Instagram Reels short video sharing feature comes to Facebook app

Creators, who make high quality Reels content and consistently get high number of view count, will be eligible to earn up to $35,000 (more than Rs 26.1 lakh) per month

TikTok's short video sharing platform has been an instant hit among consumers from day one of its launch in September 2016. Since then, many top rivals including Meta-owned Instagram and Google YouTube have rolled out their own versions-- Reels and Shorts, respectively, and they too have tasted success with significant view counts.

For instance, videos on YouTube Shorts have been viewed more than five trillion times within two years of launch.

Now, Instagram's sister social media platform Facebook announced to integrate the Reels feature within the mobile app (Android and iOS), and is now available globally across 150 countries.

Along with Stories and Rooms options, users will now see the 'Reels' at the top of the newsfeed.

"Watching video is half of the time spent on Facebook and Instagram, and Reels is our fastest-growing content format by far. We’re focused on making Reels the best way for creators to get discovered, connect with their audience, and earn money. We also want to make it fun and easy for people to find and share relevant and entertaining content," the company said.

Furthermore, Facebook has opened a bonus programme, part of our $1 billion creator investment. Creators, who make high-quality Reels content and consistently get a high view count, will be eligible to earn up to $35,000 (more than Rs 26.1 lakh) per month.

Reels feature on Facebook app. Credit: Meta

Add to that, Facebook will offer ad revenue share, fan support, and other direct monetisation options to content creators.

"We’re expanding tests of Facebook Reels Overlay Ads to all creators in the US, Canada, and Mexico, and to more countries in the coming weeks. We’re starting with two formats: banner ads that appear as a semi-transparent overlay at the bottom of a Facebook Reel, and sticker ads: a static image ad that can be placed by a creator anywhere within their reel. These non-interruptive ads enable creators to earn a portion of the ad revenue," the company noted.

With the new update, Facebook users will get the Remix option on the Reels feature. With this users can edit and repurpose a popular video into their own and re-release it.

Going forward, users can make longer Reels video up to 60 seconds. Also, users will get the 'Save As Draft' option, so that they can release the finished Reels content later.

In the coming weeks, Meta has plans to roll out video clipping tools that will make it easier for creators who publish live or long-form, recorded videos to test different formats. Also, Reels will get new options including Reels in Stories, where users can share public reels to Stories on Facebook.

Reels feature on Facebook app. Credit: Meta

With the new 'Reels in Watch' option, users will be able to watch reels directly within the Watch tab and the company is developing tools to help the user create reels in the Watch tab as well. The new update will bring the Reels label at the top of Feed so users will be able to easily create and watch reels in just a few clicks.

Starting with some select countries, Facebook will suggest reels that users may like in their Feed from people they do not already follow.

Meta also added that the company is exploring bringing a feature that would allow users to upload Reels to both their Facebook and Instagram audiences.

In a related development, Instagram has silently increased the daily app usage time limit.

Previously, Instagram used to offer 10 minutes as the starting limit option, but now, the minimum is 30 minutes. And, it goes up to three hours.

In 2018, Instagram had introduced the daily limit as a measure to help phone users reduce their screen time (read addiction) and do some meaningful physical work like spending time with loved ones and also focusing on work and studies.

Daily time limit and Reminder features on Instagram. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

A few months, Instagram had actually added another good Reminder feature that would periodically notify users to take a break from the app. Here, the option thankfully continues to have 10 minutes, 20 minutes, and 30 minutes.

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