It’s now official: Instagram has joined an exclusive club by reaching over 3 billion active monthly users.

The announcement was made by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and confirmed by Instagram head Adam Mosseri. Ten years after surpassing the billion-user mark, the photo and video sharing app now stands alongside Facebook and WhatsApp, each of which has already crossed this significant threshold.

Driven by Reels, Private Messaging, and Recommendations

While it’s clear that the continual addition of new features, such as recent video editing tools, has contributed to the social network’s success, Adam Mosseri took this opportunity to delve deeper into the reasons behind the user base’s rapid growth.

According to him, three main factors have significantly powered Instagram’s recent surge: the introduction of private messaging, the launch of Reels in 2020 to compete with TikTok, and the effectiveness of its recommendation system.

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Strategic Focus on Video Formats

In recent years, Instagram has intentionally shifted its focus towards these features, particularly the short video format, at the expense of the traditional photo feed known from its inception.

This strategy has attracted a new generation of users, but it has also led to some discontent among those who preferred the original content-sharing approach that was prominent at the platform’s launch.

In a video posted on his account to mark this announcement, Adam Mosseri stated that this shift will continue to intensify. The company plans to test new tools that will allow users to further personalize the algorithm, especially concerning Reels.

Specifically, users will soon be able to exclude certain themes recommended by the app, such as a sport or a trend that no longer holds interest.

A Milestone for Meta, Amidst Success and Scrutiny

Instagram now joins Facebook and WhatsApp as one of the Meta apps to surpass 3 billion active monthly users. This number not only illustrates Instagram’s significant cultural impact, often perceived as more influential than Facebook among younger generations but also comes at a crucial time.

This growth occurs as Meta faces a legal battle over its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, which have been criticized for anti-competitive practices. Meanwhile, the company is also striving to rejuvenate Facebook’s appeal with the reintroduction of “OG Facebook”, as its popularity wanes among teenagers, all while capitalizing on Instagram’s continued success…