Instagram has announced plans to launch a new test following the positive reception of “suggested posts” on the app. The company says that it will now test placing the suggested posts within your timeline, in some cases above and ahead of posts from people you follow.
In addition, Instagram says it will also test allowing users to select specific topics of interest for suggested posts. The new controls will include allowing users to snooze the suggested posts for 30 days This means that users who do not like the feature can hide the recommendations from their own feed.
The feature was launched last year and since then, users could only see the additional, suggested posts after scrolling through everything from the people they follow.
Read: Instagram Users Can Now Customize How their Public Likes Appear
Although it is still being tested, the move signifies Instagram’s interest to keep people on the app for longer. Users whose accounts are public may appreciate the feature, but those who keep their accounts private may end up hitting the snooze button more than once. Some people like their privacy on social media, and may not be open to an influx of information from accounts they have not specifically followed.
Instagram’s algorithm may however convince users otherwise. The suggested posts appear based on user interests and as a result, you may actually want to scroll through and check them out. The snooze button will just give you some control, putting you in the drivers’ seat to curate your social media experience, something a lot of platforms are keen on nowadays.
The new feature will be tested with a handful of users, and if it proves to be a success, we expect to see it rolled out in the future.
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