Instagram is testing yet another feature that seems to be moving it away from what we used to know it for—image sharing.
The social media platform that gained popularity as a photo-sharing app is testing a feature that allows you to add music to feed posts. But does anyone need this type of feature?
Instagram Starts Testing Music in Feed Posts
Instagram is testing a new feature that will let you add music to your feed posts, much like you do on Instagram Stories and Reels.
The test was showcased by Roxanne Chinoy, Strategic Partner Manager of Reels Content Strategy & Community at Instagram.
She posted a preview of the feature on her Instagram page and said that it was being tested in India and a couple of other countries.
According to Digital Trends, these other countries are Brazil and Turkey. The feature will let you browse through audio in the Trending or For You sections, and you can also search for specific songs.
All you have to do is select a song to go with your post, select the amount of time you want it to play, and then share it on your feed.
Just like with Reels, the song title will appear on the post header, and if you or any Instagram user clicks on it you will be taken to an audio page where you can view all feed posts that have used that particular song.
Why We Don't Want Music in Instagram Feed Posts
While some users have welcomed the feature, since it would allow you to add music to videos on your feed, we would argue that it's not really necessary for most feed posts. Here's why...
1. Instagram Is Primarily Visual
While the addition of a feature that adds music to feed posts has its benefits, like giving users more options for regular posts, the bad outweighs the good.
Considering you can already add music to your Reels and Stories, adding it to your feed posts seems like overkill on Instagram's part. It is unlikely that users would want to add audio to all their Instagram posts.
While Instagram is towards more video content, it is still primarily visual. Users don't necessarily want audio on every post, especially when it's just background music.
Variety is the spice of life. Feed posts can be the exception where audio is concerned, so that users can post a variety of content, instead of having all their content contain music or audio.
This is especially important for users with larger followings and for creators or influencers, whose followers wouldn't want to be bored with the same type of content.
Finally, viewing posts with audio (like videos) consumes even more data. Not everyone has uncapped Wi-Fi and mobile data costs are much higher in some countries, so it's not worth turning all types of posts into high-consumption posts.
2. Reels and Videos Already Have Audio Features
Reels and videos have audio functionalities. Instagram has been focusing more on audio-visual content, possibly with an aim to rival TikTok.
As such, there already are parts of the app that scratch the itch for users looking for a more video-focused experience. Reels mimic the TikTok experience significantly.
It doesn't seem like much can be gained from adding a music option for all feed posts.
3. Images Alone Are Still Relevant
Instagram became popular due to its uniqueness—its focus on pictures instead of text, which is what Facebook and Twitter place more of a focus on.
People enjoy being able to create aesthetically pleasing feeds that instantly set them apart upon landing on their profiles, which is easier to do with normal images.
Although videos have become even more popular over the years, there is still a place for regular images on the app. With all the Reels that users come across on a daily basis, regular images cut through the noise. They help us see each other in our element.
Regular images are also our best bet as far as the quality of our posts go, as we all know how grainy Instagram tends to make our videos and Reels look.
Adding music to images would just further dilute the original appealing feature of Instagram.
Is Instagram Losing Its Uniqueness?
Since TikTok became so popular, it seems that Instagram has been trying to recreate its magic.
While it's good for social media companies to evolve and offer features that will create more engagement for its users, they should be careful not to lose their essence in the process.
At this point, there's no telling what else Instagram will do. However, one thing seems certain: whatever TikTok does, Instagram will try to mimic it in some way.