Did you know Instagram Enhances Engagement With New Feed Reposting Feature

 

Instagram is giving users the chance to allow followers to see reposts on their feeds. It’s a small change but a mighty one for creators on Instagram.

As per the latest overview, previous reposts allowed the users to repost any content through stories. Now, that same repost can be seen within the feeds of followers on the app. The company added a new explainer about how it works and how it might give rise to greater options for engagement as well as interaction.  

Before, the app allowed the user to share another creator’s material only to stories. This is changing by giving users the chance to tap on repost icons below the post or reel so they can modify it with text. This will then pop up on the follower’s feeds, similar to how a regular post shows.

Many people are likening it to Instagram’s version of retweeting, which we’ve seen the app experiment with for some time now. Remember, in 2022, we saw a similar Repost option get tested that allowed users to get more views and engagement with the resharing option. There was a dedicated tab for reposting on profiles.

We didn’t see that doing too well in the beta phase, so it was scrapped at the time. Now, it looks like Instagram feels more confident that it would work. Not surprising, as most of our feeds are already filled with AI-based recommendations anyway. It’s already displaying posts that your friends’ circle is interested in through the Reels feed.

In essence, that also means that so many posts that we’re seeing on the platform are coming through recommendations. This could be human or AI, so it’s in moderation, but just a way to include in this mix.

Still, we do find it hard to understand the justification taking place here for a feed algorithm on the app if they’re just going to flood streams with external recommendations. Remember, the app was first put out on the algorithm because users had so many connections. They were more likely to see posts than they had time to check them out on platforms on any given day.

So this algorithm was brought forward to prioritize displays and make sure users see the most important updates at first glance. Now, the app is adding more content to this mix, and that means it won’t show all the newest posts from profiles that you’ve followed.

Instagram needs to improve its system to help give users a host of updates from profiles that they’re following, as it means users are in control. Right now, it feels like the app is just in control, and that’s a little upsetting.

Still, algorithms are winning the race, and we’ve gotten accustomed to accepting that. Instagram did argue that there’s a lot of content to show users, depending on who or what you’re following. Whatever the case may be, if you’d like to get greater reach for some posts on the platform, this new resharing option could do just that.

There are no details from Instagram about the degree of amplification that reposting will give, but it did share that followers might end up seeing everything you’ve reposted on the app.