Walk me through how you would think about whether to build a travel product on Instagram.

Thank you for providing such detailed instructions. I'm ready to address the question about building a travel product on Instagram from the perspective of a seasoned VP of Product. I'll structure my response according to the guidelines you've outlined, using a first-person perspective as if I'm directly addressing the interviewer.

Introduction

The strategic problem at hand is to evaluate whether Instagram should build a travel product. This decision is crucial as it could significantly impact Instagram's user engagement, revenue streams, and market positioning. Our key business objectives would likely include increasing user engagement, expanding our revenue sources, and strengthening our competitive position in the social media landscape.

To approach this problem, I'll follow these strategic steps:

1. Clarify the strategic goals
2. Conduct a market and competitive analysis
3. Define the product vision and roadmap
4. Prioritize strategic initiatives
5. Develop an execution plan and resource allocation strategy
6. Establish metrics and key performance indicators
7. Implement risk management and contingency planning

Let's begin by clarifying our strategic goals to ensure we're aligned on the broader context of this potential product development.

Step 1

Clarify the Strategic Goals (3-4 minutes)

• Based on Instagram's current market position, I'm sensing that this initiative might be aimed at diversifying our product offerings and tapping into new revenue streams. Could you help me understand where this potential travel product fits within Instagram's overall strategic priorities?

Why it matters: Determines if we're focusing on user growth, monetization, or ecosystem expansion Expected answer: Exploring new revenue streams while enhancing user engagement Impact on approach: Would focus on monetization strategies that seamlessly integrate with the core Instagram experience

• Considering the evolving social media landscape, I'm curious about our target audience for this travel product. Are we primarily focusing on our existing user base, or are we looking to attract new demographics?

Why it matters: Influences product design and marketing strategies Expected answer: Primarily existing users, with potential to attract travel enthusiasts Impact on approach: Would emphasize features that leverage existing user data and social connections

• Given the competitive nature of both social media and travel tech, I'm wondering about our unique value proposition. What key differentiators do we believe Instagram brings to the travel space?

Why it matters: Shapes our product strategy and positioning Expected answer: Visual-first approach, strong influencer network, and vast user data Impact on approach: Would focus on leveraging Instagram's visual content and social graph in the travel context

• Considering potential resource constraints, I'm interested in understanding our appetite for investment in this new product area. Are we looking at this as a major new business line or more of an experimental feature?

Why it matters: Determines the scale and scope of our product development efforts Expected answer: Starting as an experimental feature with potential for expansion Impact on approach: Would prioritize an MVP approach with clear success metrics for scaling

Based on these strategic considerations, I'll proceed with the following key assumptions:

1. We're exploring travel as a new revenue stream while enhancing user engagement
2. Our primary target is our existing user base, with a focus on travel enthusiasts
3. Our key differentiators are our visual-first approach and strong social network
4. We're starting with an experimental feature that could evolve into a larger product offering