A "View Profile" link that leads to an expanded Web presence hints at Facebook's plans to expand the online presence of its newly-acquired photo service Instagram, a tech site reported over the weekend.

TechCrunch reported web designer Cole Reinke found a new option on his Instagram account – "View Profile" – which for now led to an error message and was quickly taken down.

"Online Instagram profiles coming soon? Clicking on the link led me to a 404 error at my profile address. When I looked to see if it was still there three hours later, it had disappeared. But before I saw the option appear, Instagram went down for a minute or two," Reinke said on his Tumblr account.

But TechCrunch also noted Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom had maintained earlier the mobile experience is Instagram’s core focus.

It said that when Time magazine asked Systrom if Instagram would make a web version in an interview after his company was acquired by Facebook, he said: “We are fully sold on the fact that if we’re going to do big, meaningful stuff we need to take on networks. We believe mobile is that."

TechCrunch also said that if Instagram is indeed close to rolling out its own web experience, "it could harm the ecosystem of third-party apps that have cropped up to fill the longtime void."

"Instagram itself encourages its users to go to third-party apps such as Webstagram, Ink361, Instagrid, Gramfeed, and others to access the service on the web," it added.

A separate article on CNET said the new feature hints Facebook may be planning to develop an online presence for Instagram.

"Since Facebook is now a public company, and because it acquired Instagram for so much moolah, I'm sure the social-networking giant is brainstorming ways it can use Instagram to bring in some additional revenue," it said.  — LBG, GMA News