In July 2020, Instagram rolled out its new Reels<\/a> feature to users in India, with other parts of the world receiving the update the following month. Reels allows users to create videos up to 15 seconds long using filters, text and (most importantly) other people\u2019s audio. Sound familiar? Reels has been touted by critics as a \u201cTikTok competitor\u201d<\/a>, using a lot of the same features such as short-form videos and choosing popular songs to add to your content.<\/p>\n On paper, it sounds like the perfect time to launch Instagram Reels. US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to ban TikTok<\/a>, suggesting the app handles user data poorly and risks seeing US citizens\u2019 information falling into the hands of China\u2019s government. If TikTok were to be banned, users would have a few places to go. One option is Byte<\/a>, a creation from the people behind now-defunct video platform Vine. Another is Instagram Reels, which has a more advantageous position; many of TikTok\u2019s users\u00a0are already on Instagram.<\/p>\n Instagram\u2019s newest feature has been met with a mixed reception<\/a> from creators. Some are seeing the benefits of sharing their content on two similar platforms, especially those who spend hours writing, filming and editing videos. For these creators, repurposing their content for Reels (whether it\u2019s posting the same video across both channels or editing it to fit Reels\u2019 15-second max length) means their video will reach even more people.<\/p>\n On the other hand, not everyone is sold on Reels. 75% of TikTok creators said they wouldn\u2019t move to Instagram Reels<\/a>, citing similarities to TikTok as their main reason for not jumping ship. It takes a lot to get someone to change their primary platform, and when you consider TikTok\u2019s runaway success and continued growth, the hesitation is understandable.<\/p>\n It\u2019s understandable why people may be hesitant to leave TikTok for Instagram Reels. The latter lacks many features of the former, most notably the For You page which delivers videos based on what the app thinks you like. If you watch a lot of cat videos, your For You Page will populate itself with even more cat videos. In contrast, Reels are mainly served via your own feed and the Explore page, which only shows a handful of (sometimes seemingly random) Reels mixed in with other content.<\/p>\n This takes us to another reason people aren\u2019t resonating with Reels; it makes the Instagram app feel bloated. What was once a photo and video sharing platform now has Stories for spontaneous updates, IGTV for long-form videos, an expanded messaging service and now Reels for short-form videos. If users are spending ages curating amazing feeds and keeping Stories updated, will they also want to share Reels on a regular basis? Will they fit with their other content?<\/p>\n One of the most interesting developments with the launch of Instagram Reels has been creators uploading their TikTok videos directly to Reels. TikTok\u2019s clever idea to put their logo and people\u2019s usernames on downloaded videos means even when someone\u2019s watching the video on Reels, it keeps their mind on TikTok. On the flip side, it means a lot of audio from TikTok can now be used on Instagram Reels; if the former falls out of fashion, the latter can easily pick things up.<\/p>\n The 15-second limit for Reels may be a lot less than TikTok\u2019s 60-second limit, but that doesn\u2019t mean brands are struggling to make the most of the platform. Netflix\u2019s comedy account, Netflix Is A Joke<\/a>, uploads snippets of stand-up performances from the likes of Pete Davidson and Dave Chappelle. The channel already uploads longer stand-up segments to IGTV, and Reels contrasts that by focusing on a single joke by a comic.<\/p>\n Using Instagram Reels is a great tactic for Netflix to entice people towards IGTV, followed by watching the full comedy show on Netflix. Their Instagram presence is also far larger than their TikTok presence; Netflix only has a single TikTok account, but on Instagram it\u2019s divided into various specialist accounts based on region or type of content.<\/p>\nHow are people reacting to Instagram Reels?<\/h2>\n
How have brands started using Instagram Reels, and how does it compare to TikTok?<\/h2>\n
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