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Create Instagram Reels
How to use the new video format
How you can create Instagram Reels and thus integrate the new Instagram video format on your Instagram channel, you will learn in this tutorial. How do Instagram reels work, how do you upload them, and can you post them in your feed? All this in the Instagram tutorial.
The dominance of TikTok
The app “Lasso” never made it to the German app stores and represented a first attempt by Meta to share in TikTok’s success. This “clone app” was quickly discontinued due to its lack of success, and anyone who takes a closer look at its features will understand why: they don’t even seem to have bothered to differentiate themselves from TikTok’s app, every single feature is a strict copy of its role model. After the release of Lasso, the first critical voices were immediately raised, complaining about the lack of ideas of the company, which was still known as Facebook at the time. So it’s no wonder that the app was officially discontinued after a short time and the focus was put on Instagram reels. Before the new feature was officially christened Reels, it was first known as “Clips” before being called “Scenes” and shortly after, its current name. While TikTok and its “clone” Lasso are or were standalone apps, Reels is another feature that is integrated into the Instagram app.
Reels and User Demand
According to official statements, the introduction of Reels was based on the needs of users, a statement that can be left as it is, given the ever-increasing use of TikTok. In order to attract reluctant users to the Reels function, the proven Explore function has been replaced by the Reels feed. Thus, users hardly get past the innovation and inevitably come into contact with the new function and more and more get excited about creating reels. This is a very big change for Instagram, the app is highly trusted and all innovations are always accompanied by an outcry from the userbase. The old Explore function moved to the top navigation and remains at least there. In order for Instagram to remain competitive, it needs as many creators as possible to provide content, which is why Meta leaves no stone unturned to inspire the masses of reels.
Create Instagram Reels - Here's how
Instagram Reels give you the ability to edit 30-second entertaining videos with music, effects, and other creative tools to share with other users. With a public profile, the reels end up in the Explore section, where they can be seen by all Instagram users. Reels can be recorded as a series of consecutive clips or as a video in one piece. Alternatively, videos and photos can be uploaded from the gallery.
How to create a reel
You can find the Reels feature under the Instagram camera. Next to Post and Story it is located the Reels tool. When you click Reels, you’ll see a number of creative options on the left side that allow you to create and edit your reels. Under Audio you will find many songs in a music library. Songs will be suggested to you automatically, but you can also search for very specific songs or look at the music categories such as Hip Hop or Pop. It is also possible to use your own sound in the video, which in turn can be taken by other users if you have a public profile.
Reels as Instagram’s new drawing card
As you can see, Meta is trying everything to get users to discover reels content for themselves. The Explore feature, which has migrated to the top of the screen, is increasingly taking the shape of TikTok’s “For You” feed, and the company is trying everything it can to break the competitor’s growing dominance. To get ahead as a creator, you just have to look at the likes and comments of popular reels and follow the most popular videos in terms of content. To really get started on Instagram, it’s worth getting inspired by popular trends, especially in the beginning. Another feature that distinguishes Reels from conventional videos is that views are measured only once: Even if the loop runs through 100ml for one user, it only gives you one view. Views are not publicly viewable. If you want to access them, you need to go to your profile and go to the Reels tab. The relevant numbers are clearly displayed there.
How to edit your Instagram reels
Next, you can choose whether you want your reel to be 15 or 30 seconds long. Tap the circle and the number changes to 15 or 30 seconds. Under Tempo you can increase or slow down the speed of video recording. You can also accelerate or slow down only parts of it. For example, you’ll create dramatic effects to match the music. The stars are the symbol for AR effects. As in the normal Instagram stories, you can also use the effects for reels. Swipe right or left to get to an effect and tap on the text below the effect button. Now a window opens where you click on Browse Effects to get to the effects gallery. Here you can search specifically for effects or scroll through the suggested categories. If you like an effect, you can try it first and then save it. Refine the function, provides a more beautiful skin.
Create Instagram Reels - More Features
The last thing you will see is the timer. Here you can select the exact length of the clip and set a countdown when the reel should start. With one tap you can choose between 3 and 10 seconds. If you want to record many small clips one after the other, you can use the function to divide the time in advance so that one clip does not become too long. Once you’ve recorded a clip, you can use the back arrow to rewatch, trim, or discard your video. Right on Preview you can edit your reel in the last step by adding text, gifs, paintings or a voiceover. In case of a text it is possible to determine when it should appear, for how long or if it should only appear for a short time. A voiceover can be inserted a very specific place as long as you press the record button and with the audio control you can adjust the volume of the original sound and additionally insert a song from the music library afterwards.
How to make the most of your options
Meta seems to be particularly proud of its Stories feature and has equipped it with a wide range of functions. Although the reels do not yet reach them, they already have more possibilities than regular videos. As mentioned earlier, you can easily access the entire music library of Instagram and also add your own sounds. However, this function is limited to private use only, so the library is not available to companies for commercial purposes, which can be explained in terms of licensing: As with commercials on YouTube or on TV, you have to license songs before you can use them for commercial purposes. Influencers are in a kind of gray area in this respect, because they very often promote products of well-known companies. It is not yet clear whether anything will change here, and there are many different perspectives on how the situation will develop.
The expansion of the Reels function
As you already know, the AR effects that can be added are another feature where Meta has been “inspired” by the competition and the feature set is congruent with the Stories version. This makes the Reels feature attractive to regular Creators as well, because it can generate huge ranges very quickly. Influencer marketing in particular has the potential to flourish here, as there is an ideal opportunity to launch lucrative collaborations and new campaigns at Reels. After using the timer/countdown function, you can arrange the short videos to your liking and turn your reels into little works of art. The variety of possibilities is topped off by outfit changes and the definition of the clip speed.
After you have created the Instagram reels, post them to your feed
When you are satisfied, click“Next” and you will now have the option to add a caption, hashtag and select the cover image. To get more reach, you should also post the reels in the feed. Since a reel is elongated and the feed is square, you have the option in Crop Profile to fit the image into your feed.Lastly, you can tag people on your reel and even mark your reel as paid advertising in the advanced settings by tagging a business partner. Now save the reel as a draft or share it directly. Reels offer a lot of creative scope and are rewarded by Instagram with a high reach if done well. Just try your hand at it or try a few trends for starters. It’s worth the effort.
The view of the competition
With the Chinese app TikTok surpassing Google’s traffic for the first time in 2021, the dominance of established tech companies is no longer a hundred percent certainty. Whenever Meta spots competition and can’t buy it, they imitate the most successful features and incorporate them into the company. Right at the beginning, a reel length of 15 seconds was possible, which quickly increased to 30 seconds: The fact that TikTok added the option to post for 60 seconds simply put the company in a bind and it had to react accordingly. By the way, you can freely decide whether you want to include your reels in the regular feed or not. Whether Meta will really manage to outstrip TikTok remains to be seen. At the moment, it doesn’t look like the Chinese manufacturer ByteDance will back down and let itself be outdone. Meta seems to be trying to make all competing companies suffer the same fate as Snapchat (The platform from which the Stories format is derived). With TikTok, however, Mark Zuckerberg’s company has gained a competitor that is ahead of the field, especially among the youngest users, and is gaining more and more weight.
Contact eBakery with questions about social media
Now you know how to use the new Instagram video feature. However, if you are still missing the right Instagram strategy, we will be happy to support you. Get in touch with our social media experts to do so.
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