It’s good news for Instagram purists – CEO Adam Mosseri says the platform should focus more on photos in 2023 after pushing videos too hard.
He remarked on his Instagram Stories as part of a weekly Q&A series.
Mosseri said:
“I think we were overfocused on video in 2022 and pushed ranking too far, and basically showed too many videos and not enough photos. We’ve since balanced, so things like how often someone likes photos versus videos, and how often someone comments on photos versus videos, are roughly equal, which is a good sign that things are balanced.”
Additionally, Mosseri stresses that photos will remain a key focus for the app and that maintaining the right balance will be crucial.
It’s good news for Instagram users who have long pushed for the app to stay true to its roots. More video – and significantly more Reels – has crept into user feeds over the past two years and completely changed the app’s feel.
Instagram, at times, has felt like it’s lost its way and has become too influenced by the newest trends rather than establishing or maintaining a niche of its own.
Instagram was born out of still images, with users posting memories and compositions online as an interactive photo album. Instagram’s rise coincided with the development of phone cameras. As users became more adept at snapping photos with their devices, Instagram provided a means for them to share their photos. Later, filters and editing tools were added to enhance these creations, emphasising memories and shared moments more.
However, the arrival of Stories changed all that. Due to Instagram’s popularity with young users, and a focus on visuals, Meta saw it as an ideal competitor to Snapchat. Stories quickly became a key focus for growth.
It worked. IG Stories killed Snapchat’s growth for a time, and Instagram usage skyrocketed. This led to Instagram becoming a new platform for experimentation and features. At the same time, the growth of Stories also led to a more significant shift into video, tapping into the evolution of technology and the accessibility of video options on mobile devices.
Instagram, however, appears to be having an identity crisis since then. Can it still be considered a photo-sharing app? Do Stories take centre stage? Are Reels Instagram’s main focus, or is it just meant to quell another competitor?
Considering the various algorithmic shifts, the app’s original focus has largely been overshadowed by Meta’s broader business efforts. While Instagram’s usage has grown, its unique selling point is no longer so unique. It has become more cluttered and less focused.
Mosseri appears to be now trying to fix this problem.
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