As a marketer, influencer, blogger, or, say, journalist, you already know that social media is used for more than just lighthearted purposes. Marketing and advertising for products have long since shifted to those mediums.
There is a further content placement suggestion in addition to the many that have already been made. On August 5th, a sibling to TikTok was born. Facebook, the parent company of Instagram, has introduced a rival to its immensely popular short-form video app. The new Instagram Reels feature provides a different way to upload and share videos of up to 15 seconds in length (though 30 seconds is in testing at the moment) directly from the Instagram app itself.
After the success of TikTok, the introduction of Reels was inevitable. Since Facebook is the most popular app in the app stores, this could be seen as a response from the company. There are now more than 800 million users across the globe. Additionally, there has been a shift in the region’s demographics. TikTok’s audience has shifted from being predominantly members of Generation Z to also including an increasing number of audience. There was no doubt that Instagram made accurate predictions into the future.
Playtime of the video
When it comes to brands, influencers, and marketers, there is a distinction between these two apps. With Instagram Reels, users can make a 15-second (or 30-second, for a select group of Beta testers) video clip. clips on TikTok are limited to 60 seconds in length.
Although the change seems minor at first, it quickly became an annoyance for users. In cases where you feel like sharing more, you may find that Reel’s time constraints are too restrictive. However, we plan to incorporate all feedback and reevaluate video length very soon as Instagram Reels is still in its infancy.
Tools for editing
The video editing tools on Reels and TikTok are nearly identical, with the latter slightly edging it out. TikTok’s most popular filters typically provide access to the app’s extensive library of motion graphics and special effects. Even more, you can alter your basic voiceover with a wide variety of entertaining voice instruments and effects.
The importance of such a library is diminished on Reels, as are the available video effects. Clients are limited to selecting a filter from Instagram’s curated collection of “Effects” before their video is created; they are unable to edit the script or their straightforward voiceover. Reels is just getting started, so the company can implement any features that customers want.
Analytics
The Instagram Reels analytics features are another area for development. Since all users can do is look at the number of likes, comments, and views, they won’t gain much insight. If you upgrade to a Pro Account, however, you’ll gain access to all of TikTok’s data analytics. Audience and content analytics reveal your target demographic and help you quickly identify their needs and interests.
You can also see the source and volume of traffic for a video’s initial upload on TikTok. Find out what kinds of Sounds your listeners enjoyed. You now have the option of selecting the accompanying music for the next time this occurs.
The potential of music
The inclusion of music is a major differentiating factor. With TikTok, you can listen to any and all of the app’s millions of audio clips. Those looking to promote their musical creations to a wider audience can do so effectively on this site. If a song is used as the soundtrack in videos shared by a large number of people, it has the potential to go viral and become a huge success. As soon as word gets out, everyone starts looking for it and adding it to every playlist they can think of. Unfortunately, Instagram has yet to add music features to Reels, so if you want to add music to a video, you’ll have to do so in another app before uploading it.
Topic and target market
TikTok’s infrastructure details were hidden from the public eye for a long time. Instagram Reels tries to show only the right and the most popular content, but the platform itself is highly tailored to your interests.
Targeting has made it easy to send the mechanic’s tool set, for instance, to a person who enjoys making handmade goods or repairing automobiles. Both of you can share a passion for working on home improvement projects. And don’t forget the occasional users; ads need to be tailored to the specific demographic.
Promotional Costs
Though TikTok has paid advertising options, these are not widely used by local businesses. They started suggesting things like branded hashtag challenges, branded effects, and branded takeovers of users’ feeds.
Right now, businesses can’t use Instagram Reels to promote themselves through paid ads. However, partnerships with bloggers and other creators for branded content creation are still viable options. To sum up, with the help of Reels, you can grow your Instagram following organically, which in turn will increase your brand’s visibility and your account’s exposure.
An additional instance of product placement
Instagram’s current abundance of content placements is a major plus because it opens up opportunities for a variety of content types. Posts, Stories, Live, IGTV, and the brand-new Reels are all excellent ways to increase your following and gain exposure.
Instagram Reels, like IGTV before it, now has its own dedicated Explore section within the main app. TikTok also has a “For You” page, which features videos the app thinks its users will enjoy.
Conclusion
Companies intent on expanding should take advantage of the most successful channels. And you can do this most effectively by starting new trends and riding them to success. Put your marketing efforts where they will have the greatest impact, and use the channels that are best suited to reaching your target demographic. Instagram Reels is great for businesses who want to connect with millennial consumers, expand their fan base, and strengthen their Instagram strategy.