between various feeds by tapping the Instagram icon on the top left corner of the screen.
The company is also working on the appearance of posts on a user’s feed, offering a new “full-screen” view. This can be likened to how Instagram Stories currently functions. Mosseri offered an early glimpse of this feature, shown in the image below.
Your profile picture will appear on the top left corner of the screen, while the like, comment, and share buttons appear below. Meanwhile, the caption is visible right above these buttons.
Despite the image/video taking up more screen space, users can still access home, search, Reels, and other sections from the bottom of the screen. Stories will reportedly keep their place on top of the Instagram home screen. They will remain hidden when the user scrolls through the feed, in line with the app’s current behavior.
While this definitely makes the experience more immersive, it’s unclear if this will be welcomed by all. Bear in mind that these features are only rolling out to users enrolled in Instagram’s testing program.
2022-05-04 15:06:13