As it officially launches a range of new features designed to help users connect in the app, Instagram’s also testing out a new option on this front, in the form of “Picks,” which would enable users to highlight things that they’re interested in via their inbox Notes.
As you can see in these example screens, shared by app researcher Alessandro Paluzzi, Instagram’s currently in the early stages of experimenting with Picks, which you would be able to access via an icon at the top of your inbox in the app.
As Instagram explains in the second image above, Picks would enable you to highlight your interests, in order to “find overlap with friends who are all about it too.”
So, for example, you would be able to search for a topic within the Picks display, and then choose from specific subjects in the list.
It could be another way to encourage more connection in the app, which aligns with a core function of Instagram, in bringing people together.
Indeed, earlier this year, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri explained that the team is focused on maximizing both creativity and connection, with the latter set to include a range of new features to drive more user engagement.
As per Mosseri:
“We’re also going to look for more ways to make recommendations and consuming content more interactive and more social, and we’re going to be exploring some new ways to connect with your friends on Instagram.”
Picks, along with the new friend feed for Reels, the friend map, and re-posts, all align with expanded discovery, and facilitating connection between users via their shared interests.
Will that work?
I mean, Instagram has seen some success with features like inbox Notes, which provide another means to connect. And with fewer people posting original content, social platforms have become more interest-based, as opposed to expressive, so it makes sense that IG might be able to facilitate more connection around what people are interested in, as opposed to what they share.
Meta’s also presumably seeing some erosion in its user interest graphs, because with algorithms now showing you a constant stream of content that it thinks you’ll like, you no longer need to like and follow in order to dictate such, as the systems are now much better at inferring interest based on your viewing activity. Direct indicators do still play a role, but users are growing more accustomed to automated refinement, which is likely having some impact on Meta’s capacity to understand user interests for ad targeting and the like.
So maybe, something like Picks works to provide more context, as well as expanded engagement activity.
It seems like an interesting experiment either way. I’ve asked IG for more info on the test and will update this post if/when I get more info.
