Noticed a lot more lip syncs on your Instagram feed this week? That’s because Instagram have just released their newest feature – Instagram Reels.
Reels lets users create fun 15-second videos by combining multiple clips, audio, text and other cool effects. They’re set to be a great way to get your content to go viral really quickly!
How do I create Instagram Reels?
It’s easy to post your first Instagram Reel – just head to the Instagram camera and select “Reels” from the bottom three options. You can then choose whether you’d like to film one continuous shot, several individual shots, or upload from your gallery.
Once you’ve put your video together, you can choose to speed up or slow down sections of the video, helping you to time your actions with a beat or show something in slow-motion. You can also add an audio clip from Instagram’s library or upload your own audio to go over the top. Finally, you can add in AR effects and timed text to give your Reel a more professional feel.
Here’s a good example from fashion creator @inthefrow:
Who sees my Instagram Reels?
If you have a Private account, you can share Reels on your profile and they’ll only be visible to you and your followers. Whether your account is Public or Private, you can also share your Reel to your Story, close friends or in a direct message. Just like normal Story posts, it will disappear after 24 hours.
If you have a Public account, you can choose to share your Reel with the whole Instagram community, where it could feature in the Explore feed. Explore showcases trending Reels in a feed that’s personalised to the user, so you’ve got more chance of your content reaching users who aren’t already in your network.
Isn’t this just like Tik Tok?!
The interface looks and feels incredibly similar to Tik Tok – the most downloaded non-gaming app of 2020 so far… So much so in fact that the @TikTok_US Twitter account posted a tongue-in-cheek retweet about the launch of Reels, saying it ‘looks familiar’:
well… this looks familiar ?? https://t.co/V8GyRSXkPu
— TikTok (@tiktok_us) August 6, 2020
This isn’t the first time that one of the Facebook family of apps has tried to copy something else though… Stories were originally a Snapchat feature after all!
But as Co-Founder and COO of Social Chain, Dominic McGregor pointed out in a post on LinkedIn a few days ago: “Snapchat wasn’t a platform where people built equity and learnt how to create, produce and be integrated with culture – Tik Tok is.”
That being said, the Trump administration is about to begin a legal battle to try and ban Tik Tok in the US (and Tik Tok plan to file a lawsuit in return). If the ban is successful, Instagram could benefit as Reels becomes the video platform of choice for users in the States.
Here at South Coast Social, our team think that Instagram Reels are a fun and creative way to engage with your target audience. We can’t wait to see more brands using them to showcase their products and services!
Got a question about Instagram Reels, Tik Tok or any other social media stuff?
Need a hand creating some fun, creative content to build your brand’s online reputation?
Get in touch with our team today to find out how we can help!
