A strategy to bring new users to Instagram looks very different from a brand new app. IG's acquisition strategy needs to shift people's consideration and address their core barriers for joining, as opposed to increasing awareness. I established an acquisition incubator on Instagram, pitching and receiving buy-in for ideas that tap into network effects, shift parental perception and increase word of mouth. A few initiatives that have tested/shipped:
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01
Schools
Pitched and got buy-in for a safe space for students from high school and college to connect and build community through verfied school email verification. Became a key component in our strategy to shift parental perception of Instagram.
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02
Reels downloading
Pitched and secured funding to enable reels downloading with a watermark, increasing reels relevance across the internet.
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03
Secret reels
Pitched a new reels format to help creators build buzz and community around content, bringing their fans to Instagram. First partnership was with the Weeknd.
Changing perception that reels are irrelevant by boosting their presence across the web.
Before I got buy-in to build this feature, only creators were able to download their own reels, significantly limiting our reach. Content seen in the wild shifts perception and relevance of the product, and brings non-users to Instagram over time. Today, it's the third most popular share option, after "share to story" and Whatsapp.
the reels Watermark
I partnered with the brand team to design an instantly recognizable watermark that was still subtle enough to not distract from the content. Worked closely with the engineering team to implement frame by frame accuracy, ensuring the gradient swirl feels exactly "right".
A new reels format to build buzz and community around content, bringing fans to Instagram.
Secret Reels was a fun way to build buzz around big cultural moments with key Tier A partners who chose Instagram as the first place to announce big news. We wanted to increase engagement and sharing, while bringing fans to Instagram to unlock the content. For our pilot test, we partnered with the Weeknd who wanted to tease a never-before-scene from his upcoming film.
From feed to immersive viewer
The unlock behaviour needed to work seamlessly from feed to immersive reels viewer. A few pathing options were prototyped, ultimately landing on the pattern that felt the most natural.
The pilot test proved effective in increasing engagement and driving traffic to @theweeknd's reel. Compared to his next best reel, the secret reel performed:
more new account signup's from one reel
reshares
Impressions
Comments & likes
Creating intrigue through a subtler, recognizable motif.
Before landing on the text shimmer motif for the secret code input, I explored other motifs like locks, keys, and gradient foils. Ultimately, the shimmer text motif was developed because everything else felt superfluous. Extra. I challenged myself to create a recognizable pattern without leaning on iconography or colour.
