Facebook Reels is a short-form video feature that was introduced by Facebook in 2020 as a competitor to TikTok. Reels allows users to create and share 15-60 second multi-clip videos on Facebook and Instagram. When Reels was first launched, it did not have templates for users to utilize in their video creation process. However, in early 2022, Facebook introduced templates within Reels to make it easier for creators to make professional-looking videos.
What are Reels templates?
Reels templates provide creators with pre-set layouts, audio tracks, and visual effects that they can use as a starting point for their videos. The templates cover a variety of categories including cooking, fashion, travel, dance trends, small business promotion, and more.
When using a template, creators can customize the visuals, text, and audio while maintaining the core structure provided in the template. This saves creators time as they don’t have to start from a completely blank canvas when making their videos. Templates provide guidance and inspiration, while still allowing for creativity and personalization.
What types of templates are available?
As of October 2022, there are over 30 different templates available within Facebook Reels. The template categories include:
- Cooking & Recipes
- Fashion & Beauty
- Travel & Places
- DIY Projects
- Small Business Promotion
- Fitness & Wellness
- Entertainment News
- Quizzes & Polls
- Countdowns
- Memes & Jokes
The templates provide a wide range of layouts and effects to match different use cases. For example, the DIY template has a split screen effect to showcase steps, while the small business templates include space to highlight products/services and contact info. The entertainment news templates include colorful graphics and animations suited for eye-catching celebrity gossip videos.
How do you use Reels templates?
Using a template on Facebook Reels is easy:
- Open the Facebook or Instagram app and tap on the Reels icon
- Tap on the title that says “Templates” at the top
- Browse the template options and select one you would like to use
- The template will open up in the Reels camera editor
- Customize the template by adding your own video clips, images, text, and audio
- Make any other edits you would like, such as changing the duration or adding effects
- Tap the “Share” button when finished
Reels will automatically apply the template design, animations, and audio track to your custom content. You can make as many edits as needed until you’re happy with the final Reel before sharing. Using a template saves time and provides an easy way to give videos a professional, consistent look.
What are the benefits of using Reels templates?
Here are some of the key benefits that templates provide within Facebook Reels:
- Pre-set structures and designs – Gives videos cohesive styling and branding
- Eye-catching visual effects – Draws viewer attention and engagement
- Professionally created animations – Elevates production value
- Themed audio tracks – Enhances the viewing experience and content pairing
- Saves time – Reduces effort required for editing and creation
- Inspires ideas – Provides helpful prompts and guidance
- Beginner-friendly – Allows anyone to make quality videos
- Promotes consistency – Keeps content and style cohesive across videos
For individuals and brands looking to grow their presence on Facebook Reels, templates provide an easy way to keep content looking polished and captivating. The pre-made designs reduce the learning curve for new creators while still allowing for customization.
What are some template examples?
Here are a few examples of popular Facebook Reels templates:
Recipe Template
The recipe template includes a split screen view to share cooking steps on one side and ingredients on the other. Animated text and icons add flair. An upbeat music track plays in the background. Users can swap in their own footage and text.
Quiz Template
The quiz template prompts viewers to answer pop culture trivia questions with different animations for right and wrong answers. The template comes with sample questions and fun graphics to display scores.
DIY Beauty Template
This template has a clean, modern style for DIY beauty tutorials. It includes animated arrows, icons, and text to call out steps. The split screen helps showcase the before and after reveal.
Countdown Template
The countdown template includes an animated counter with pops of color to build anticipation. Users can promote upcoming launches,events, or milestones with this high-energy template.
Are Reels templates free to use?
Yes, Facebook’s Reels templates are completely free to use. There is no charge or required subscription to access the wide selection of templates within the Reels creation tool. Templates are available to all personal accounts and business accounts using Reels.
How often does Facebook add new Reels templates?
Facebook has consistently added new Reels templates every few months since first launching the feature. They’ve focused on keeping the library of templates fresh and on-trend.
Here is a timeline of when Facebook has added new Reels templates:
| Date | # of New Templates |
|---|---|
| January 2022 | 15 |
| March 2022 | 10 |
| June 2022 | 12 |
| September 2022 | 8 |
Based on this pattern, Facebook seems to add around 10 new templates every 2-3 months. They retire older templates to keep the library fresh and relevant. This ensures creators always have new styles and trends to choose from when making Reels videos.
Can you save Reels you make with templates?
Yes, any Reel made using a template can be saved within the app after sharing. On the Facebook app, tap the three dots icon in the upper right corner of a Reel post. Select “Save” and the Reel will be stored in the Saved section of your profile.
On Instagram, tap the three dots at the bottom right of the Reel, then tap “Save”. View saved Reels by going to your profile and selecting the Saved tab. Saving Reels keeps them easily accessible to re-share or watch again later.
Do created Reels still have the template branding?
No, once a Reel made with a template is shared, it will not retain any of the template branding, watermarks, or logos. The template simply acts as a production aid during the editing process. The end result is a polished Reel video that represents the individual user or brand sharing it.
Can any creator access Reels templates?
Facebook Reels templates are available globally to all personal and business accounts. There are no exclusivity restrictions based on account size or location. Even creators just starting out on Reels will have access to the same template options as larger, established accounts.
However, there can be some geographic limitations for certain music tracks or sound effects used in templates due to licensing restrictions. But the core template animations and structures remain available worldwide.
Do templates work across Facebook and Instagram?
Yes, the Facebook Reels templates are seamlessly integrated to work across both the Facebook app and Instagram app. A creator can access and use the same set of Reels templates regardless of whether they are sharing to Facebook Reels or Instagram Reels.
The templates are natively built into the creation flow within both apps. And any Reel made with a template can also be cross-posted between Facebook and Instagram after sharing.
Can businesses use Reels templates for advertising?
At the moment, businesses cannot directly use Reels templates when creating paid ads through Reels. However, businesses can use templates to make organic Reels content, then boost or promote those organic Reels as ads.
So the workflow would be:
- Use a Reels template to create engaging organic content
- Publish the Reels video on Facebook or Instagram as a regular post
- In Ads Manager, select the option to “Boost Post”
- Choose the budget and targeting for running the Reels content as an ad
This allows brands to tap into templates for efficient content creation, while still leveraging the content for paid promotion. We may see Facebook integrate templates directly into Reels ads in the future based on advertiser demand.
Can you view Reels without an account?
No, you do need to have an account on Facebook or Instagram to be able to access and view Reels content. This includes Reels made using templates.
Without logging into an account, you cannot open the Reels tab or explore any Reels videos. Having an account is necessary to take advantage of all Reels features, analytics, and creation tools such as templates.
Can you share someone else’s Reel made with a template?
Yes, you can reshare another account’s public Reel that was created using a template. Simply visit the account’s profile, open the Reel, and tap the “Share” icon. On Instagram, this looks like a paper airplane symbol. On Facebook, it appears as three connected dots.
From there, you can share the Reel either on your own feed or as a message to friends. This allows you to re-share Reel templates you find creative or helpful from other users. The same attribution is maintained when re-sharing another account’s Reel.
Can templates be used in Reels on WhatsApp?
As of now, Reels templates are not available on WhatsApp. The template feature is only built into Facebook’s native apps – Facebook and Instagram.
WhatsApp does support sharing Reels videos within chats and groups. But Reels on WhatsApp currently do not have a templates option within the creation flow.
Given that WhatsApp is owned by Meta, we may see templates added to Reels on WhatsApp eventually. This would allow users to leverage templates both for social media and private messaging. But an official template integration is not live on WhatsApp yet.
Conclusion
Facebook Reels provides templates spanning multiple styles, topics, and use cases to help creators easily make professional short-form videos. The templates lower the barrier for producing quality video content on Reels while still allowing for customization.
For individuals and brands active on Reels, templates provide a valuable asset to develop engaging content optimized for discovery and engagement on both Facebook and Instagram. New options are continually added over time to provide fresh inspiration.
While templates are currently limited to organic content creation, they enable anyone to craft polished videos that can be promoted through ads. Overall, the launch of templates significantly improved the Reels experience for all levels of creators.