'Instagram,' the photo-sharing service and social media giant owned by 'Facebook,' is bringing chronological posts back to its platform for users to enjoy. The service will allow users to choose whether or not to see the algorithmically-generated photo feed, or a simple chronological feed where all posts are shown from all accounts followed equally, based on when the post was uploaded.
In addition to the chronological feed, Instagram is not giving up curated feeds entirely. However, this time Instagram wants to give users the opportunity to create their own curated feed based on their followers with a new feature called 'Favorites.' The favorites feature will give more importance to certain creators' posts in a user's feed based on whether they were favorited by the user.
Returning Social Media Features
'Instagram' is Bringing Chronological Post Feeds Back to Users
Trend Themes
1. Chronological Posts Resurgence - Opportunity exists for social media platforms to explore going back to simple chronological feeds.
2. User-curated Feeds - Social media platforms could create more user engagement by offering a favorites feature that puts more importance on certain creators' posts.
3. Algorithmic Options - Innovative social media platforms can explore offering users the option to switch between algorithmically-generated photo feed and a simple chronological feed.
Industry Implications
1. Social Media Platform - Existing social media platforms can improve user experiences by bringing back chronological feeds and introducing features that give users more autonomy.
2. Content Creator - Creators will benefit from the 'Favorites' feature, as it may increase their visibility among their followers.
3. Data Analytics - There is a possibility to gather valuable data from users who choose to switch between algorithmic vs chronological feeds and use analytics to optimize user engagement.