How can you tell that a social media format works particularly well? A key indicator is whether Facebook is releasing its own version as a supposed “imitation”. Snapchat, for example, introduced its story feature back in 2014, but the quality only became popular when Instagram launched a similar feature in 2016. In addition to all Facebook services, LinkedIn now also has a story format – a trend that can undoubtedly be described as sustainable. 2020 was another milestone in the evolutionary history of social media. It will be remembered, among other things, as the year in which TikTok celebrated its breakthrough in Europe, also fueled by the effects of the corona pandemic. Accordingly, it could not be a real surprise that Instagram introduced Reels in the same year, a format that shows obvious parallels to the Chinese original.
Reels (still) offers potential for first movers
Is Instagram Reels more than just a copy of TikTok? Or is it perhaps even the better alternative for brands that want to engage in contemporary storytelling and address young target groups? A question that worries numerous industry experts.
The fact is: The content of the future will come as video. Accordingly, the Facebook group plans a special role for reels – the feature would hardly have been so emphasized in the course of the last relaunch.
The hype surrounding TikTok is still unbroken. Pretty much every marketer wants to play and experiment with this new field. Accordingly, it could make sense for companies that are already on Instagram to deal with the possibilities of reels. In particular, the entry barrier for reels is significantly lower since ideally there is already a sizeable fan base that knows how to appreciate the new moving image content.
In the long run, there is another benefit of getting a business familiar with the mechanics of Instagram Reels right now. Because if Reels surpasses TikTok as the leading platform for short videos at some point, you will be the first mover who has already left his footprint before the great Reels hysteria broke out. Of course, there is a real risk that this will not happen. The chance to gain a strategic advantage through foresight, but all the greater.
The decisive advantage over TikTok
The race between TikTok and Reels is far from over. Especially since the young contender from the Middle Kingdom certainly still has one or two trump cards up his sleeve when it comes to the innovative power of his home market.
One argument that clearly speaks in favor of Reels is the expertise of the parent company Facebook when it comes to marketing. Because while there are currently no built-in tools for advertisers to add reels to the marketing mix, it would be naïve to think that Facebook Inc. doesn’t have concrete plans to do so.
Admittedly, with the introduction of its platform for small and medium-sized companies, TikTok has proven that the needs of advertisers are on the screen and that companies have to open up further to tap into significant revenue streams. However, it is unlikely that Facebook’s lead can be caught up in this context. Whether analytics, e-commerce, or ad management: the respective technologies already exist, they just have to be tailored to reels.
6 practical tips: How to get started with reels
Reels is what Instagram Stories was a few years ago: an interesting new feature that few advertisers know how best to use for their communication.
To become familiar with Reels, it is crucial to get to know the content format. Precisely because organic growth has been the only way to expand your target group via reels, it is essential to create content that meets the user’s needs.
To help you get started with Reels, we’ve put together six practical tips that will help you create your first Reels clip:
1. Use the Reels camera in the Instagram app: To access all the features within Reels, use the camera that Instagram designed and implemented specifically for the feature. To do this, tap the Reels icon in the top right corner and share your camera with the application.
2. Share content that is original and authentic: Inspiration is important, but direct copying of content is rarely the right way – especially if you want to strengthen the perception of your brand in the long term. When it comes to content, it pays to go the extra mile and develop content that is authentic and represents your values.
3. Inspire your community to create their own content: A form of representation that is characteristic of both Reels and TikTok is dances, imitations, or other forms of personal expression. This is where it can be worth investing time to potentially start a trend that has the potential to go viral.
4. Use the music library and audio tools: Reels advertises music from its own music library and its own audio tool. You should also limit yourself to these possibilities when designing the sound of your content to avoid problems with third-party licenses.
5. Include current trends and topics in your reel: Users are more likely to notice your reels if you tie them into topics and trends that are of current interest. Whether it’s global fashion trends, a current music hit, or a popular dance – what’s most important is that the user can create a personal connection to your content.
6. Don’t use TikTok clips on Reels: When Reels first launched, many users simply posted their TikTok content there. Everyone could see that; after all, each of these content pieces is watermarked with the TikTok logo. Instagram (understandably) found this less than pleasant, which is why the algorithm now penalizes reels with the TikTok logo. So the motto must be: always post original content!
The future belongs to moving images – one way or the other!
If you follow the above practical tips when trying to gain a foothold with the reels, there is a high probability that you will not crash land. It is at least as important to define your target group and to monitor their preferences and activities carefully. Subscribing to specific hashtags serves as a helpful tool to develop a deep understanding of the community and its issues. Using a classic trial and error approach, you will then quickly find out which content works well.
Instagram Stories, once started as a supposed copy of Snapchat, is now used by over three million advertisers. A similar development cannot be ruled out for Instagram Reels either, which is why it can at least do not harm to test the possibilities of the latest Instagram feature in practice.
The fact that moving images will be the content format of the future seems undeniable anyway – just like the fact that Facebook Inc. with WhatsApp and Instagram will play a central role in this scenario.