You may have noticed something new recently in your Instagram feed. The platform rolled out a feature called Reels, which allows users to record 15 second multi-clip videos using audio and effects. If you’re feeling a sense of deja vu, you’re not wrong! Reels is a clear attempt to compete with the enormously popular TikTok.
TikTok continues to gain users at a lighting pace, posting the best quarter for any app ever in Q1 of 2020 with 315 million installs. Our previous blog post has more details on the ins and outs of the video-sharing app. But how does it compare to Reels?
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Unlike TikTok, Reels is not a stand-alone app. Users can find the option for it inside of their Instagram Stories.
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Creating a video on Reels is similar to TikTok. There are choices to add effects, speed up and slow down videos and add audio tracks. This includes using audio from someone else’s Reel to create your own video, a hallmark of TikTok.
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TikTok videos can be as long as 60 seconds by combining four 15-second videos, but Reels are limited to 15 seconds.
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Instagram’s version of TikTok’s “For You” page is a Reels feed at the top of the Explore section of a user’s Instagram account. From there, users can tap it again to scroll through videos. So be prepared for a few more steps to browse popular videos compared to TikTok.
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Users don’t have to have to be registered to TikTok to watch its videos but an Instagram account is required to view Reels.
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TikTok has a dedicated “Following” tab for accounts that users follow. But on Reels, no such option exists. Following a user on Reels ensures that those accounts will show up in their main Instagram feed, along with everyone else that user follows.
In the past, Instagram famously implemented Stories in response to Snapchat, with Stories proving to be infinitely more popular. It remains to be seen if Reels will take off and even surpass TikTok.
Interested in utilizing the latest social media platforms in your own marketing strategy? Our team is ready to help! Contact the Social Ape team to learn more.
