Instagram Reels is a major competitor to TikTok and is launching in 50 countries.
Instagram Reels is similar to TikTok in many ways and shares many of the features as well. It allows you to create and share 15- second videos like TikTok and so offers strong competition to TikTok.
What can you do with Instagram Reels?
Instagram Reels allows Instagram users to;
Create 15-second videos and share them
Add own audio to videos or choose from a catalog of licensed audio
Use original audio from other videos and include it in their own videos
Popular videos will be shown under “Featured Reels” section
There’s a new section in the Explore tab that allows you to discover Reels. It gives users a chance to reach a wider audience of people who don’t follow them already. Reels can be shared on Instagram users’ main feed.
Interestingly, users can receive more exposure if their video features in the “Featured” section in the Explore tab.
How to create and share Reels?
Open the Instagram camera and select Reels from the bottom of the screen. You will then see the following tools;
Audio: Helps you record your own audio or search for a song from the Instagram music library.
AR Effects: Lets you select effects from the effect gallery.
Timer and Countdown: Allows you to set the timer to record your videos hands-free.
Align: Lets you line up objects from your previous videos before starting your next clip.
Speed: Allows you to slow down or speed up part of audio or video you select.
Next, start recording by pressing and holding the capture button.
You can record Reels in a series of clips, all at once, or using video uploads from your camera roll.
Once your Reel is ready, move it to the share screen. It will then be added to a separate Reels tab on your profile.
What’s the difference between Reels and TikTok?
While TikTok is a standalone app, Reels is a new feature in the Instagram app. So, users don’t have to install or sign up for anything new. Users can simply access Reels by updating the app.
As Reels is a feature in the Instagram app, it is more likely to be widely adopted by the existing user base.
If it actually happens then Reels may prevent users from jumping to TikTok.
Additionally, Reels has the potential to bring back people who tend to use TikTok more often than Instagram of late.
Reels may increase the time spent with the app and those who already use Instagram on a regular basis are more likely to use it even more.
The increase in average daily time spent would soon make Instagram more appealing to advertisers.
Currently, TikTok is surrounded by turmoil as the parent company ByteDance has been given an ultimatum to either sell TikTok’s US operations to Microsoft or get banned.
This gives Instagram the opportunity to provide people with TikTok-like content.
That said, while Reels has a lot of potential only time will tell how the feature will be adopted.
In the past, Instagram has launched features such as IGTV that failed to reach a wide audience. Later, it successfully copied Snapchat’s Stories, which instantly became a popular component of the Instagram app.
Instagram users can access Reels easily by updating the app from any App Store.