Instagram is innovating with a new ‘Collections’ feature, allowing users to publicly share their curated post collections on their profiles. This move aims to provide deeper insights into users’ interests and personalities. As revealed by app researcher Alessandro Paluzzi, the feature would be accessible from one’s Instagram profile, enabling any visitor to view these collections within the app.
This feature offers a unique opportunity for users to showcase their passions, such as favorite celebrities, literature, or films, potentially influencing others’ decisions to follow them. This concept builds on Instagram’s collaborative Collections launched in March, which already allows users to start private conversations centered around posts, with participants adding relevant content to the discussion.
While the initiative is designed to enhance engagement through conversation-starting posts, this new variation places a greater emphasis on individual expression rather than group interaction. Although not yet fully launched, Instagram has been actively developing this feature since September, with Paluzzi highlighting the process of creating these public collections.
This development is promising for fostering more connections among users with shared interests. If extended to brand profiles, it could offer businesses a novel platform to feature their products prominently. However, Instagram must balance this with its ongoing efforts to maintain a clean, uncluttered user experience. The social media community eagerly awaits the potential rollout of this feature to see how it will evolve the Instagram profile experience.
Instagram tests public “Collections” feature for enhanced profile sharing on 04 January 2024.
Implication for Marketers:
Marketers can leverage Instagram’s new public “Collections” feature to better showcase their products and align with users’ interests, potentially driving greater follower engagement and brand visibility.
