Instagram Launches Trial Reels to Help Creators Test Content with Non-Followers First

Instagram / Trial Reels

After months of testing, Instagram has officially launched Trial Reels.

How It Works: By toggling on a "Trial" option during the publishing process, creators can share a Reel exclusively with people who don’t follow them, providing an opportunity to test new content.

After 24 hours, creators gain access to engagement metrics—such as views, likes, comments, and shares—providing valuable insights into how their content is performing. Based on these metrics, they can decide whether to share the Reel with everyone, including their followers.

Creators can also choose to have Instagram automatically share it after 72 hours if it performs well view wise.

Why It Matters: Trial Reels offer a low-pressure way for creators to experiment with new video ideas, concepts, or variations. This feedback can help them refine their content before committing to sharing it with their followers.

For creators considering a niche change, Trial Reels could be especially useful. They can gradually introduce new content types, test the waters, and attract a relevant, new audience before fully pivoting.

There’s also a big opportunity for influencer marketing. Brands could partner with creators for unofficial A/B testing, where creators share slight variations of sponsored videos to see which elements—like hooks, talking points, or visuals—resonate best with a wider audience. If one variation performs better, creators can then share it with their followers.

Finally, Trial Reels can help address the issue of inconsistent reach. Instead of posting a video that underperforms or deleting and reposting it, creators can simply choose not to share it if it doesn’t meet their performance criteria.