So long as we remain aware of the intentions behind these designed experiences, we can continue to use social media on our terms.
I remember first making an instagram. Clicking on the icon of a vintage film camera, choosing an “artsy” photo, and distorting it with terrible filters to upload and share with my tens of followers. Now, Instagram looks a bit different. And the way we use it has changed even more.
What once was a simple app for photo sharing has now evolved to be a place for very different activity. Instagram’s purpose is much more sprawling than it was in the early 2010’s. In November 2020, Instagram underwent a small yet major redesign. There is now a “Reels” icon on the bottom navigation bar, replacing the previous Activity notification tab. Reels are Instagram’s 30-second video feed for content creators, akin to the TikTok format. While this move is already a major shift in the focus of their content, attempting to catch up with the allure of TikTok, perhaps an even bolder change in the design was the official addition of the shopping tab. With these new icons in the navigation bar, it is clear that Instagram is seeking to shift how it wants users to behave on the app.
Following the update, I would instinctively click on the navigation bar where the notifications tab used to be, bringing me to the new shopping page—strategically placed so that practiced users would happen upon it, even unintentionally. Furthermore, the Reels tab is located front and center, while the button to create a new type of post has been relegated to the top right corner. This is the finale of a series of many changes to Instagram. They originally introduced the Shop feature in July 2020 through the explore page, allowing users to browse and purchase from verified brands directly through Instagram. This decision reveals Instagram’s priorities: encouraging users to shop and consume reel content rather than post their own images or stories.
As a user, Instagram’s redesign feels as if it is making official what has been years in the making. Lately, the platform has felt overrun by influencers, brands, and marketing. It almost feels silly to call Instagram a place for individual photo-sharing when one of every five posts is sponsored—I checked.
This rise in brand content informs the rest of the app experience, and is partially what has driven people towards other platforms such as TikTok. Instagram is no longer a place for authentic content that connects you to other people, while TikTok houses all kinds of entertaining content from all kinds of individuals, available in an easily accessible and endless feed that feels more separate from the word of advertising—for now.
With the rise of ecommerce, especially since the start of the pandemic, Instagram’s design choices makes sense. The app is powerful. Many ecommerce stores build their entire followings online without needing to rely on any form of brick and mortar or traditional advertising. Through this, Instagram has changed the way that consumers interact with companies, and vice versa. The industry of consumer goods is informed by what looks appealing on Instagram, and the experience of social media is increasingly based on content created by entities other than our peers. It is not a secret the way that apps such as Instagram track our data and push the content that makes money, but it is easy to make a habit of using these apps no matter how much they change from the way we thought we would use them. So long as we remain aware of the intentions behind these designed experiences, we can continue to use social media on our terms.
