Were you irritated that Instagram’s shopping addiction pushed the “new post” button to the side? You’re not alone yourself. Instagram has announced a February home screen makeover that would remove the Shop tab and relocate the Create button to the middle of the bottom navigation bar. As a result, the Reels tab is pushed to the side.
Shopping will still be available in your feed, Reels, Stories, and advertisements, according to Adam Mosseri of the social network. There will just be no separate tab for it. The segment often provides tailored suggestions to promote purchases outside of the typical mid-feed items.
In September, Instagram began testing the new look. Mosseri described the revamp in a video announcing the deployment as an effort to “simplify” the service and concentrate on connecting users to “things they love.” To put it frankly, Instagram is remembering that it is a social network.
However, the shift might be part of a bigger strategic overhaul. According to The Verge, The Information claimed in September to have obtained an internal document suggesting that Instagram will discontinue several of its retail capabilities. Instead, the site’s commerce initiatives will be “more closely related” to ad income. Simply stated, the shopping drive does not seem to have aided Meta’s bottom line as it transitions to the metaverse.
Then there’s the issue of competitiveness. TikTok, which inspired many Instagram features, still has a conspicuous “new post” button. Of course, such positioning is no guarantee of success, but that platform has thrived despite Instagram. According to Data.ai, it has around 1.64 billion monthly active users as of October. The Instagram redesign may stimulate more postings, as well as provide would-be converts with a more familiar experience.