The news: Instagram is experimenting with its user interface in which users open the app directly to a Reels feed instead of the traditional photo-first interface, the company confirmed.
The feature, which is available to a small group of users in India, will see Reels and DMs as the first two tabs in Instagram, while photos remain in the home tab. The decision is based on Instagram users spending 20% more time watching Reels YoY, with Reels accounting for 50% of time spent on Instagram. Chief Adam Mosseri cited Reels and DMs as the main drivers of growth on Instagram in recent years.
The short-form shift: Instagram is following audiences where attention is shifting—further evidenced by the newly released iPad Instagram app also opening to Reels directly on global devices. While the feature steps away from Instagram’s roots as a photo-first app, Meta has reasons to consider a Reels-centric experience:
- Reels now accounts for one-fifth of Instagram ad impressions, while short-form social drives the highest ROI for B2B marketers.
- Brands and creators are increasingly looking to short-form video to capture attention from target audiences, as the format remains especially popular among key demographics like Gen Z.