Instagram’s attempting out a brand new method to drive engagement along with your followers, with lockable posts, that may solely be unlocked with a code.

As you may see on this instance from the Instagram Design profile, Instagram’s testing out a brand new locked put up format which prompts viewers to “Enter secret code” to view the content material.
Right here’s the way it seems to be on desktop:

That could possibly be a brand new method to drive engagement inside particular segments of your viewers, like superfans who’ve obtained a code by means of no matter means you select. You might additionally use it to supply reductions to earlier clients, versus your whole followers, or present region-specific updates, along side your off-platform shopper particulars.
There’s a spread of ways in which model or creator profiles might use this, whereas common customers might additionally share extra focused, intimate content material for under sure followers or pals.
It’s much like the “Reveal” sticker that IG added for Tales final yr, which hides your Tales behind a blurred impact that may solely be lifted by sending the creator a DM.

That’s extra aligned with the rise of DM engagement within the app, and sparking extra messaging conversations.
This new variation leans towards the code being accessed individually from the precise put up, so it’s a unique form of engagement habits that it’s encouraging. But it surely might present the same impact, enhancing connection by means of interactive means.
It looks as if an attention-grabbing experiment both manner, with a heap of potential use circumstances, which could possibly be attention-grabbing. But it surely’s not obtainable as but.
This seems to be a take a look at of the choice on considered one of Instagram’s personal accounts (which, as you may see within the picture above, additionally features a take a look at of Meta’s Group Notes).
We’ve requested Instagram for more information on the take a look at, and any plans for a broader rollout, however they didn’t reply by publication time.
We’ll maintain you up to date on any developments.