Facebook reels are short form video clips that users can create and share on Facebook and Instagram. Reels allow users to record multi-clip videos combined with audio, effects, and creative tools. It is Facebook’s version of the popular TikTok video format. Reels were first launched on Instagram in August 2020 and on Facebook in 2021.
Why did Facebook launch reels?
There are a few key reasons why Facebook launched reels:
- Compete with TikTok – TikTok saw massive growth and popularity with short form vertical videos. Facebook wanted to capitalize on this format and compete directly with TikTok.
- Engagement – Video content tends to perform very well and garner higher engagement on social media. Reels give Facebook and Instagram an engaging new format.
- Younger demographics – platforms like TikTok are especially popular with Gen Z. Reels help Facebook appeal to younger audiences.
- Advertising – Video ads integrated with reels provide new advertising opportunities for brands on Facebook.
How do Facebook reels work?
The reels functionality works like this:
- Users can record and edit 15-60 second multi-clip videos on their phones within the Instagram or Facebook apps.
- Various creative editing tools are available including audio, AR effects, timers, countdowns, stickers, voiceovers, and more.
- Videos are set to music or other background sounds.
- Users post reels to their Instagram feed or Stories, or to their Facebook feed, Stories, or within Facebook Groups and Pages.
- Followers can react to reels with likes, comments, shares, and discover new reels from other accounts they don’t follow.
What content works best on Facebook reels?
Here are some types of content that tend to perform well on Facebook and Instagram reels:
- Dance trends and challenges
- Lip syncing and comedy sketches
- How-to’s and life hack videos
- Quizzes, polls, questions and surveys
- Behind the scenes footage
- Product demos
- Memes and viral trends
- Quote graphics and motivational content
Generally, lighthearted, entertaining, visually engaging content works best. Trending audios, hashtags and effects help videos get more visibility in reels as well.
How are reels different from regular Facebook video?
There are a few key differences between standard Facebook video posts and reels:
- Length – Reels are limited to 15-60 seconds while regular Facebook videos can be up to 240 minutes long.
- Orientation – Reels are captured and viewed vertically in portrait mode. Regular Facebook videos are landscape.
- Editing – Reels have multi-clip editing, effects, audio, voiceovers and more built-in. Facebook video has fewer editing tools.
- Music – Reels are designed to be paired with music, sounds, or voiceovers. Regular videos do not need audio.
- Creation – Reels are meant to be quick, in-the-moment video creations. Regular Facebook videos can involve more planning.
So in summary, reels emphasize vertical, short, fun, musical videos while regular Facebook video has more flexibility but less built-in creation tools.
What are the benefits of Facebook reels for users?
There are a few advantages of Facebook reels for users:
- Express creativity – reels allow users to showcase talents, skills, style, personalities.
- Easy editing – convenient editing tools make it simple to put together polished videos.
- Engagement – reels garner likes, comments and shares which helps build an audience.
- Discovery – reels help users find new accounts and trends to follow based on interests.
- Viral opportunities – creating content tied to trending audios/effects can help videos go viral.
Overall, reels provide fun new ways for people to creator engaging content, get discovered by new audiences and potentially build a following on Facebook or Instagram.
What are the benefits of Facebook reels for businesses?
Facebook reels provide these advantages for businesses and creators:
- Reach new audiences – reels help content get discovered by people who don’t follow you.
- Engagement – reels garner strong likes, comments and shares.
- Brand awareness – they help showcase products, services and company culture.
- Virality – tying into trends and audios can help branded reels gain traction.
- Ad opportunities – Facebook provides monetization for eligible creators.
Reels can help businesses boost brand awareness, engagement, and connections with potential new customers in an entertaining format.
Are there ways to monetize or make money from Facebook reels?
There are a few options creators and businesses can explore to monetize reels content:
- Facebook Reels Play Bonus – qualifying creators can earn bonus earnings for reels based on views and engagement.
- Ad revenue sharing – some creators can earn a cut of the ad revenue from ads displayed on their reels.
- Branded content partnerships – businesses may sponsor influencers to create branded reels to promote products/services.
- Affiliate links – creators can include affiliate links in their reels description to earn commission on sales.
- Promoting own products – businesses can drive sales by showcasing their offerings in shoppable reels.
While still early, Facebook is expanding monetization opportunities for reels creators over time.
What are best practices for creating successful reels?
Here are some top tips for creating reels that perform well and engage viewers:
- Use popular audios, songs, effects and hashtags to increase discoverability.
- Follow trends and challenges, or start your own.
- Show your personality and authenticity.
- Use captions, stickers, gifs for engaging visuals.
- Keep a consistent editing style for your brand.
- Encourage viewers to interact – ask questions, run polls, etc.
- Monitor analytics to see top performing reels and learn from them.
- Be consistent – create and share reels regularly.
- Optimize content for mobile viewing.
- Promote top reels on other social channels.
How are people reacting to Facebook reels so far?
Reactions to Facebook reels have been somewhat mixed so far but leaning positive, especially among younger demographics. Here are some of the common perspectives:
- Positives – Enjoy the creative tools, like the short format, appreciate tapping into viral trends.
- Negatives – Find the TikTok format overly familiar, fatigued by ephemeral video content.
- Indifferent – Many long-time Facebook users don’t engage heavily with reels or view them as intrusive.
- Surprise – Facebook trying to be trendy catches some by surprise compared to its traditional reputation.
- Confusion – The similarities with competitors has caused confusion about why Facebook is replicating rival features.
But overall, engagement rates on reels have been high, indicating users are responding well to reels, especially on Instagram where the format originated.
How successful have Facebook reels been so far? Key metrics and data:
Here are some key stats on the performance and adoption of Facebook reels so far:
| 200 million | Daily Facebook users watching reels as of June 2022 |
| 140 billion | Reels plays across Facebook and Instagram as of June 2022 |
| 20% | Of time spent on Instagram now spent watching reels |
| 30 billion | Reels plays per day |
| 500 million | Facebook accounts following reels creators |
| 175 million | Facebook users creating reels each month |
This data indicates strong adoption of reels, especially on Instagram, and explosive growth in a short period of time. Engagement rates also appear to be high relative to feed content.
What does the future look like for Facebook reels?
Here are some potential directions for Facebook reels moving forward:
- Continued focus on attracting and empowering creators
- Additional AR effects and interactive content
- Tools for generating reels more easily
- Integrating reels deeper into Facebook ecosystem
- Leveraging reels for advertising, commerce, marketing
- Algorithm favoring reels over other content
- Expanded monetization options for creators
It’s likely reels will play a central role in Facebook’s strategy, and potentially Instagram’s as well. Key will be developing differentiated features beyond mimicking competitors. But the short, vertical video format aligns closely with mobile consumption trends.
Conclusion
Facebook reels provide a new way for people to express themselves and connect through creative, entertaining short videos. For businesses, reels offer opportunities to engage audiences, highlight brands, and pivot video marketing strategies towards vertical short-form content. Reels have already seen strong adoption, especially among younger users. And Facebook has big incentives to invest heavily in the format as traditional feeds decline and competitors like TikTok rise. The coming months will reveal how successfully Facebook can integrate reels into its family of apps long-term and carve out a unique role in the short video ecosystem.