If you're unfamiliar with the concept of "jobs to be done," it refers to the needs that people have that a product should fulfill. For example, the job of a spoon is to make it easy to consume soup, but it shouldn't be expected to provide Wi-Fi. Conversely, a negative example would be a coffee mug that leaks or is difficult to hold. If a product fails to fulfill its job to be done, it can result in user dissatisfaction and a decline in popularity. That's a pretty simplification, for a deeper dive you can watch Clay Christensen: The Jobs to be Done Theory.
In the case of Instagram, its job is to provide a platform for visual artists to showcase their work and for users to discover new artists whose style they enjoy. However, Instagram has shifted its focus to competing with platforms like Snapchat and TikTok, even though they fulfill completely different jobs. Instagram now requires creators to make short videos (Reels), similar to TikTok's. This move has alienated creators and compromised the platform's original job of being a creator and shared-interest platform.
Instagram shift has caused issues for creators and users alike. The algorithm is poorly designed, and Reels are often just reposts or screen captures of TikTok videos. Major updates often result in backlash from users and are eventually reverted. The shop feature is underutilized, and Instagram seems to be burning through money without understanding its job to be done.
While Instagram is currently too big to fail, it's also in a fragile state. By focusing on fulfilling its original job to be done as a creator and shared-interest platform, Instagram could re-engage creators and users and improve its overall functionality.
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