Facebook's trying to get in on the TikTok action with Reels, a new short video format on Instagram.
If you're thinking most of the features sound pretty familiar, well, that's not by accident. Reels is basically Instagram's answer to TikTok's massive popularity – which has exploded over the last year. TikTok's been killing it, even snagging "the most downloads for any app ever in a quarter" back in Q1 2020.
Reels actually launched in the US and India right when TikTok was facing some serious heat in those regions. The Indian government banned TikTok, and the Trump administration was looking into a ban in the US because of its ties to China. This created a perfect opening for Instagram Reels to jump in and grab some attention in the short-form video space.
TikTok has over 2 billion global downloads, and it's estimated that up to 80 million people in the US use it.
And get this, TikTok's main audience is shifting. It used to be all Gen-Z, but now millennials are making up a bigger chunk of users than ever before. This is huge for advertisers because millennials often have more disposable income and are a prime target demographic for many brands, making TikTok way more appealing to businesses.
According to data from Comscore, the percentage of US TikTok users aged 25-34 went up from 22.4% in January to 27.4% in April. Meanwhile, the 18-24 crowd dipped from 41.1% to 35.3%.
So, it's no shocker that Instagram is trying to copy TikTok's most popular features, especially in places where TikTok hasn't totally dominated yet, like Brazil, or in countries where it's banned or might be.
This isn't even the first time Facebook, Instagram's parent company, has tried to launch a TikTok competitor. They previously put out a standalone short-form app called Lasso, but it just didn't really take off.
Reels, though, might have a much better shot at success. It's right there inside the Instagram app, which means tons of exposure and familiarity for users.
IGTV has found its niche with series-based content, where people can follow their favorite brands episode by episode. But Reels is stepping in to fill a different kind of gap – it's for high-quality content that's still casual, but it sticks around way longer than 24 hours. This is a big deal compared to Instagram Stories, which disappear after a day. Having content that lasts longer gives brands more bang for their buck and a better chance to connect with their audience.
It's a more dynamic and creative way to show off your personality and brand.
There are already over 1 billion active users on Instagram. And if we learned anything from the launch of Instagram Stories, it's that Instagram is really good at taking a successful format and making it their own. Think about how they've successfully introduced new features or adapted popular ones from other platforms in the past, like the Stories format itself.
