Did you know that when you log into TikTok, the first thing you see (except maybe ads) is a full-screen vertical video? Instagram is testing a feature that will provide a similar instantly immersive experience, which it says is designed to “bring video more front and center.” Seems to be a recurring theme on Meta!
Of course, the subtext here is that Instagram is continuing to seek our attention from TikTok. Instagram’s parent company Meta noted on an earnings call last week that its TikTok clone, Reels, now accounts for more than 20 percent of the time people spend on Instagram. On Facebook, videos of all kinds account for 50% of the time users spend on the platform.
In the test of the full-screen homepage feed, you can still use the bottom navigation bar to access the Discover tab, Reels, Shopping, and Own pages. Icons for switching accounts, creating posts, viewing notifications, and browsing messages also remain in the top bar. While the test images we received didn’t show where Stories appeared, an Instagram representative confirmed that Stories are still at the top of your feed – they just don’t show up in this mockup because the screenshot was taken after scrolling down the top of the feed.
For Instagram, Stories are currently more profitable than Reels because there is more infrastructure to sell ads on Stories. The company plans to add more monetization options on Reels, but said in its earnings call that the push to monetize Reels will continue for years.
Like Meta, Google is competing with TikTok with its YouTube Shorts. During Google’s earnings call last week, the company revealed that it had begun testing ads in YouTube Shorts. YouTube Shorts generates 30 billion views per day, four times as many as last year. Meta did not share specific numbers on Reels viewership, but the presence of videos across Meta properties is increasing.
Watch Instagram head Adam Mosseri explain the feature here:
📣 Test feed changes 📣
We’re testing a new immersive viewing experience in the main homepage feed.
If you are taking the test, please check it out and let me know what you think. 👇🏼 pic.twitter.com/dmM5RzpicQ
— Adam Mosseri (@mosseri) May 3, 2022