Instagram App Review by Anthony: How to Make it Better

Instagram App Review by Anthony How to Make it Better
October 9, 2024
7 mins read

In this blog post

Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, with over Two (2) billion active users monthly. It was founded in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger as a virtual Journal; people used it to share pictures and keep memories. This time, it was only available on iPhones.

It experienced a major change after being acquired by Facebook for one (1) billion dollars in cash and stocks. It went beyond the iPhone and was launched on Android devices. Since then, it has been from one update to another, based on the growing social media market and user feedback.

The introduction of live videos, IGTV, Reels and many other features has changed how we interact with social media apps. Instagram became the subtle pioneer of mobile photography and Mobile Journalism. Instagram has over 5B+ downloads with 4.5-star ratings; this is to show its popularity and authenticity as a social networking app.

Instagram slowly went from picture sharing to a marketing tool and everything in between. It gave users the option of being personal or business users. Many celebrities saw this as an opportunity to increase their brand awareness, and people claimed that these celebrities turned the app into a competition of who was more famous and glamorous.

How did Instagram become so Popular?

  • Facebook’s acquisition in 2010 changed the initial purpose to encapsulate more functions.
  • The emergence of competitors, especially TikTok, has made Instagram more responsive to user feedback and has created a good user experience.
  • The endorsement by celebrities made Instagram popular. Fans always sought ways to connect with their favourite influencers, and Instagram gave them direct access.
  • The introduction of content creation tools to help enhance user skills in keeping their memories in the most aesthetically pleasing way available.

From Data to Decision #UserFeedbackDecoded 

  • As a marketing strategy, the ads and suggested posts interfere with the user experience. Users are getting frustrated with recurring posts/reels.
  • Users think the Explore page is redundant and should not be a main feature. They should keep the search option, but the Explore page should be less visible to them.
  • The story section is very interactive, which is one of the major features keeping them on the app.
  • Users are having issues clicking on the profile picture to view other users’ profiles.
  • Users are struggling with the introduction of Meta AI and complained that it is affecting the algorithm of their content.

From Data to Decision #UserFeedbackDecoded

The research was conducted to understand users’ pain points and how we can improve our designs with this feedback. We used Google and Apple reviews for the research because they are the largest collection of users who give their opinions to developers. We interviewed regular users about what they liked and did not like about Instagram. We aggregated the results and were able to ascertain the level of user experience despite being the top-rated app.

The review focused on users’ general experience, the introduction of marketing tools and strategy, and, more importantly, AI. Our design team did well in understanding user expectations and how they can be met; the review also studied user interactions beyond what users say to better understand the user experience.

Instagram UX Review led by Anthony, A design expert at YellowSlice

Reviewed by:

  • Cigdem Atmar
  • Ashesh

This is a breakdown of the findings about users’ pain.

The Explore Page is not necessary.

The Explore page is very cluttered and not interactive. It combines posts and reels, making it visually unappealing. Users have complained about the Explore page’s redundancy. It does not serve any purpose to them since the reel icon and the option to search for anything they are interested in exist. The algorithm of the Explore page also gives different or opposite options to what the user wants. 

User control is minimal.

Users don’t have control over the content they view or what they want to see, and they complain that the algorithm does not even favour them. It seems like Instagram is trying to shove new content down their throats. Users cannot change the font of the app from the app; they have few options for chat themes to pick from, they can’t change the chat background, and much more. The basic option for watching video content is to pause and play or rewind and forward; Instagram doesn’t have this option.

In-app Notification: The headache of users

Users understand the need for notifications and reminders, but they don’t involve bugging users with updates every minute. Users have complained about getting updates about live events from people they follow. Imagine getting updates about 100 people going live daily; that is disturbing. Users should be able to select notification preferences from the app to give them a sense of control.

Engaging and Interactive Elements

We discovered that users love the app’s interactive elements, which encouraged them to use it. For example, the number of likes on comments, tagging people on stories, polls, quizzes, etc., and for content creators, the number of plays on their videos, likes, and reposting on stories. The users also have control over the privacy of these interactions. Users suggested that it can still be more engaging in terms of content creation.

Higher Consumer Satisfaction = Higher Conversion Rates 🚀

Our research covers what users need to solve their problems on a digital platform, and we have compiled possible solutions that can be adopted for better UX.

Let users be in charge.

“Good UI design gives users a comprehensible sense of power that consistently helps them feel in control.” 

—  Jim Nielsen

Users do not like to feel like they are being controlled or that they don’t have options. This will push them to opt for other options. Users should be given periodic options to choose topics, hashtags, and accounts to make their feeds more relevant. They should also be able to customize their notification preferences to help them focus on important things. 

More importantly, they should implement a feature explaining how the algorithm works and suggesting reels, posts, or accounts for users. This would help users build a habit that fits their lifestyle. Another thing the users suggested is the availability of a Play/Pause icon and the option to choose the video quality.

Content Creation tools

Content creation is now the new norm, and not every user can use popular content creation apps. Instagram can adopt beginner-friendly tools like basic cutting and cropping tools as well as advanced tools like masking and text manipulation to make aesthetically pleasing content. Since users are familiar with Instagram, it will be easier for them to use the editing features that will come. It will reduce the stress of going to another platform for editing before publishing.

Content creation tools also extend to content analytics, which can be displayed in an interactive dashboard to help them understand complex data easily and help content creators track their performance in real-time.

Content Creation Tools Helps Content Creators Track Performance

No internet? Stay connected at all times.

The internet can be unstable and sometimes disruptive. Offering offline functionality can be very helpful for users. In the absence of the internet, users should be able to revisit bookmarked and saved videos to keep them engaged anytime. For content creators, the function to create and edit drafts when there is no internet connection can improve their experience. 

instagram-app-review-by-anthony-how-to-make-it-betterMeta AI

Artificial Intelligence is a common topic of discourse among many creatives and users. While some are early adopters, some are part of the early and late majority, and others are laggards who cannot come to terms with technology doing what they can do. Instagram should have introduced Meta AI slowly rather than just putting it out there in the search and chat option. 

For starters, there should be options to use AI or not, and gradually, users will see reasons to use the AI Feature. Instagram can consider leaving AI in the chat to serve as support before moving it to the search, or better still; there should be options to turn it off. Users can mistakenly click on any of the search prompts which directs them to the chat rather than searching for what they need.

Instagram User Journey Decoded?

1. How can Instagram enhance user engagement through its design?

Instagram can introduce a gamification element, such as an achievements badge for frequent interaction, to motivate users to be more active. For example, when a user gains 100 followers or 1000 plays, a badge or self-customized flyer can be created to share on Instagram or other social media platforms. 

They can also introduce seasonal and festive themes, stickers and animations to increase engagement on special occasions.

2. How can Instagram improve its content creation tools to support users?

Draft scheduling options to allow users to save their posts and schedule them for publication will give them the flexibility to carry out other activities, particularly for business owners and social media managers. A template library would serve as inspiration, and a mood board would give them an idea of the next piece of content to create.

Expert Review by Anthony Fernandes

As one of the leading social media platforms globally, Instagram’s design can affect millions of users and businesses daily. The issues and suggestions I highlighted should be a learning curve for designers to apply the best design practices to create more intuitive and engaging interfaces.

At YellowSlice, our expert designers are dedicated to making designs that empower businesses and captivate users with thorough research. Contact us today to turn your digital product into a user experience masterpiece.

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