Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri announced Thursday, that the company would return to its original format. Highly criticizedThis test changed the app to video content.
“I’m glad we took a risk — if we’re not failing every once in a while, we’re not thinking big enough or bold enough,”Mosseri spoke in an interview with Platformer, “But we definitely need to take a big step back and regroup.”
Mosseri’s statement marks a set back in the app’s shift to video, which after he claimed Tuesday that “more and more of Instagram is gonna become video over time.”
Mosseri says that the testing version which introduced a full screen feed to a small number of users in the past weeks will be gradually removed. The app will also reduce the recommended posts.
The app’s head also addressed criticism regarding changes to the app after Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian both postedInstagram Storiessaying, “Make Instagram Instagram Again” Monday.
“For the new feed designs, people are frustrated and the usage data isn’t great,”Mosseri stated. “So there I think that we need to take a big step back, regroup, and figure out how we want to move forward.”
The rollback comes just days after Mosseri defended the app’s new format as “a more fun and engaging experience”This would allow you to upload both videos and photos.
“If you look at what people share on Instagram, that’s shifting more and more to videos over time,”Mosseri spoke in aVideoposted on Twitter Tuesday, “If you look at what people like and consume and view on Instagram, that’s also shifting more and more to video over time.”
Mosseri stated that the company was ready to take on next steps. “need[s] to take a step back, in terms of the percentage of feed that are recommendations, get better at ranking and recommendations,”then you will be able to start growing again.
