Instagram Reels: what it is, how it works and how to create videos

 Instagram Reels: what it is, how it works and how to create videos-Overview

Instagram  has announced a new feature with which it intends to overshadow TikTok: 

 

Instagram Reels . With this new format, users will be able to  create short videos  from audio and video tracks and share them with the community.

The first tests of Reels began in Brazil in November 2019. At the beginning of summer 2020 it was launched in France and Germany and since August  5   it is already available in Spain and many other countries around the world.

We tell you  what Reels is, how it works and why it comes just at the right time  to take advantage of the success of TikTok.

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What is Instagram Reels?

Instagram Reels  is a  new format  that is available to users of the Instagram application (this means that it is not an independent app but a functionality such as Stories). With Instagram Reels you can:

• Create short videos of up to 15 seconds.
• Add creative filters and effects to it from a pre-designed collection.
• Add existing music or created by you.
• Raise or lower the speed of a video.
• Publish your video in the Stories section or in the feed, or send it to another user as a direct message.
• See the most popular videos in the Top Reels section  .

This format, consisting of  short videos  to which audio tracks and songs can be added, is obviously  inspired by TikTok  and designed for users to "playback" the content and contribute their own versions. The main difference is that videos on Reels are limited to 15 seconds, while TikTok extended the length of theirs to 60 in early 2020.

A key factor in the success of TikTok is collaboration with music and audio partners, who contribute much of the library of "tracks", which users then include in their own creations. At this time it is not very clear what content will be available to Instagram Reels users, but since Facebook has announced that it will launch music videos soon, it seems that they are working on it.

To know more: Instagram Marketing

When will it be available in Spain?

Instagram Reels  was already available in Brazil, France, Germany and India.

And the big, large-scale launch has been made in early August 2020 and includes the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Mexico, Spain and about 50 other countries.

Instagram Reels and TikTok: 

a rivalry announced

TikTok  is already  one of the most successful applications of all time . In just a few years, it has become a very important part of the internet culture and social interactions of  Generation Z or Centennial .

Its success is based on a unique combination of short videos with viral challenges, playbacks, dancing, humor and opinions on social issues. This app of Chinese origin has managed to accumulate more than  2 billion downloads  and has surpassed US applications such as Instagram itself. 

In fact, its popularity has skyrocketed in the wake of global lockdown from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Facebook and Toktok compitition

It is not the first time that Facebook has tried to compete with TikTok, but the first time was a failure. In November 2018, the company launched a short video app called  Lasso , but it never gained momentum and barely exceeded half a million downloads. On July 10, 2020, Lasso closed permanently, which allows Facebook to focus all its efforts on  promoting Reels .

It is not the first time that Facebook has copied a popular format into another application and launched it with great success on its own networks. The best example is   Instagram Stories , which have far surpassed the popularity of the original format on Snapchat.

This time it seems that the competition is going a step further, as according to the Wall Street Journal, Facebook is offering the creators of TikTok a very tempting amount of money to start creating videos for Instagram Reels. 

For its part, TikTok is trying to solve this situation and has announced that it  has created a fund  of 70 million dollars for this year and 300 million for the next three years in Europe, to empower the most creative and influential tiktokers to transform their passion in a career. 

The project is called TikTok Creator Fund for Europe and creators with the most potential will soon be able to register and apply for this help.

Is this the beginning of a historical struggle between social networks? 

We will see the evolution as time passes.

Why is Instagram Reels launching right now?

It is not clear how long Facebook has been preparing the global launch of  Instagram Reels , but the fact is that it is seizing a great opportunity.

The Trump administration has long investigated TikTok's ties to China, where the company that created it (ByteDance) is based. In early July 2020, Trump threatened to block TikTok in retaliation for the coronavirus, and some concerns have been raised about possible Chinese government access to TikTok data and content moderation on the platform.

Given the possible disappearance of TikTok, users and creators are looking for a platform where they can continue to share these types of videos, and Instagram Reels comes to cover that need.

 Considering that TikTok is estimated to have a base of  80 million users  in the United States, it may be a perfect opportunity to capture market share. Although,  Microsoft  has announced that it will buy the rights of the social network TikTok in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, in order to keep user data on servers in the United States and that there are no information security problems, thus avoiding blocking the app and it would continue to be very strong competition against Instagram Reels in the United States.

A   similar situation has already occurred in India , since at the beginning of the summer of 2020 its government blocked the download of multiple Chinese applications, including TikTok, considering that they constituted a threat to the country's security, although there is also a political background and borders. The launch of Instagram Reels in this country at the beginning of July came at the perfect time to take that place.

How does Instagram Reels work?

As we have already mentioned, one of the big differences between Instagram Reels and TikTok is that Reels is not an independent application, but a new  integrated format within the Instagram app . Of course, Facebook has made sure that this new content is highly visible, since the Reels are fixed in a section of our profile, between our timeline of publications and the Instagram Direct tab. They also have their own section within the application.

How can I distinguish the Reels posts within Instagram?

On Instagram you can see Instagram Reels posts on the homepage or in Explore. Reels videos are identified by a clapperboard icon in the lower left corner.

Instagram-Reels-what-is

How can I interact with the videos on Instagram Reels?

At first glance, it seems that watching Instagram Reels is a very similar experience to watching TikTok videos. You can "like" or comment and click to see which audio track has been used in each video.

Where can I see all the Reels of a specific user?

A new tab will be added to the Instagram profiles to show all the Reels of a user on the same site. The tab is next to the latest posts, IGTV videos, and videos where a user has been tagged.

How can I upload videos to Instagram Reels?

The new Instagram Reels format   is located  within Stories , that is, it can be accessed by touching the upper left corner of the home page. Apparently Instagram has updated the options menu at the bottom of the Stories screen to include Instagram Reels.

To  create your first Instagram Reels video , just follow these steps:

Go to the Stories section of the Instagram app.

Click on the Reels section, which appears at the bottom alongside other options like Super Zoom or Boomerang.

All these options will appear:

Audio : 

It will allow you to search for a song or piece of music in the Instagram library. Although you can also record a reel with your own original audio. Any original audio of yours will be attributed to you and, if your account is public, other users will be able to use that piece of music in their creations.

Augmented Reality (AR) effects : 

If you want you can record several clips with different effects, you just have to select one of the effects from the gallery that Instagram offers you (they can be developed by the website itself or by creators from all over the world).

Alignment :

You can align the objects of your previous clips before continuing to record the next ones. Thus, you can create much smoother transitions of different moments, such as during the moments when you change clothes or if you decide to add new friends to the reel.

Speed :

 You can slow down or speed up the videos in parts or the audio itself. So you can keep up and create slow motion videos.

Add audio, either from content saved on your device or from a popular song. You can search for these songs with hashtags, just like on TikTok.

Record the video.

Edit the video with the different options available: speed up, slow down, add filters, place texts, etc.

When your Instagram Reels video is ready, you can share it in Stories (for everyone or just the Best Friends list) or send it as a direct message.

How can I share the Reels?

Don't worry, sharing the reels you've created with your followers and being discovered by the Instagram community is very easy through the "Explore" section.

With a public account : 

you can share your reels in a special space in the "Explore" section so that they can be discovered. Or you can include them in your feed and have your followers see it. If you have included a hashtag, songs or effects, your reel also has the possibility of appearing on certain pages, when someone clicks on that song, hashtag or effect.

With a private account : 

Instagram is very aware of the confidentiality of its users and the settings marked, therefore, if the account is private, your reels can only be seen by your followers. You can publish it in your feed and have it be seen by your community. The original audio of your reels cannot be used and your reels, if shared, will only be seen by your followers as well.

The reel will always be available in your Instagram Reels section or if you have shared it in your feed or by direct messages. If you share it in Stories, it will last 24 hours and then it will disappear.