Facebook introduced Reels in 2020 as a way for users to create and share short, entertaining videos similar to TikTok. While Reels have become very popular, some users prefer seeing regular videos in their feeds rather than Reels.
Why am I seeing Reels instead of videos on Facebook?
There are a few reasons why you may be seeing more Reels on Facebook:
- Facebook is heavily promoting Reels and showing them more prominently in feeds
- More users are creating and sharing Reels, so they are more prevalent
- The Facebook algorithm detects you have engaged with Reels, so shows you more
- Pages and profiles you follow are posting more Reels
Essentially, Facebook wants Reels to compete with TikTok, so they are putting a lot of focus on growing Reels right now. As a result, you are likely being shown a lot of Reels in your feed automatically.
How do I see more regular videos on Facebook?
If you want to see less Reels and more regular videos in your Facebook feed, there are a few things you can try:
- Adjust your News Feed preferences: Go to the Menu > Settings & Privacy > News Feed Preferences on mobile. On desktop, go to Settings & Privacy > Feed Preferences. Here you can snooze posts from pages, friends, or groups for 30 days to see less of them.
- Hide Reels from certain pages: In your feed, click the three dots above a Reel post and choose “Hide all from…” to hide all Reels from that page.
- Unfollow pages posting mainly Reels: If pages you follow are transitioning to mostly Reels, you can unfollow them.
- Like/comment on regular videos: Engage with more of the regular videos you want to see. This tells Facebook to show you more of them.
- Search for videos: Use the search bar to look for videos from pages or on topics you like.
- Join Groups posting videos: Interact in Groups focused on your interests that post a lot of regular videos.
Should I create more videos instead of Reels?
If you are a content creator hoping to reach your audience on Facebook, it is a smart strategy right now to create more video content rather than Reels, for a few reasons:
- Your followers may prefer seeing your regular video content.
- Not all audiences are adopting Reels at the same pace.
- You have more creative flexibility with video content length/format.
- Your videos may gain better reach as users engage with videos over Reels.
That said, you may still want to experiment with creating some Reels as well to stay active on that format as it continues gaining popularity. Just maintain a balance between Reels and your usual videos.
Will Facebook eventually transition completely to Reels?
Facebook has not indicated they will be getting rid of videos entirely and only allowing Reels. However, they are heavily promoting Reels, so it will likely continue dominating feeds more over time. A few predictions for how Facebook usage could evolve include:
- Short-form video content becoming more popular as users adopt Reels.
- Longer videos not getting as much reach, only catering to niche audiences.
- Separate Reels and Videos sections in feeds to distinguish content.
- Facebook adding more Reels-focused discovery features similar to TikTok.
Facebook will aim to meet user demand for both Reels and regular videos unless they see a very strong preference for one format. So standard videos are unlikely to disappear from the platform altogether. But we should expect Reels to continue gaining prominence within Facebook.
Tips for managing Reels vs videos on Facebook
Here are some top tips for managing the Reels and videos you see on Facebook as a user:
- Customize your News Feed using preferences and by hiding/unfollowing accounts.
- Engage with the types of content you want to see more of.
- Search for relevant videos and Groups to control what you come across.
- Give feedback to Pages posting too many Reels you don’t like.
- Be open-minded about engaging with some Reels from Pages you really like.
And for creators looking to manage videos and Reels:
- Analyze your metrics to see what your audience responds to best.
- Find a balance between Reels and standard videos.
- Ask your audience whether they want to see more Reels or regular videos.
- Optimize both video types for discovery by using best practices.
- Leverage Reels for short-form content, video for longer content.
When will Facebook stop pushing Reels so much?
It is unlikely that Facebook will stop heavily promoting Reels in feeds anytime soon. Reels are a major strategic priority for Facebook to compete with TikTok. Some reasons Facebook will keep pushing Reels include:
- They want Reels to be widely adopted by both users and creators.
- It is a rapidly growing content format they want to dominate.
- Their algorithm is designed to detect signals that someone engages with Reels.
- Creators are usage engagement with Reels to determine posting strategy.
Facebook will want to keep this momentum going and establish Reels as a core part of the Facebook experience. They may refine how Reels are promoted based on data and feedback. But Facebook will likely keep incentivizing and showcasing Reels heavily until they feel usage has reached a stable point.
When Reels dominance may stabilize
It’s impossible to predict exactly when Reels will stop being pushed quite as aggressively. However, we may see Facebook pull back a bit once:
- A majority of users are regularly engaging with Reels.
- Creator adoption of Reels feels ubiquitous.
- Reels engagement rivals competitors like TikTok.
- They can demonstrate Reels statistically improves retention/engagement.
So in summary, expect Facebook to continue prioritizing Reels in your feed for the foreseeable future. But over time, their promotion tactics may normalize – it just depends on how quickly users and creators embrace Reels at scale across Facebook.
Conclusion
Facebook is focused on making Reels the next big thing, so you are likely seeing a lot of them in your News Feed. If you prefer regular videos, you can adjust your feed preferences, engage with more videos, and search for specific video content. For creators, consider your audience and metrics when deciding how much to adopt Reels versus standard videos. Facebook will likely continue pushing Reels aggressively until usage reaches a critical mass. But you can still optimize your personal feed and strategy to consume and create more videos over Reels if that is your preference.