BANG Showbiz English
Meta is to turn all Instagram videos into Reels.
The social media giant – which is the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp – launched the 90-second video feature back in 2020 after the rise of rival TikTok and is now trialling a feature that will see all of its videos take on the Reels format.
Alongside a screenshot that read “video posts are now shared as reels”, industry analyst Matt Navara wrote on Twitter: “Instagram is now making EVERY video a Reel!”
His claims were then backed up by Meta, who claimed that the feature was being “tested out” gradually amongst random users.
A Meta spokesperson told The Verge: “We're testing this feature as part of our efforts to simplify and improve the video experience on Instagram.
The news comes a year on from claims that the social media app – which is used by an estimated 5.2 billion people worldwide and serves as a major platform for several celebrities – is “no longer” just a photo-sharing app, according to Instagram Head Adam Mosseri.
Back n July 2021, he said: “Changes are coming to video. We're no longer just a square photo-sharing app. At Instagram we're always trying to build new features that help you get the most out of your experience. Right now we're focused on four key areas: Creators, Video, Shopping, and Messaging.
“Let' be honest -there's some really serious competition right now. TikTok is huge and YouTube is even biger. People are looking to Instagram to be entertained, there is stiff competition and we have to embrace that.”
