As U.S. officials threaten TikTok restrictions, Instagram has seized the opportunity to release Reels in more than 50 countries including the U.S., Australia, Canada, and Japan. The feature was released in India in July on the heels of a nationwide-ban of TikTok.
The TikTok copycat allows people to record and edit 15-second videos with a full gamut of special effects. Once created, they can be shared to the feed, Stories, and Direct, while public Reels also appear in a dedicated part of the Explore tab. In some countries, Reels has replaced the Explore tab altogether.
Many influencers and creators have jumped on board, thanks in part to lucrative financial incentives. In response, TikTok dropped $200 million into its Creator Fund. Expect competition for creators to intensify as companies like Twitter and Microsoft vie for TikTok ownership, and competitors like YouTube make moves of their own.
Several brands have gotten in on the action as well, including Louis Vuitton, Sephora, Guess, and The Score. But as Digiday reporter Lara O’Reilly points out, there are notable absentees, including The Washington Post, an early TikTok adopter. Ad placement and options are not yet available, but Instagram does plan to make branded content tools available in the future.
