Instagram Plans to Take on TikTok With Full-Screen Video Content

[MacRumors]

Instagram will start hosting full-screen videos as part of a major shakeup of the social platform, as the Facebook-owned company seeks to make itself more relevant in an era dominated by TikTok and YouTube.

That's the major take-home from a video shared on Wednesday by Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram. In the video posted to his Instagram and Twitter account, Mosseri said that the social platform no longer wants to be thought of as the "square photo-sharing app," and will instead lean more into entertainment and video.

Instagram is no stranger to video content, previously offered through things like IGTV, Reels, and Stories, but Mosseri said Instagram would be "embracing video more broadly" going forward, starting with "full screen, immersive, entertaining, mobile-first video," which sounds a lot like TikTok, whose popularity Mosseri concedes is something Instagram wants to emulate.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1410297743285829632

Instagram will also start testing recommendations over the next couple of months, showing users in their Feed what they may not be following yet. (The platform actually began testing in this department just this week, with the introduction of topics, which users can opt to see more or less of.)

Users should expect plenty of experimentation in this area "over the coming months," said Mosseri, and Instagram intends to be more public about what it's doing and why in the increasingly competitive social media space.

Article Link: Instagram Plans to Take on TikTok With Full-Screen Video Content

 

[HeavenDynamic]

Alternative title: Instagram wants to kill Instagram

 

[ilikewhey]

from what i seen with my girlfriend's experience on tiktok, its not so much the format that makes tiktok popular but the trend, alot of these trends originate from tiktok and instagram sorta becomes this 2ndary market.

 

[contacos]

even MORE stuff they deem interesting? It is annoying as it is. For example, I have noticed that Instagram has started to expose the private profiles of former Gay for Pay "actors" to me in the suggestions lately just this morning I was like "wait ... I know this face from somewhere". The whole personal experience needs to stop. I am sure I am missing out on a lot of things I am actually interested in because I just do not get to see it. I am TIRED of seeing stupid phone cases suggested EVERY DAY. I also like travelling for example!

 

[travelsheep]

Anything (most) people do is either 1. to make money, or 2. to belong to a group. TikTok is about the group, not the format.

 

[H3LL5P4WN]

They’re only going to start testing suggestions?

I find suggested accounts and worse, account that I know I never followed (and have to unfollow) all the time.

 

[duanepatrick]

Why tho..

 

[kc9hzn]

Alternative title: Instagram wants to kill Instagram

See, I’ve been saying that Facebook doesn’t really understand their product offerings or brand value, and they just keep throwing stuff at the wall to try to avoid losing the younger users.

 

[DinkThifferent]

Alternative title: Instagram wants to kill Instagram

I support this 100%

Less Facebook = Better society.

 

[puke]

...and still no iPad-app from Instagram. One of the bigger platforms can't create one, pathetic.

 

[Isengardtom]

Yeah how about a decent iPad app Instagram

 

[senttoschool]

Instagram is so pathetic. All they can do is copy competitors. No innovation.

Instagram will also start testing recommendations over the next couple of months, showing users in their Feed what they may not be following yet. (The platform actually began testing in this department just this week, with the introduction of topics, which users can opt to see more or less of.)

They started showing posts in my feed from accounts that I didn't follow a year ago already. They hide posts from my following list after just one view and do not give you an option to turn it off. This is incredibly annoying. This is just Facebook 2.0 all over again - forcing you to see content that they think you want to see instead of who you're following. It's so annoying.

A few years ago, Facebook.com reversed course and started showing more posts from your friends and fewer posts from an algorithm because the platform became impersonal. I bet a few years from now, Instagram will have to do the same. Hopefully we'll have something better to replace IG soon.

 

[MVMNT]

Instagram Reels are essentially where Tiks Toks ALSO go. Instagram have a long way to go to change that status quo.

They will need to create some high profile exclusive partnerships with brands and creators to take a real foothold. The Facebook connection will make it a tougher sell, so had best be prepared to spend some money.

What I also see this as is "where can we place more revenue generation?"

 

[andrewxgx]

zukerburg: hey, lets copy every feature from every other social network and people will only use fb
*people start to use ig becouse its not bloated*
zukerburg: hey, fb became to bloated and people want to use something else
*buys not bloated instagram*

zukerburg: hey, lets copy every feature from every other social network and people will only use ig


time is flat circle

 

[the 12th Doctor]

I support this 100%

Less Facebook = Better society.

IG is owned by Facebook

 

[TonyC28]

Clearly what my discover feed needs is even more girls who think they’re hot recording stupid videos of themselves doing stupid things. Every day I hit on “not interested” to keep that stuff away so I’m obviously excited to hear Insta plans to bake it in.

 

[Supermacguy]

Maybe by fullscreen it can also be fullscreen on an iPad? IDK just throwing out what must be completely impossible technical hurdles no one has been able to overcome yet. ?‍♀️

 

[tharitm]

See, I’ve been saying that Facebook doesn’t really understand their product offerings or brand value, and they just keep throwing stuff at the wall to try to avoid losing the younger users.

Also the Zuck is still mad at TikTok for declining their offer to buy them out. So sounds about what Instagram did to Snapchat with stories. But doubt Instagram would be able to make it strong with this move. Reels was meh.

 

[paulovsouza]

Why don’t they innovate on the ideas they already stole. IG is so bloated, people can’t even create enough content for all their avenues. No one can convince me IG isn’t a dying platform.

 

[FightTheFuture]

from what i seen with my girlfriend's experience on tiktok, its not so much the format that makes tiktok popular but the trend, alot of these trends originate from tiktok and instagram sorta becomes this 2ndary market.

A lot of new artists gained steam from TikTok and IG, Megan Thee Stallion and Trevor Daniel for instance. Used to happen with YouTube as well.

 

[LiquidJay]

zukerburg: hey, lets copy every feature from every other social network and people will only use fb
*people start to use ig becouse its not bloated*
zukerburg: hey, fb became to bloated and people want to use something else
*buys not bloated instagram*

zukerburg: hey, lets copy every feature from every other social network and people will only use ig


time is flat circle

So true … curious why he doesn’t get it

 

[rgeneral]

Facebook needs to be broken up.

 

[Johnny907]

No. As a photographer I use Instagram BECAUSE it’s focus is photos. Yes there are “stories” and “reels” for folks that want to do that as well, but trying to imitate other apps is not the answer. If I wanted TikTok I’d use TikTok. These are two separate markets, and this is just as bad of an idea as that time McDonalds tried selling pizza.

 

[sw1tcher]

Instagram is so pathetic. All they can do is copy competitors. No innovation.

That's why Instagram is just good and not great.

Steve Jobs: “Good artists copy, great artists steal. We have always been shameless about stealing great ideas.”

 

[urbanslaughter1997]

Just give me an iPad app!