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Instagram continues to test out more private engagement options, this time via a new option called “Blend”, which is essentially a combined Reels feed, based on the Reels that you’ve shared with a friend.
As you can see in this example, shared by app researcher Alessandro Paluzzi, your combined “Blend” stream, with a friend/connection, will showcase:
“Reels recommendations based on Reels you’ve shared with each other and your Reels interests”.
So essentially, Instagram’s trying out a more integrated way to facilitate Reels sharing, by tapping into the user behavior of sharing Reels via DM.
Which is indeed becoming a much more common practice.
Back in 2022, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri noted:
“Friends now post a lot more to stories, and send a lot more DMs, than they post to Feed.”
Based on this, Instagram has been working on a range of new features to tap into private sharing in the app, including:
- Inbox Notes, a conversation-prompting option which highlights chat prompts from your connections at the top of your DM inbox
- Channels, providing a one-to-many messaging option, aimed at celebrities and creators looking for a DM-aligned way to stay in touch with fans
- Collections, which enables users to collaborate and interact around selected posts shared in a group feed
- Instagram’s also added a new option to share feed posts with Close Friends only
Blend seems like a more targeted approach to link into the usage of Instagram as a content aggregator, with more and more people sharing their favorite memes and clips with friends, either via DM or in real life.
The option could make this a more engaging, in-app element, where actual content discovery is also a group experience, and that could actually be a valuable addition.
Though it also might not work.
Instagram isn’t live testing this as yet, but if it can get it right, it does seem like it could have potential.
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