What You Need To Know About Instagram’s Explore New Channels

26
Jun 2016

Video has become an important element for Instagram, which was originally introduced as a photo-sharing app. Because of that, Instagram wants you to watch more video. The app is making some changes to its video section based on your preferences. Instagram is rolling out an update to its “Explore” section that will start recommending video collections the app thinks you’ll be interested in.

Instagram is building these channels around certain topics rather simply showing users a collection of unrelated videos. The platform is labeling these channels as being “picked for you.” These channels will be grouped based on your favorite topics and interests. The channels are algorithmically generated and, while Instagram hasn’t elaborated on how it chooses which channels to show to which users, the consensus is that it’s based on the accounts you follow and posts you have liked in the past.

IG

This isn’t the first tweak to video that Instagram has rolled out. Recently, the app introduced 60-second videos as well as a new video ad format. Since rolling out the 60-second videos, Instagram analysts noticed a 40 percent increase in streaming time leading them to conclude that longer videos signify diverse stories from users favorite accounts they follow.

These changes, along with a greater emphasis on video in the Explore section are paying dividends for the app as total video viewing has increased 150% over the last six months, the company said in a statement earlier this week.

Video channels first appeared in Instagram during the spring of 2015. The new topical channels are better targeted at what users want to see and will be more likely to engage. There will be no fewer than 23 new channels based on wide-ranging topics from the niche (hair braiding) to general (fishing). No matter what your hobbies are, Instagram is aiming at providing you video content to enjoy.

At the moment, Instagram is only rolling out these new channels to its 100 million users in the United States. The company has assured global users that the update will be made available to them as soon as possible.

Here is the full list of new topic-based channels: Oddly Satisfying, Cheerleaders, Dancers, Calligraphy, Special Effects Makeup, Comedians, Barbers, Cake Decorating, Ceramics, Comic Book Artists, Pitbulls, Gymnasts, Nail Artists, Hair Tutorials, Singers, Bakers, Makeup Tutorials, Ballet Dancers, Trickshots, Artists, Makers & Artisans, Baseball Players and Skateboarders.

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