Instagram is experimenting with a vertical scrolling Stories feed, a feature designed to enhance user experience and align with modern content consumption trends. This update mirrors the navigation style of TikTok, which has popularized vertical video scrolling, making it a natural evolution for Instagram’s platform.
The Instagram Vertical Stories Feed allows users to navigate through Stories by swiping up and down rather than tapping left or right. This shift could significantly impact content engagement, pushing creators and businesses to focus more on video-based storytelling.
Why Instagram is Testing Vertical Stories Feed
Instagram has been increasingly shifting toward video-first content, as seen with the growth of Instagram Reels. The introduction of vertical scrolling on Instagram for Stories further reinforces this direction. This change isn’t just about user experience—it’s a strategic move to compete with TikTok’s engaging vertical video format.
Key Features of Instagram Vertical Stories Feed
Testing Locations
- The feature has been spotted in several countries, including the United States, Turkey, and Brazil.
- Instagram appears to be running large-scale tests before an official rollout, gathering user feedback to fine-tune the experience.
Enhanced User Experience
- Users can scroll vertically to navigate multiple Stories from the same user.
- Swiping down moves to the next user’s content, similar to how Instagram Reels and TikTok function.
- This transition could make Instagram Stories navigation smoother and more intuitive.
Development Timeline
- Instagram first confirmed working on the Instagram Vertical Stories Feed as early as February 2021.
- While still in testing, the feature aligns with Instagram’s long-term vision of making vertical videos the platform’s primary content format.
The Impact of Vertical Stories on Content Strategy
This update could fundamentally change how users interact with Stories and how brands create content. Here’s how:
Video Content Will Gain More Prominence
- The Instagram Vertical Stories Feed is expected to prioritize video over static images, just as Instagram Reels took center stage over IGTV.
- Creators and businesses may need to focus on short-form, engaging video content to stay visible.
Increased Engagement and Seamless Navigation
- Vertical scrolling on Instagram offers a faster, more fluid experience, reducing friction in navigating Stories.
- This ease of use could increase the time spent on Stories, leading to higher engagement rates for creators and brands.
A Push Toward Full-Screen Experiences
- Instagram’s preference for full-screen, vertical content is evident in Reels, Stories, and even Profile Grids.
- The vertical format allows for immersive storytelling, giving brands and influencers more creative ways to connect with audiences.
Instagram’s Broader Shift Towards Vertical Content
Beyond Stories, Instagram is making additional changes to enhance its vertical content experience:
Vertical Profile Grids
- Instagram is testing vertical profile grids, where posts appear in tall rectangular formats instead of the traditional square layout.
- This change reflects a shift towards vertical-first content, similar to YouTube Shorts and TikTok’s layout.
Integration with Other Instagram Features
- Instagram is aligning Stories, Reels, and Profile layouts to provide a more cohesive content experience.
- As a result, vertical video content will likely dominate Instagram’s algorithm, making it more crucial than ever for brands to adopt a video-first strategy.
Stay Ahead with Digilogy’s Instagram Marketing Expertise
As Instagram continues evolving, businesses must adapt their content strategies to maintain visibility. The shift to the Instagram Vertical Stories Feed emphasizes the importance of short-form video content and seamless navigation.
At Digilogy, we help brands leverage Instagram’s latest updates with Video marketing strategies tailored for Instagram Stories & Reels, Content optimization for Instagram’s evolving algorithm and Data-driven social media campaigns to maximize engagement. Want to stay ahead of Instagram trends? Contact Digilogy today and take your social media marketing to the next level!
