After the overwhelming growth in popularity of TikTok, it was inevitable that the other social media giants would attempt to replicate the short-video sharing platform.
We recently wrote about the emergence of TikTok throughout the past two years, and it now appears Instagram are going to compete for the same audience with their new Reels feature.
What is Instagram Reels?
Reels is a video sharing feature, that allows users to create short-form video content and share it with other Instagram users. It is evidently a direct response to TikTok, and Reels could well have what it takes to gain the competitive edge.
Reels was originally only launched in Brazil in November2019, in order to see how Instagram users would react to the feature. However, as of the 5th August 2020, Reels has been made available in over 50countries including the UK and other key international markets. The launch comes after some international disputes between TikTok and countries including the US and India. This, combined with some brilliant features means Reels could be set to rocket in popularity.
The Standout Features of Reels
Reels lets users create 15-30 second videos and edit them using a range of creative tools. Augmented reality effects, video speed and alignment features are all aspects of Reels that allow users to get creative with their content. A key addition to Reels is the Music feature. This could be a big competitive advantage for Reels, as Instagram has a huge audio catalogue for its users to choose from without worry of their content being flagged.
Users are able to share Reels to their stories or to their profiles. In terms of discovering new content, Reels allows users to quickly swipe and scroll between content, replicating the easy access to videos that TikTok provides.
Who Will Use it?
This audience of Instagram could be a reason why any business looking to utilise social media should focus on Reels rather than TikTok. The average age of Instagram users is typically older than TikTok users, with 33.1% of Instagram users being aged between 25-34.
Reels will be hoping to convince Instagram users to also use their platform for short-form video content sharing, as well as hoping to attract users over from other platforms such as TikTok.