Facebook Reels are the newest feature on the Facebook app. Reels allow users to create and share short, entertaining videos that are up to 30 seconds long. If you’ve recently opened your Facebook app, you may have noticed the “Reels” tab at the top of your news feed or a carousel of Reels videos showing up in your feed. This has left many users wondering: why am I suddenly seeing all of these Facebook Reels?
Facebook is pushing Reels to compete with TikTok
The main reason you’re seeing Reels all over your Facebook feed is that Facebook is heavily prioritizing and promoting them right now. Reels are Facebook’s version of TikTok, allowing you to scroll through a feed of short form vertical videos.
TikTok has exploded in popularity over the last few years. It has become one of the fastest growing and most engaging social media platforms. Facebook sees TikTok as major competition and a threat to its dominance. Especially among younger audiences, users are spending more time on TikTok and less time on Facebook’s apps like Instagram.
In response, Facebook is doing everything it can to get more people watching and creating Facebook Reels. It is saturating users’ feeds with Reels in hopes they will engage with the new feature and spend more time in the Facebook app. Some of the ways Facebook is pushing Reels include:
- Showing Reels from accounts you don’t follow in your feed
- Automatically playing Reels videos as you scroll
- Suggesting that users create Reels in the Facebook app
- Paying content creators to make Facebook Reels
Facebook will likely continue showcasing Reels until the feature catches on more widely with users. So if you want less Reels in your feed, there are a few things you can try covered later in this article.
Reels are a growing part of Facebook’s strategy
Another major reason you’re seeing lots of Reels is that video content, and specifically short form vertical video, is an increasingly important part of Facebook’s product strategy.
Video consumption is growing rapidly on social media. Services like TikTok and YouTube Shorts cater directly to users’ shrinking attention spans. Facebook has noticed this trend and is evolving in hopes of staying relevant. The company is dedicating more resources and feed space to video formats across its apps. Instagram expanded Reels and added a TikTok-like full screen viewing option. Facebook expanded Watch and started paying creators make content. Now, Facebook is bringing Reels front and center.
Facebook is emphasizing Reels to collectors and maintain more video content. It wants to keep users engaged on its platform instead of losing their time and attention to other video-centric apps. In Facebook’s view, the future of social media revolves around video. Reels are an integral part of staying competitive in that landscape.
Facebook determines you are likely to engage with Reels
The third reason you may be seeing a lot of Reels in your feed is because Facebook’s algorithm thinks you are likely to enjoy that type of content. The news feed ranking algorithm uses your activity and interests to determine what content you are most likely to spend time viewing and engaging with.
If you often watch videos, engage with influencer content, follow trending dances or sounds, or use creative apps like Instagram filters, Facebook may have categorized you as someone interested in short form video. As a result, Reels are being heavily interspersed into your feed in hopes you will watch, like, comment and share. Think of it from Facebook’s perspective – if you enjoy TikTok-style videos, why wouldn’t you want to see those same types of videos right within Facebook?
On the other hand, if you primarily follow news pages, family photos, groups and ads, your feed may include fewer Reels. But Facebook is hoping Reels will appeal to a wide range of users, so many people are seeing an influx of video reels as Facebook targets both existing video viewers and attempts to create new ones.
Ways to see fewer Facebook Reels in your feed
If you find yourself frustrated or overwhelmed by the flood of Facebook Reels in your feed, there are a few things you can try to cut back on them:
- Hide Reels – Tap the three dots above a Reel and choose “Hide Reels”. This should hide that specific Reel.
- See Fewer Reels Like This – Tap the three dots above a Reel and choose “See Fewer Reels Like This” to see fewer Reels similar to that one.
- Snooze Suggested/Recommended Reels – Go to Settings > Reels > Snooze All Suggested Reels or Snooze Recommended Reels.
- Adjust Video Preferences – Go to Settings > Videos > Reels and Short Videos and choose Less.
- Follow Fewer Accounts Posting Reels – Unfollow accounts that post primarily Reels rather than personal updates.
- Provide Feedback to Facebook – Use Settings > Give Feedback to tell Facebook directly you don’t wish to see as many Reels.
- Interact More With Non-Reels Content – Be sure to actively like, comment on, and share more of the non-Reel posts you prefer to see.
With Reels being so core to Facebook’s plans, they’re unlikely to disappear from your feed completely. But the above steps should help reduce the amount that you see on a daily basis.
Reels are engaging but controversial
Facebook’s emphasis on Reels has been controversial with some users. While Reels have proven to be engaging, many feel like they are being forced on users who opened Facebook to connect with friends and family, not watch an endless series of videos.
Some argue Facebook has strayed too far from its original purpose into other forms of entertainment like short videos. Others complain the influx of Reels has led to less meaningful personal updates in their feed. And with Facebook aggregating Reels from people you don’t even follow, users have less control over the content they see.
Facebook seems determined to establish Reels as a major part of the app. But time will tell if users embrace Reels as readily as other short video formats, or if Facebook ultimately recalibrates to address complaints. The feature remains in the early stages, so you can expect Facebook to continue aggressively promoting Reels until viewing habits cement further.
Reels are changing how we use Facebook
The rise of Reels reflects the evolving role of Facebook in society. What began as a closed network for college students is now a sprawling global platform trying to be everything to everyone. Reels represent Facebook’s latest attempt to remain relevant and compete in the rapid-fire world of digital entertainment and culture.
For better or worse, Facebook increasingly resembles a media company or content aggregator more than a simple social network. Traditional Facebook is now just one tab among options like Watch, Reels, Groups and more. This shift is unlikely to reverse given the trends toward video, messaging, stories, influencers and viral visual content.
So while you may miss the Facebook of yesteryear focused purely on friends and family, Reels represent the future Facebook is forging. They underscore the company’s desire to keep up with younger generations who constantly crave fresh, entertaining content at their fingertips. If Reels successfully draw in more users and usage, expect video to take up even more of your feed going forward.
Conclusion
To summarize, Facebook Reels are suddenly dominating feeds because Facebook is heavily prioritizing the new short video feature. The company is aggressively promoting Reels to compete with TikTok and stay relevant as social media evolves. Facebook wants users not just scrolling passively, but actively engaging with video content across its apps. If you do not wish to see so many Reels, there are settings to filter them out and provide feedback to Facebook. However, Reels reflect the direction Facebook is headed, so our social media feeds will likely continue trending toward bite-sized video content and entertainment.