While waiting at the cafe, in the doctor’s chamber, or taking a break from office work, many tend to share Reels on Instagram with friends and family members. How about a custom feed based on new content you share with people you care about? Instagram is rolling out Blend, a new feature that lets you create a personalised Reels feed. Blend is invite-only and can be created with one friend or with a group chat.
Here’s how it works: Open a one-on-one or group DM. Tap the new Blend icon, which appears like two sparkly Reels. Next, send an invite. That’s it. What you get is a feed based on your previous activity that takes into consideration what Instagram thinks both of you may like. Each time someone reacts or replies to a Reel, Instagram notifies the group to keep the conversation going.
The idea is to explore what kind of Reels your friends like and, at the same time, keep you connected by helping you discover new content together. The feature takes you to the roots of sharing moments with friends, which has been overpowered in recent times by an influx of influencers and ads.
The feature gives Instagram an edge over TikTok, which doesn’t have something similar. It can be a good way for the platform to boost Reels’ discovery and watch time on the social network.
The Blend feed offers a peek into the kind of content your friends like and how interests overlap. Your office bestie may like decorating ideas and your spouse may like recipe-type content or your college friend may like Reels about pet care. What brings people together are conversations around topics of mutual interest. Blend helps discover just that. If you love Reels and know what makes your friends happy, you might like Blend. You’ll discover new content, start new conversations, and probably learn that your friend with two left feet is secretly learning to dance. This is personalised engagement and that may interest advertisers.