Instagram Reels: How Marketers Can Use the Tiktok Clone
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The competition with Tiktok has been in full swing since Instagram launched the Reels feature. But what else can Reels offer marketers than Tiktok – and which platform will prevail?
Instagram is constantly developing and implementing new features again and again – the inspiration for this often comes directly from the competition. The new Reels function has been available since June 2020. This is an editing program integrated directly into Instagram, with which short clips can be created and shared. Users can record clips of up to 30 seconds and add sounds, music and effects. These can be songs as well as funny memes or the voices of other users. The produced clips are then either posted in the feed, in the story or sent to friends via direct message. All reels can be saved in the story highlights or in the new category on your own profile.
Instagram has introduced the so-called Top Reels Page, which is strongly reminiscent of Tiktok, especially for Reels. The Chinese counterpart, the For You Page, is firmly established there and has seen a significant upturn, especially in the past few months. On the Top Reels Page, just like on Tiktok, you can scroll through the short clips in an endless loop.
First and foremost, influencers benefit from creative advancements on a social media platform. For them, Reels means that they don’t have to build a whole new community on a new channel. As part of the growth of Tiktok, it finally became apparent that many followers did not make the leap to Tiktok together with their influencers – or did not want to make it.
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But it also makes sense for marketers to try out new features in the social media landscape. Instagram has long established itself as an advertising and marketing platform for companies. With Reels, you can now advertise your content more dynamically and also play out content that previously had no place in the feed or the Instagram story. Up to now, videos that have been produced in a very complex way can often be found there. This is exactly where Reels offers variety and creates a platform on which companies can show themselves from a modern and creative side. The trend here is from high-quality, often posted content to much looser clips. The format is more unconventional and encourages participation. This enables marketers to address new target groups as well as (potential) customers and employees.
Especially with regard to monetization, Reels offers new potential for marketers to present their products or services. The Top Reels Page gives companies the chance to achieve a high organic reach. This can both increase awareness, i.e. attention for the brand, and boost sales. Well-established companies can expand their reach on Instagram even further if a clip goes viral on the Top Reels Page. Smaller companies or those that have not yet been able to build a large community on Instagram have the chance to present themselves to a broader audience and thus become more successful thanks to the clips on the Top Reels Page.
