Share the fun! Instagram Blend lets you share Reels feed with your friends

This new Blend feature will share Reels feed recommendations based on the group members' activity.

Image: Instagram

Exciting news for Instagram users! A brand-new feature is rolling out that lets you share the joy of Reels directly within your group chats or private one-on-one conversations. This innovative Instagram Blend experience starts to come alive when group members actively join the Reels feed section, whether within a group chat or a single direct message.

Today, Meta, the parent company behind Instagram, has officially introduced this much-anticipated feature to all users. Get ready to amplify your happiness and share those special, fleeting moments captured in Reels feeds with your closest friends. The company has aptly named this feature “Blend” – a clever way for Instagram to surface suggested Reels that might resonate with everyone in the group. This development holds considerable interest, as it offers a fantastic avenue to share Reels you adore with people outside your immediate Instagram followers, and who knows, they might just love them too! However, a humorous yet realistic scenario also exists: what if your cherished Reels don't quite hit the mark with your friends and perhaps even get a polite "not interested"?

That's where the intelligence of Instagram Blend comes in. According to Instagram, "The blend is updated daily with new content based on the Instagram activity of people in the blend." This means the shared Reels feed evolves based on what everyone in the Blend is watching and engaging with. Creating your own Blend is a breeze. Simply head to your Direct Message (DM) section, navigate to a specific chat or group where you want to initiate the Blend, and then tap on the Blend icon, represented by the “linked emojis”. The company explains, “Each participant in the chat will be invited to participate in the blend. If one or more people accept the invitation, a blend is created. A person's suggested reels are only added to the blend after they have accepted the invitation.”

This new Blend Feature, specifically designed for Reels, doesn't exist in isolation. Its arrival coincides with ongoing discussions about Instagram potentially competing more directly with the TikTok market, particularly given the debates around a possible ban in the United States. We've also seen other strategic moves from the social media giant pointing in this direction, such as the reported testing of a dedicated Reels App for Instagram and the introduction of longer Reels up to 3 minutes, allowing creators to share more in-depth content akin to TikTok's format. These developments suggest a clear strategic intent. Ultimately, however, the success of Instagram Blend and any related strategies will hinge on how enthusiastically users embrace them.