Improving personalization for Instagram's explore page
Product StrategyFellowship ProjectA feature to enhance content discovery and provide personalized recommendations through a customizable Instagram Explore page.
Oct 2024 - Dec 2024
Product Designer & Analyst
Figma, Prototyping, Visual Design, User Research, Product Design
CONTEXT
A new challenge
I joined Ivey Product Society's fellowship program to tackle a project through a product lens, expanding my expertise in product management and strategy.
PROBLEM
Content discovery isn't personalized enough
With so many different creators, genres, and interests, it's difficult to find content that suits specific interests.
SOLUTION
Customizable Explore Pages on Instagram
OUTCOMES
Presenting to product leaders on Product Review Day
HOW IT STARTED
Instagram is a platform that connects over a billion users worldwide. But at its core, Instagram is more than just a social app—it's a space for people to explore their passions, build communities, and find content that truly resonates with them.
One of Instagram's primary goals has always been to help users explore what they love. But while Instagram excels in many ways, there's a growing gap in its ability to personalize content discovery for its users.
How can Instagram improve its content discovery to create a personalized feed expereince for users?
EXPLORING THE PROBLEM
There are many steps to finding new, personalized content on social media. I broke down the process into 4 main steps.
Where within the user's journey would there be an opportunity to make an impact? Taking into consideration how each step creates value for the user and the constraints, I mapped out the user's journey to make a decision.
I identified that the scrolling step would allow for the opportunity to make the largest impact. After making a decision on which step, I conducted user research to further help me refine my solution.
USER RESEARCH
I began by defining the average Instagram user. They are someone who is young and casually uses Instagram. They are looking for personable content that are sources of entertainment or connects them with trends.
From here I started conducting user research.
Users feel a disconnect with the content being shown on Instagram, opting for other social platforms that provide more personalized and niche-focused recommendations. Many users struggle to find content aligned with their specific interests, expressing frustration with Instagram's Explore page and algorithms.
PAIN POINTS
CONTENT MISALIGNMENT
Users feel that their explore pages are not tailored to their specific interests.
LACK OF NICHE CONTENT
Users with unique or niche interests struggle to find posts or topics.
SOLUTION
By catering to a broader range of preferences, Instagram can better serve niche interests and enhance user satisfaction, ensuring the platform remains relevant and engaging. This approach benefits users by making it easier to discover content that resonates with their diverse interests, while Instagram gains increased user engagement and retention.
FINAL DESIGN
Instagram's explore page now has different tabs.
The "For You" page is a general page and works similar to the current explore page. There is now a "Trending" page that has preset tabs to show the popular content for each category. The "Friends" tab shows the content that your friends have recently interacted with. Lastly, there is a "+" or a tab to add a customizable explore page, tailored with specific interests.
The custom explore page takes in selected interests and curate an explore page specifically to those selected interests. No longer interested in those topics? No worries! The page can be easily edited!
REFLECTION
Sometimes, the most impactful innovations lie in simplifying what already exists and truly addressing user needs. By providing users with greater control and customization—such as personalized tabs or interest-based filtering—Instagram can bridge the gap between user expectations and platform experience.
Site developed with love by Audrey Li · 2025