Instagram profiles have become so carefully curated that they've drifted further from who we actually are, leaving us with less to go on when trying to know someone.
The Instagram profile is an iconic surface. It needs to meet the needs of prominent figures with 100M+ followers as well as people who want to only connect with close friends. Over time, profile has become too precious—50% of people under 24 have less than 3 grid posts.
I lead design for profile and updated its vision and strategy, solving for the following:
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01
Low-key self expression
People have nowhere to share the different facets of themselves without the fear of broadcasting widely.
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02
Quiet broadcasting
People can't tell when friends refresh their profile, but don't want to announce any new changes too loudly on their own profiles.
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03
Reaching out
There's no low-stakes way to reach someone you want to know. Waiting on a story or note is passive; a cold message feels far too high-pressure.