Following a significant backlash from its users, Instagram is walking back some major changes. Last month, Instagram started testing a full-screen display for photos and videos. Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri told Platformer that test will be wound down over the next couple of weeks. “For the new feed designs, people are frustrated and the usage data isn’t great,” Mosseri said. “So there I think that we need to take a big step back, regroup and figure out how we want to move forward.” Along with getting rid of the full-screen feed, the app will reduce the level of recommended content that you see, at least temporarily. “When you discover something in your field that you didn't follow before, there should be a high bar — it should just be great,” he said. “You should be delighted to see it. And I don't think that’s happening enough right now." On Tuesday, Mosseri said the full-screen design was "not yet good" and needed more work before Instagram rolled it out to everyone. However, he noted that Instagram would become more video-focused over time, since that's the kind of content people are sharing these days. Mosseri also tried to justify the prevalence of recommended posts in the app, noting that they're important to help creators build their audiences — whether or not you care about seeing content from them in your feed or Stories. You have the option to switch off all recommendations for a month, he noted. In an earnings call on Wednesday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said around 15 percent of the posts people see on Facebook (and even more on Instagram) are recommended by algorithms. He expected the volume of recommended posts to double over the next year or so. Instagram brought in the full-screen feed and larger number of recommended posts in a bid to compete with TikTok and to contend with the pivot from photos to videos. The time spent people watch Reels grew by 30 percent last quarter and Mosseri said users' gradual embrace of video is a "paradigm shift that we've seen for many, many years now." Still, many people have revolted against the full-screen change. High-profile users like Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian this week called on Meta to “Make Instagram Instagram again.” Mosseri said Instagram's data showed that users weren't on board with the changes and that's a key reason why it's reversing course. However, the walkback on the full-screen feed and recommendations won't be permanent. Mosseri told Platformer he's confident that Instagram will improve the ranking and recommendation algorithms so that it can "start to grow again" after taking this step back. Read MoreAll products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. All prices are correct at the time of publishing. Instagram is testing a new full-screen Home feed with more suggested video content. Much like on TikTok, posts in the main feed will take up the entirety of the screen, and users will need to perform a swipe up motion to skip to the next post. In addition to this major UI change, Instagram has also introduced more suggested content into
the Home feed — particularly Instagram Reels. So, what does this mean for the future of Instagram, and how should you change your content strategy to combat this change (and avoid a serious engagement drop)? We're sharing all of the details below. FYI: Later is a social media management
platform trusted by 4M+ brands and creators. Plan your posts in advance and publish them on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. Sign up today, it’s free! There's no doubt about it, this change marks a new era of Instagram. The new
full-screen Home feed does exactly what Instagram Head, Adam Mosseri, has been hinting at for months. It puts suggested video content at the forefront of the app. And while static image posts from your following and favorites lists will still be available underneath dedicated drop down tabs, we'll see a
whole lot less of them in the default Home feed. It also prompts the question of where Instagram Stories will live as Instagram continues to evolve. Mosseri has mentioned a more "streamlined experience" on the app — and with the new full-screen format, bringing stories into the Home feed (much like TikTok Stories) suddenly feels possible. If you're unsure on how this could work, take a look at how carousel posts are displayed in the new full-screen Home feed.  In short: Instagram is about to become a lot more like TikTok — with a stream of suggested video content at the heart of the app. Get the latest Instagram trends and news with Later’s free newsletter. Everything you need — delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe today: However you slice it, this is a major change for anyone who works in social media. More than ever before, adding Instagram Reels into your strategy is essential for reach and engagement on the app. At Later, we analyzed over
81M Instagram feed posts (excluding Reels) from 2020 to 2022, and the average engagement rate for images has decreased by 38% — from 3.57% to 2.23%. However, accounts that have embraced Reels since their launch (like Later's own Instagram account) have seen an increase in reach and engagement
overall. The takeaway: If you want to be successful on Instagram in 2022, it's time to get onboard with Reels. And if you're not convinced, check out this video on Instagram's official @creators account: The message is loud and clear: Instagram Reels are the format of choice. Fortunately though, creating great Instagram Reels doesn't require a big-budget video production team. They can be as simple as layering several images to the beat of an audio track. If you're on the lookout for tips on creating great Reels, check out these free Later resources:
With the right strategy, you can still see big success on Instagram — it's all about evolving with the platform. |
How to make videos full screen on instagram
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