Instagram Changed … Again.

And just like that, we have yet another major social media algorithm change. Instagram recently announced that they are adjusting the algorithm that effects the timing and type of content that populates in your feed. Many may remember that when Instagram first launched, posts would populate in your feed in chronological order, until they changed this in 2016 to an algorithm that curates content based on “moments you care about.”

The change was met with an influx of unsatisfied feedback and has received mixed reviews ever since its debut, with many users feeling that their feeds started to feel stale and out of date, defeating the sole purpose of Instagram in the first place. Fortunately, Instagram has heard the voices of their users and finally decided to make some adjustments. “Based on your feedback, we’re making changes to ensure that newer posts are more likely to appear first in your feed. With these changes, your feed will feel more fresh, and you won’t miss the moments you care about.”

Instagram also announced that they are going to be testing a “New Posts” button feature. “The new feature allows the user to choose when to update their feed versus it updating automatically spontaneously while you’re scrolling through your feed. ‘Tap the button and you’ll be taken to new posts at the top of feed — don’t tap, and you’ll stay where you are. We hope this makes browsing Instagram much more enjoyable.’”

Regardless of how these algorithm changes have impacted the user experience, the app continues to gain popularity and is closing in on one billion users. According to Instagram, they have 800+ million monthly actives users, 500+ million daily active users and 330+ million daily story active users.

Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have all been implementing their own algorithms to stay current with the growing number of users on each platform. According to Social Media Today, “The bottom line is that in order to maintain audience attention and relevance, Facebook – or any social platform for that matter – needs to be delivering the best possible user experience … Facebook’s leading the way into the next generation of data-driven, personalized media inputs, dictated by users through their on-platform actions. And while it may seem disruptive to us, it may feel like we’re losing control – and it may be odd to consider that algorithms can learn who we are and what we really want. But to the next generation of social users, this is all they’ll ever know.”

How do you feel about this change? Were you a fan of the old Instagram, or did you just start to come around to the curated content? Do you view social media platforms positively or negatively when they conform to the majority opinion of their users?

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