Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is reportedly working on a new feature for Instagram that will bring Telegram-like “channels” to the platform. According to reports, the new feature will allow users to subscribe to channels created by their favourite creators, organizations, and brands, and receive updates in a dedicated feed.
This move is seen as part of Meta’s ongoing efforts to expand its social media platform beyond just being a photo-sharing app and to compete with other social media platforms that have already implemented similar features. Telegram, for instance, has had channels for several years, and they have become popular among users who want to stay updated on specific topics.
How will it work
Instagram’s new channels feature is expected to work similarly. Creators and organizations will be able to create channels that are dedicated to specific themes or topics, and users can then subscribe to those channels to receive updates from those accounts in a dedicated feed. This will allow users to stay up-to-date on their favourite creators and brands, without having to sift through their main feed.
The channels feature will also enable creators and brands to reach a wider audience on the platform. As it stands, Instagram’s algorithm often limits the reach of posts to only a small percentage of a creator’s followers. With channels, creators will be able to reach all of their subscribers, and the algorithm will prioritize their content in the subscribers’ feeds.
While the new feature is still in development, it is likely to be a welcome addition to the platform, particularly for creators who have been struggling to grow their audience on Instagram. With channels, they will have a new tool to reach and engage with their followers, which could lead to increased engagement and revenue.
However, it remains to be seen how the channels feature will be implemented and how it will affect the overall user experience on the platform. Some users have already expressed concerns that the feature could lead to an overload of content in their feed, making it more difficult to find the posts they are interested in.
Currently, the group of people testing the feature includes influencers such as snowboarder Chloe Kim, Jiu-Jitsu fighter Mackenzie Dern, and meme account Tank Sinatra. The company says that others interested in the feature can sign up for early access.