Instagram Tests Lockable Posts to Enhance Engagement

Instagram’s trying out a new way to drive engagement with your followers, with lockable posts, that can only be unlocked with a code.

As you can see in this example from the Instagram Design profile, Instagram’s testing out a new locked post format which prompts viewers to “Enter secret code” to view the content.

Here’s how it looks on desktop:

That could be a new way to drive engagement within specific segments of your audience, like superfans who’ve obtained a code through whatever means you choose. You could also use it to offer discounts to previous customers, as opposed to all of your followers, or provide region-specific updates, in conjunction with your off-platform client details.

There’s a range of ways that brand or creator profiles could use this, while regular users could also share more targeted, intimate content for only certain followers or friends.

It’s similar to the “Reveal” sticker that IG added for Stories last year, which hides your Stories behind a blurred effect that can only be lifted by sending the creator a DM.

That’s more aligned with the rise of DM engagement in the app, and sparking more messaging conversations.

This new variation leans toward the code being accessed separately from the specific post, so it’s a different kind of engagement behavior that it’s encouraging. But it could provide a similar effect, enhancing connection through interactive means.

It seems like an interesting experiment either way, with a heap of potential use cases, which could be interesting. But it’s not available as yet.

This appears to be a test of the option on one of Instagram’s own accounts (which, as you can see in the image above, also includes a test of Meta’s Community Notes).

We’ve asked Instagram for more info on the test, and any plans for a broader rollout, but they did not respond by publication time.

We’ll keep you updated on any developments.