Netflix is hoping to give its app users a social media experience as it tests out a feature similar to Instagram Stories. Netflix’s “Extras” includes videos and photos of newly-released and suggested content.
Videos play automatically without sound and customers can swipe through their feeds to visuals. Videos and photos in Extras can be shared on social media or added to subscribers’ “My List.”
Extras is currently being tested for both iOS and Android users.
Extras isn’t Netflix’s first attempt at bringing a social media-feel to the platform. The company added Instagram Story integrations earlier this year, along with building out its sharing capabilities.
Netflix joins WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Spotify in creating story-like features. The tool that Snapchat made popular, is now reaching across markets to keep users scrolling through their apps.
Although the feature is trendy, it may not stop Netflix from reaching its U.S. subscriber cap. According to PwC’s Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2019–2023 report, the company could soon hit its limit for new American users as competitors like Disney, Apple, and WarnerMedia enter the market.
As Netflix builds out its social experiences for users, the company will have to find additional tactics to keep people glued to their phones, tablets, and televisions.
