End of the Square Era: Instagram’s Potential Grid Layout Overhaul Explained. Will Instagram’s rectangle test disrupt your grid?
From the evolution of the square to rectangular posts in 2015, Instagram is looking to repeat history by moving square profile grids to rectangles. This is the idea asked by current Instagram CEO, Adam Mosseri, in a bid to improve visual presentation and user experience.
It has been observed that testing for this new design has been around since 2022 among a small amount of participants who have provided feedback.
What will this mean? … And what are the opportunities for organisations?
This change will mean that Instagram’s profile posts will no longer be confined to a square box. On the one hand, it is argued that this change will bring about frustration for some creators and businesses who have meticulously geared their content for the square format.
Despite this, this may be a welcomed change, as content can now be presented in full, leaving more room for eye-catching thumbnails and space for users to engage and interact with content. This can lead to an increased view time for users with a new look user layout, and therefore potentially increasing profile visits and engagement on posts.
“I would really like to do better by the content today” – Mosseri on The Verge
Mosseri’s quote captures why Instagram may be due a further update, as the quality of algorithmic driven content by influencers and organisations are increasing all the time, and it poses the question – Should the layout of vertical profile grids follow suite?
After recent updates on Instagram such as Notes, there are more ways than ever to increase engagement and interact with audiences on posts. With businesses always looking to evolve and connect with their audience, bridging this gap with an authentic approach could be at your fingertips, with the potential roll-out of vertical profile grids being incredibly useful.
What will this mean for the future?
Whether we see this update release in 2024 or beyond, one thing is clear – the movement from the box to the rectangle illustrates a much larger shift in audience habits, and offers a unique opportunity for businesses alike to further cater their content and brand to their audience.
If your organisation is looking to increase audience engagement and to authentically connect with your core audience, we can help utilise our expert knowledge in the social media landscape to meet your needs, drop us a message on hello@the-cusp.com.
Author: The Cusp’s Marketing Officer, William Hartley-Smyth
Sources:
https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/16/24222022/instagram-vertical-profile-grids-mess-up-layouts
https://www.theverge.com/2015/8/27/9212523/instagram-full-size-photos-portrait-landscape
https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/instagram-sheds-its-squares-6887362/
