Originally published October 28, 2022

Instagram received quite a bit of backlash due to the many changes happening within the app. When the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, stated that the social media app was becoming more video-centric, users were displeased – and understandably so.

The app initially began solely as a photo-sharing app in the style of square polaroids. But since then, it has evolved into much more, integrating stories, marketplace, and now Instagram Reels. The latter is a feature where users can post entertaining vertical short-form videos ranging from 15 seconds up to a minute. Reels is one of Instagram’s latest additions in an effort to compete with the fast-growing TikTok.

The feature was significant because it established the direction that Instagram is headed. The app is going to focus more on video content and less on photos, although the latter will continue to be part of the platform.

While many people may not like the new shift, we must be honest with ourselves and admit that the entire online content landscape is heading toward video. In fact, 91.4% of the entire online audience watched videos in 2021. So regardless of what platform you use, you’ll be seeing more visual content moving forward.

So instead of avoiding it, why not lean into Instagram Reels? Right now, there’s an excellent opportunity for content creators and businesses alike to take advantage of the freshness of the feature, and we’ll dive into it.

Reasons To Use Instagram Reels for Businesses and Creators

Surprisingly, since its launch in 2020, Instagram Reels grew rapidly in popularity, peaking around the first week of 2022. In fact, it’s the leader for short-form video apps in terms of average engagement, achieving a global average of 53 minutes per session.

So why have Reels become so popular despite initial backlash from Instagram loyals? We have several reasons why that may be and why you should use it for your content marketing strategy as well.

Accessibility in certain countries

We often need to remember that the U.S. is not the only country using social media. One advantage that Instagram Reels has over TikTok is its availability in India. The country has banned TikTok over data security concerns.

With over 700 million people who use social media in India, it opens the door for Instagram to fill a huge void. So Reels give Indian users the ability to create their own short-form video content similar to the ones on TikTok.

The numbers have since been able to back it up. India is Instagram Reel’s biggest market, with a user reach of 230.25 million users. Following the launch of the feature, Instagram app downloads increased by 11.4% within one month. Reels have proven to be a huge success for Instagram, especially in India.

Unique editing tools

We’ve experimented with Instagram Reels for our own accounts and clients. They have a couple of nifty editing tools that make video creation much easier.

One of them is the “Use Template” feature. Say you see a video and like how it was put together. You can copy it—clip length and music—and add the media you want to use. Simple as that. The other feature that’s relatively new is Grooves. You select a video, and Instagram will craft a fun, lively video based on the rhythm of an audio track.

Plus, they recently allowed users to be able to schedule their Reels directly in the app. However, it’s only available for users with a Business or Creator account. Fortunately, it’s a free and easy process that can be done in seconds.

Increased reach

Since Instagram Reels is relatively fresh, Instagram is continuing to promote the feature. So video created on Reels may reach a much wider audience than a photo post. In our early posts, our infographics and image-based content would reach anywhere from 100 to 200 users. Then, we posted a couple of reels, and each of them quickly reached anywhere from 600 to 1,000 users, with even greater engagement.

Like any piece of content, they may be a hit or miss. But on average, they indeed perform much better than photo posts.

Bigger creator fund

It’s truly a creator’s economy, and Instagram knows that the thing that can make or break the app is the creators. In an effort to lure and attract the best content creators, Meta launched its own creator fund in 2021 with a massive investment of $1 billion in programs, including Instagram Reels. TikTok’s creator fund started in 2020 with an initial fund of $200 million and the hopes of going to $1 billion within three years.

Clearly, Instagram was being very aggressive in pushing the feature to users and creators. In the months after the launch of their creator fund, users reported being offered generous sums of cash, earning $600 and even $8,500 bonuses. One user was even offered up to $35,000 if their Reels could reach 58.31 million views in a month. For creators, there’s many incentives to produce Reels on Instagram.

Conclusion

While we can continue to complain about how Instagram is losing its identity and moving away from its roots, we must accept that this is the new IG and roll with the punches. Video is the future, if not the present, of content. To be honest, Instagram Reels is not all that bad. If anything, it gives users new ways to share content. Plus, photos are still at the forefront of the app, and it’s not going away.

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