New Instagram Features Changed The User Experience

Meta Platforms added features for Instagram that prioritize monetization for content creators has changed the user experience on the social media platform.

The new features include a tool to trade digital collectibles wherein users can support creators by buying their non-fungible tokens (NFTs) directly within Instagram, the company said.

Meta has been adding more features for its users to generate income in its social media apps to compete with Tiktok and pull in advertising dollars for their platforms from influencer marketing.

However, the majority of users expressed dissatisfaction as the app keeps adding features that only cater to influencers or content creators.

“The Meta-owned platform’s push to prioritize creators and video over friends and photos has changed the user experience. And many of those users aren’t happy,” Wall Street Journal said.

This was amplified by photographer Tati Bruening’s graphic “Make Instagram Instagram Again”, which was shared by Kylie Jenner on Instagram Stories and garnered support from more than 2 million users.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Instagram users spend 17.6 million hours a day watching Reels, Instagram’s version of short-form videos, but people spend 197.8 million hours watching Tiktok every day. The report also showed that Reels engagement has declined by 13.6% in recent months, with most users generating “no engagement.”

However, Meta will push to expand access to subscriptions on Instagram to sustain a more predictable income for all eligible creators in the United States and add new ways for creators to earn money from their fan base.

Similarly, the company launched a professional mode for Facebook profiles, which will allow creators to build a public presence while maintaining their personal Facebook profile.

Sources: Inquirer.net, The Atlantic, Wall Street Journal