The Reel Deal
What’s the Deal with Instagram Reels?
Instagram more widely rolled out their Reels functionality this August but what is it, who should use it, and why does it matter? If you’ve ever heard of TikTok, you’re going to want to know more. Stay tuned, we answer those questions right here!
Reels: What is it?
Instagram Reels is a fun, quirky, easy-to-use video editing feature to share content through the Instagram platform in a purposely familiar format for those who use TikTok. Reels includes a variety of editing tools including AR effects, a timer and countdown function to record hands-free, and Align, which allows for seamless transitions by speeding up or slowing down the video or audio from various clips to sync with one another. Lastly is the audio feature, offering users the ability to use a massive library of music licensed through music companies. With Reels including all of these tools, there are endless opportunities for creativity and the potential to attract a younger audience already familiar with this format.
Image credit: Facebook
Who should use it?
Reels gives the user a fun and creative way to share content and it comes with a unique organic reach advantage. Reels not only live in the grid of the profile and Feed, but also in the Reels Explore page which means there’s opportunity to reach users that don’t already follow you. Also, Instagram tends to prioritize new features in the algorithm so we predict that like IGTV, the pages that take advantage of Reels will see a nice uptick in organic reach and engagement. From a business standpoint, Reels shouldn't be used for dance video trends, but can be used for sharing tutorials, vlogs, behind the scenes, meet the staff, and so much more. This is a great tool for brands that share a lot of visual content.
Image credit: Later.com
Why does it matter?
Instagram Reels are being compared to TikTok which has incredible younger audience adoption and in-app usage. Vishal Shah, Instagram's head of product, comments on this matter, “Reels will differ from TikTok in giving users a more built-out augmented reality platform, as well as offering them a way to make short-form videos inside Instagram, a place they already love and know how to use." We would argue that Reels is being rolled out at a suspiciously convenient time, as TikTok faces country-wide bans and a possible acquisition by Microsoft in partnership with Walmart.
Image credit: Adweek.com
To sum up the Reel Deal, here are the 3 things we think you need to know:
Reels is Instagram (and Facebook’s) answer to TikTok to continue to attract a younger audience and up their ante on user time in-app. Remember when Instagram Stories were rolled out to compete with Snapchat? Same idea here! Early on, it’s getting a lot of attention, both good and bad, with TikTokers giving it a thumbs down, but with Instagram-based influencers and big brands flocking to capitalize on the new feature.
Instagram Reels offers another creative way to share short videos and snackable content with music and video editing that has not been seen in the Facebook and Instagram family. If your brand is remotely visual, storytelling, fun, vibrant, attractive to a younger audience than the average Facebook or Instagram user or hoping to be, we say get going! The caveat, don’t dump all of your resources into Reels. Pro tip: repurpose your existing or upcoming content for Reels as you get started and grow from there.
While we predict that Instagram will reward brands that use Reels with a boost in the algorithm to capture more organic reach and engagement, it’s too soon to tell if consumers will scroll Reels for days as they do on TikTok and if it’s here to stay. The biggest question is what’s going to happen with TikTok. If TikTok is banned in more countries, Instagram will be the only player in the space which could make it v uncool to TikTokers. We don’t have a magic crystal ball so we’ll keep our eyes on the data, the players in the Reels space, and will continue making decisions of where to place our content based on where our users want to find us. Stay tuned!