David Bridges
Following the introduction of its engagement-oriented Blend feature for Reels sharing last week, Instagram is now exploring another innovative approach to foster increased interaction, particularly within Stories.
As illustrated in this example shared by app researcher Alessandro Paluzzi, Instagram is currently testing a novel element for Stories referred to as “Storylines.” These are essentially collaborative Stories that you and your friends can create together within the app.
According to Instagram’s overview, the Storylines feature allows friends whom you follow back to “link a new, related story to your story,” facilitating the creation of a more extensive narrative from a shared event.
For instance, if you and your friends attend a party or a concert, they would have the opportunity to contribute to your Story by adding their own related content from that event. This process would create a richer and more comprehensive Story that extends from your initial update.
These collaborative Stories would then be visible to their connections (if you choose to post publicly), allowing even more individuals to contribute to the Story chain. This method fosters a broader, multi-perspective narrative and enhances visibility for each creator involved. Conversely, if you opt for a private post, non-followers would still see that you’ve added to a Story, although they wouldn’t have access to the content. This could potentially motivate more people to connect with you.
This initiative represents another method for Instagram to promote greater interaction and participation, a focus that Instagram chief Adam Mosseri highlighted as essential for the app this year. Given that the nature of engagement on Instagram has evolved significantly, the majority of interactions now occur through DMs or Stories.
Consequently, Instagram aims to enhance these elements to make them more engaging, aiming to leverage its strengths versus TikTok and solidify its role as a vital connection tool beyond merely serving as an entertainment platform.
Will this strategy succeed?
In the case of the Blend feature, a combined feed of recommended Reels for you and your friends, it seems to diminish an important aspect of curation and sharing, which may not resonate well with most users.
However, with Storylines, there is a promising potential for larger, grouped Stories that could also facilitate connections between individuals who share similar interests.
Of the two features, I would bet on this one achieving success, although it is not yet in live testing, and there is a possibility that Instagram may decide not to launch it at all.
We will keep you updated on any developments related to this feature.
Ivy Caldwell
