According to Instagram Director Adam Mosseri, users participating in the experiment will see a change in the layout: the Search and Reels tabs are swapped, while the Create Articles tab is replaced by the Nages tab. In addition, users can also swipe to switch between tabs, instead of having to tap them like before.
Mosseri admitted that changing the interface needs time to get used to, so the test is now optional. However, this move clearly shows Meta's orientation in prioritizing short videos and personal messages, two areas that have been considered the main growth driver of Instagram in recent years.
In fact, in early October, Instagram also tested a similar design with users in India, in which Reels was the first default tab, while DMs came in second. Reels and DMs are two factors that drive almost all of Instagrams growth, so we are considering putting them at the top of the interface, Mosseri said.
From a personal photo sharing app, Instagram is gradually transforming into a platform for consuming public content and private chats.
In the context of increasingly professional posting, users tend to share and discuss more in groups of friends via text messages and this new experiment is the clearest reflection of that shift.
