Instagram's Close Friends feature is getting bigger. Before, users could only share stories with a chosen group, not everyone who follows them. Now, users can also share regular posts and reels only with their Close Friends.
To do this, users can tap on the "audience" menu before sharing a post or reel and choose their Close Friends list. When it shows up in the Close Friends' feeds, there will be a green star icon on it, just like how Close Friends stories have a green ring.
The Close Friends list stays the same for all types of posts, whether they are stories, reels, regular posts, or notes. When someone replies to a story, it's like sending a private message. But if a user likes or comments on someone's Close Friends post or reel, others in the Close Friends group can see it.
This feature was tested in September and is now officially rolling out. Its expansion comes at a good time since X has discontinued a similar feature called Circles. Circles also allowed users to share with a smaller, chosen audience. With the popularity of new social apps like BeReal, mainstream ones like Instagram aim to fulfill users' desire for more authenticity online.
Instagram mentioned,
“We know our community already uses Close Friends as a pressure-free space to connect with the people that matter most. We hope this opens up more ways to be your most authentic self on Instagram while having more choices over who sees your content.”
For creators, the Close Friends feature provides an additional potential income source. While some creators use third-party apps to sell subscriptions for their Close Friends stories, they can now potentially make money from exclusive Instagram content beyond their temporary Close Friends story.
News Source: TechCrunch
