Instagram recently introduced their new video feature Reels, effectively challenging TikTok to their own game as the Facebook-owned photo sharing app enters the emerging market of shooting, editing, and sharing 15-second audiovisual snippets.
Shorter videos on Instagram are nothing new, as Tessa Lyons-Laing, Director of Project Management notes that 45 percent of the clips posted to the platform in the last month fit Reels’ 15-second criteria. However, the new feature is set to give creators a slew of new app-based tools, such as AR effects or the ability to control a video’s speed, ultimately hoping to encourage artistic expression and exploration among Instagram’s billion global users.
Reels shares similarities with Instagram’s signature Stories feature, but differs in that it allows users to preserve their artistic creations beyond the 24-hour span. The feature was tested in various markets around the world this year but has now officially been launched in 50 countries worldwide.
The portal for Reels can now be found on Instagram’s explore page where it offers curated content based on the user’s existing preferences.
