Instagram is taking its game up a notch with the live testing of a brand-new feature: collaborative carousel posts. After internal trials over recent months, this new option opens up an engaging way for users to collaborate on carousel feed posts within the app.
How the collaborative carousel works
The feature allows the original post creator to invite other users to add their own photos or videos to a carousel post. This is especially useful for events like parties or group outings where multiple perspectives can enrich the content. The original creator retains control by approving or denying any submitted media. Moreover, these collaborative posts will only appear on the timeline of the person who initiated them. To give credit where it’s due, each added slide will display the contributor‘s Instagram handle and the time the post was made.
Expanding on existing sharing options
This move is part of Instagram’s broader strategy to promote collaborative and intimate engagements within the app. Earlier this month, the platform added features that enable sharing a story with multiple group lists simultaneously, allowing users to customise their audience more effectively. Additionally, Instagram has rolled out the option to share feed posts exclusively with “Close Friends,” thereby encouraging more private group interactions.
Coming to Instagram 🔥 Close Friends feed post. It’s been spotted by someone posting in the UK
— Lia Haberman (@liahaberman) September 4, 2023
This would be one way to get people off Stories and out of DMs — create a Close Friends feed experience
h/t @jordLS pic.twitter.com/BBp0uDpJnF
Instagram’s focus is shifting towards fostering more direct and meaningful engagements rather than just maximising public reach. The new collaborative carousel feature, currently being tested with a select group of users, is a step in that direction.Â
This could not only heighten user participation but also offer Instagram valuable data on close connections between users, improving the platform’s recommendation algorithm.
