Instagram is experimenting with a new feature called “flipside” that allows users to create a secondary photo grid viewable only by selected friends.
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Redundant or Convenient?
Instagram already enables sharing posts to “close friends,” sharing stories to custom lists, and creating secondary “finsta” accounts. Flipside offers another way to segment audiences, leading some to criticize the redundancy.
“It’s yet another way to reach a smaller audience on top of secondary accounts and Close Friends,” admitted Instagram head Adam Mosseri. Instagram remains undecided on whether flipside will officially launch.
How Flipside Works
If launched, flipside would allow users to choose specific friends to view a secondary photo grid through their profile. Friends granted access can identify flipside posts via a special icon.
Mixed Reactions So Far
Early reactions to flipside have been divided between enthusiasm and confusion over why another quasi-private social space is necessary. Maintaining multiple personas on Instagram can prove burdensome over time.
Driving Increased Posting?
Instagram’s push towards more intimate social features may be an attempt to reverse declining feed engagement. With revenue tied to feed ads, Instagram is incentivized to spur more posting. Flipside offers another potential path to achieve this goal.
