Instagram Announces Several Reels Updates Despite User Pushback
Instagram announced several updates for Reels. The most significant change is that all videos under 15 minutes will now be uploaded as Reels. When these videos are under 90 seconds long and public, they will be eligible to be recommended to more people on Instagram. The video and Reels tab will also be consolidated.
Other notable updates are as follows:
Expanded Remix Layouts: There is the option to choose from various new remix layouts, including a green screen, horizontal or vertical split-screen, or picture-in-picture reaction view.
Add your clip: Instead of having their remix appear at the same time as an original Reel, creators can add their videos after the original video.
Templates: By using Templates that include preloaded clips and audio, creators can add their own videos and photos to create Reels.
Dual: Creators have a new BeReal-like option to simultaneously record a video and their reaction using their phone’s front and back cameras.
Updates for Reels don’t look like they’ll stop anytime soon as Instagram is investing to make the platform video-heavy. Though these new creative tools further lower the barrier to creating video content, it’s clear that most users still want to post photos and have those photos be shown to their followers.
Although platform head Adam Mosseri is convinced that users want more videos and recommended posts from people they don’t want, responses to his latest video on Instagram’s evolution say otherwise. Right now is an inflection point for Instagram. The moves it makes or doesn’t make over the next few months will greatly impact how creators value it going forward.
