Instagram users struggle to rediscover previously viewed posts, and 42.6% give up searching, leading to frustration, lost engagement, and 32.8% dissatisfaction. They need a more efficient solution.
Streamline content rediscovery mechanisms on Instagram to enhance user engagement and satisfaction, enabling quick and efficient retrieval of previously viewed content.
Before diving into research, we needed to define our focus. We identified three key questions to structure our approach:
Finding previously seen content
Searching for new content
We analyzed how platforms like Facebook, YouTube, X, TikTok, and Pinterest tackle the challenge of rediscovering previously watched content.
We brainstormed HMW questions with two engineers, grouped ideas into themes, and used dot voting to identify the most promising solutions.
How Might We simplify the process of finding previously watched content?
How Might We reduce frustration and wasted time for users?
We evaluated the selected ideas by mapping them on an impact/effort matrix, based on their potential impact on user experience and business metrics, as well as the effort required for implementation.
We focused on "quick wins" high-impact, low-effort solutions. Adding a history section (like similar features on other platforms) would be the best solution. We considered three options for the location of this feature:
A follow-up interviews confirmed over 80% of users expected the History section in Settings and Activity.
To enhance content rediscovery, we integrated the solution into Instagram’s existing Search and Explore flow, aligning with user habits. The new “Watched” tab ensures effortless access to previously viewed content.
We integrated our solution into Instagram’s existing flow and visualized it through wireframes to illustrate its placement and functionality.
We designed high-fidelity prototypes to demonstrate how the “Watched” section and “Watched” tab integrate into Instagram’s interface, allowing users to filter, search, and manage previously viewed content.
We conducted an unmoderated usability test with 10 Iranian Instagram DAUs (ages 18–34), selected from our initial survey. After completing three rediscovery tasks with the new Watched feature, participants filled out the SUS, yielding a score of 77.5—well above the industry benchmark of 68. While the limited sample prevents broad conclusions, the results indicate strong first-time usability and clear support for content rediscovery.
Users appreciated the Watched section for revisiting previously watched and its filters for easier searches. The Watched tab made keyword-based rediscovery faster and more convenient.
I really love the Watched section! Sometimes I forget to save something, or I see a post and don’t realize I might want to revisit it later. Now, it feels great to have a dedicated place for this. Plus, the various filters make it so much easier to narrow down the posts and quickly find the content I’m looking for.
When I need to find something fast and only remember a keyword, searching becomes much more convenient.
On Instagram, I always go to the search section, so having the Watched tab there makes it even easier to locate previously watched content.
While the "Watched" section and tab improves rediscovery and user satisfaction in the short term, it's important to consider long-term behavioral and platform-wide consequences:
Reduced In-App Time
Faster rediscovery may lower overall time spent, which improves efficiency but could hurt metrics tied to total browsing duration.
Feature Overlap
The feature could reduce reliance on existing tools like Saved Posts or Search, potentially making parts of the current system redundant.
