For certain users, an Instagram test eliminates the ‘Recent’ option from hashtag pages

Main Highlights:

• For certain users, Instagram is experimenting with removing the ‘Recent’ button on hashtag pages. 
• When you click on a hashtag, you are directed to a webpage that allows you to categorize the content posted with that hashtag.
• According to the company, the test is now being administered to a limited number of individuals.

Instagram is testing the removal of the ‘Recent’ button from hashtag pages for some users. When you click on a hashtag, you are led to a website where you may sort the material shared with that hashtag into three categories: Top, Recent, and Reels. Certain users will now only see the ‘Top’ and ‘Reels’ tabs on hashtag pages due to this change.

According to the firm, the test is currently being sent out to a small number of people. The adjustment might be interpreted as a ploy for Instagram to promote Reels, its TikTok competitor, while also emphasizing the most engaging posts on the network. This may be an uncomfortable move for people who want to keep up with updated content related to hashtags. They’re testing if this helps consumers connect with more engaging and relevant material via hashtags while also staying current, the business stated.

Instagram said the latest test is part of its ongoing attempt to “maximize the value of hashtags” for its users. The difficulty comes only weeks after Instagram began beta testing a new feature to make it simpler for users to identify and support social causes directly via hashtags. When you search for certain hashtags linked with specific social movements, you’ll see additional ways to help them.

Once on a hashtag’s website, click “Support” to learn more about the movement. Additionally, a “Spread the Word” option allows you to share the hashtag page with your friends through direct message. According to the firm, the feature will also make it simpler to generate awareness for these causes by including a “Create a Fundraiser” button that can be used to begin gathering funds for a reason.

These two recent experiments indicate that Instagram seeks to overhaul and strengthen its platform’s hashtag capabilities. Given the company’s emphasis on hashtags, it’s probable that we’ll see another testing of this nature in the coming months.

Instagram Reels now supports fundraisers in more than 30 countries.

In other news, Instagram Reels, the app’s short-form video feature and TikTok competitor, now allows users to start and donate to fundraisers directly from the app. The functionality was revealed alongside several Earth Day-themed upgrades to Meta’s platform and services, including new stickers for Instagram and Messenger, profile frames for Facebook, and conservation-themed virtual reality experiences.

The business says that Fundraising on Reels is accessible in over 30 countries globally and will facilitate donations to over 1.5 million NGOs. Already, some prominent users have exploited the function to generate money for environmental causes, including Dave Burd (Lil Dicky), Maggie Baird, and Zyahna Bryant. While Meta charges personal fundraisers a fee, it pays the transaction processing expenses for gifts to charity organizations, ensuring that the charitable organization receives the whole amount of the user’s contribution.

The move comes on the heels of Instagram’s 2020 rollout of fundraising support for live streams and creating a personal fundraiser tool. In October, Instagram announced that it would begin testing a new feature that would allow users to establish fundraisers for NGOs straight from the creation button (the “+” button at the top of the screen). When you press this button, you’ll be presented with the opportunity to include fundraising in a Feed post, rather than simply a Livestream, as previously.

Although some users had early access to the functionality, the firm has not yet formally disclosed fundraising in Reels. While it is beneficial to allow internet celebrities and influencers to leverage their fanbase to collect money for charitable organizations, Meta also benefits. Once users acquire familiarity with the fundraiser process, they may be persuaded to attempt it again.

According to the firm, more than 4 million individuals have given more than $150 million to battle climate change and promote environmental conservation through Facebook and Instagram fundraisers. The average gift from Instagram users is less than $20, but these modest amounts add up. According to the number of donations, the most popular NGOs on Instagram for environmental issues thus far are The Ocean Cleanup, World Wildlife Fund, and Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.