TikTok may be the hottest app right now. But Instagram is set to become the home for engaging short clips. Recently, it has been testing partnerships on feed posts and Reels. The platform also enabled language translations and vertical Stories. Today, Instagram is testing vertical content feeds.
Mobile Developer, Alessandro Paluzzi, spotted that Instagram is testing vertical content feeds on the Explore tab. When a user taps a post on the Explore tab, the view will appear similar to a Reels clip, a vertical content feed. Users can then swipe up and down to navigate Instagram’s content recommendations. If a user taps a multi-image post, he or she can swipe left and right to view the images. Such a feature is similar to TikTok’s content discovery.
Instagram is testing vertical content feeds as of 26 July 2021.
Implications for Marketers:
Instagram’s vertical content feed makes it easier for users to discover new content. This is a clear move to allow TikTok’s broader selection of content. For marketers, this is a big opportunity to boost content discovery on the Explore tab. By posting relevant ads and campaigns, brands can rank on top of Instagram recommendations.
