Instagram may have unlocked an engagement booster: a new “secret” commenting feature that only appears after you have looked at a picture for more than 5 seconds.

Instagram, like most platforms, loves to introduce new “secret” features. It is a great way for companies to gather user feedback before officially announcing them. Some make the cut, and others, well, let’s say we never hear of them again.

For the past couple of weeks, Instagram has been testing a new commenting feature that aims to boost the number of comments on a post and start more conversations. It’s kind of a secret feature, as it only appears after you have been looking at a post for at least 5 seconds. Cool, right?

Now, before you go and try it for yourself, make sure you have the latest version of the app on your phone. Ready? Then scroll down to a photo in your feed and wait a few seconds… there it is… can you see it? A new “Add a comment” input box just appeared.

This is a very smart move by Instagram. If you spend more than a few seconds on a photo, it clearly has caught your attention, and this means that you are ready to engage.

I love it when big platforms like Instagram still look into smart growth hacking features to grow engagement.

What do you think?