Browsing Instagram has changed…

March 27, 2023
Kate Sugarman

Instagram has now released its non-algorithmic news feed options to all its users.

Before you start to feel that inevitable fear of change, rest assured that the options do not mean the platform has completely changed the way it does… its thang.  

It continues to provide us with suggested content that, more often than not, hits the bullseye with what we want to engage with, but it has made some additions.

Person holding phone, adding a new post to Instagram

The Double Fs, known by Instagram as ‘Favourites and Following’, which allow you to catch up with recent posts from accounts you know. They each work slightly differently:

‘Favourites’

Show the latest posts from your favourites, whether a best friend, celebrity or creator. In addition, posts in your pre-existing homes feed will also show your favourites higher up – demonstrated by a star icon.

Favourites are created by you, the user. You are allowed up to 50 in your list which you can change at any time.

‘Following’

Does exactly what it says on the tin. This is where Instagram will show you posts from people you follow.

Both feed options will show posts in chronological order, so recent posts can be caught up with more easily.

In a nutshell, your feed will be impacted, if you let it. This only covers classic Instagram posting, which is not the sole engagement offering from Instagram as we know, in fact, it is unlikely to be your first way of engagement these days.

As Instagram has grown from just a static image catalogue into a dynamic platform including both image and video, stories and reels have grown in popularity. These features are not part of the new double F options.

Instagram remains very much the same for those that love its algorithmic genius. But for those that want to focus on favourites and following, these options will be your bread and button (butter). However, there is one pitfall, you will need to choose which option you’d like each time you go on the app. No saved settings.

Ah well, we can’t have everything.

Reference: https://about.instagram.com/blog/announcements/favorites-and-following