13th September 2022
POV: Instagram Testing a Repost Feature
Background:
Instagram is exploring the ability for users to reshare posts in Feed and has confirmed it will begin testing the feature with select users.
Details and Implications:
Whilst other social media apps have provided simple ways for users to share other people’s content by reposting it, it isn’t something that has been available on Instagram, but that could be about to change. The photo sharing app is now testing a new ‘Repost’ feature that would enable users to amplify any post by re-sharing on their feed to their followers in the app.
Meta said: “We’re exploring the ability to reshare posts in Feed — similar to how you can reshare in Stories — so people can share what resonates with them, and so original creators are credited for their work”.
At the moment, the only way to directly repost another user’s posts on Instagram is by using a third-party app that lets you do it or by finding other workarounds such as taking a screen shot to repost. Users can currently share someone’s post to their Story, but Stories disappear after 24 hours. The new ‘Repost’ functionality that is being tested would let you share the post in your feed and a designated Repost tab would be displayed on your profile - alongside the Posts, Reels and Tagged Photos tabs – as the home for all of the posts you had re-posted. Screenshots of the feature being tested suggest that users will be able to find the repost option in the share menu and will have the option to add their own thoughts when resharing a post.
Instagram is aware that users have been using the Stories sharing feature to share posts with friends and is now looking to provide them with an easier means to share posts in feed. It is also move in response to TikTok’s introduction of its own repost feature to allow users to share videos with their followers (though not in your own profile).
There is no further information about whether users will have an option to prevent their posts being re-shared. There will be many users who might be uncomfortable with this feature and potentially having their photos shared widely, so it remains to be seen if there will be an opt-in or opt-out approach available for users when posting. Others may simply not want yet more ways for their feeds to be overcrowded with content they find less relevant. On the flipside, Instagram is already full of reposted memes and photos that don’t always credit the original poster, so this feature could help ensure that they receive credit when their work is shared widely.
For brands, the repost feature could be an interesting development and offer more opportunity for content to be shared organically to reach wider audiences and also tap into the UGC creator trend.
Summary:
Instagram’s repost feature is still just a test at this point so there is no guarantee it will become permanent. The company may proceed more slowly and carefully assess users’ reaction to the feature, especially following the backlash the company received after previously introducing unwelcome changes that some said made it look like a TikTok clone and saw users calling for the platform to go back to its roots as a place to share photos with family and friends.