In August 2020, Meta released a new feature on Instagram called Reels. This feature allows users to create and share short videos up to 60 seconds in duration.
The reason behind the creation of such a feature is the growing popularity of short-form entertainment content. For example, TikTok has seen explosive growth in the number of users over the past few years, and was the most downloaded app in the world in the first half of 2021. YouTube also released "YouTube Shorts" in July 2021, which allows users to post short videos. LINE has also started to offer a short-form video platform "LINE VOOM" in its app from November 2021.
As more and more people are consuming short-form content, the usage rate of Reels is gradually increasing. According to a survey conducted by Allied Architects, Inc. in December 2020, 35.9% of all Instagram users said they have watched videos created and posted on Reels, but have never posted a video.
Reels is expected to grow even more in the future.
In this article, we will introduce Reels and the features of Reels ads.
1. What are Reels? ｜Short videos up to 60 seconds
Reels is a new way to create entertaining short videos, reach new audiences, and be part of cultural moments on Instagram. With Reels you can:
● Be creative
Creative tools that are easy to use, and help you make entertaining, 30 second videos.
● Reach new audiences
Share to a new, large space in the Reels tab which highlights entertaining, creative Reels.
● Be part of a moment
Create videos up to 60 seconds with popular songs, trends, or challenges and be part of a larger moment on Instagram
When you think of Instagram's video feature, you may think of Stories, but there is a big difference between the two in terms of audience behavior.
Stories are basically for your followers to view, and the more common usage of Stories is to share more personal and candid snapshots of your life. With Reels, not only do you get to be more creative with your content, you get to reach new audiences on a global stage beyond your followers.
Many users are watching Reels, and some of the most popular Reels have millions of views.
For example, the Reels posted by the Houston Rockets, a team in the National Basketball Association (NBA), has over 5 million views.
As you can see, Reels is currently attracting a lot of attention. In June 2021, advertising in Reels was launched to expand the capabilities for brands and creators to amplify their reach.
Let's take a look at some of the features of Reels ads.
2. What is Reels Advertising? ｜Video advertising that can be delivered in full screen
As the name suggests, "Reels ads"is an advertising opportunity within the Instagram Reels experience.
Reels ads are displayed in a full-screen vertical format, similar to Stories ads, and are displayed in between regular Reels videos.
Similar to feed ads, Reels ads allow users to comment, like, save, and share.
2-1. Benefits of Reel Ad
What are the actual benefits of Reels ads?
Based on the features of Reels introduced so far, here are the benefits of Reels advertising
Fewer competitors
Full screen immersive experience
Creativity that entertains and engages
Fewer competitors
Reels ads were just launched in June, and many companies have not yet been able to deliver their ads in time. In fact, when you look at Reels on Instagram, we don't see as many ads as we do in Stories.
The reach of Reels Ads is sufficient since many users are now watching Reels.
For now, there are still enough ad spaces, allowing you to serve Reels ads without spending too much money. It is also a great opportunity for brands to explore Reels creativity and test and learn.
Full Screen Delivery
Ads in Reels are immersive full screen 9:16 formats and are distributed in between organic Reels within the same experience.
Creativity that entertains and engages
With Reels you can connect with people who are actively engaging with their interests through entertainment.
Reels displays videos that may be of interest to the user based on the user's behavior and browsing history.
Users also use Reels to discover new, interesting videos through this mechanism.
Brands can captivate and engage their audience on Reels by intentionally crafting bespoke content for Reels first. To do so, they need to take into consideration the creative language of this new format and also the type of content that are meaningful to their users.
2-2. Ad formats
Next, we are going to introduce the Ad formats. Basically, the Reels ad format supports a wide range of creative and has the following specifications.
“Full Screen” Format
The aspect ratio is 9:16
Maximum video length is 60 seconds
Recommended to deliver with audio
Maximum file size is 4GB
If you want to know more about ad format details, please check the "Facebook Ad Guide".
3. 3 points to keep in mind before creating Reels
Knowing what Instagram has to offer can be very helpful when creating Reels creative content.
We are going to introduce 3 points that you should keep in mind when creating creative content on Instagram based on Meta's research.
Actively seek to learn about things that you are interested
Trend Sensitivity
Creativity increases brand value
3-1. Actively seek to learn about things that you are interested
Instagram users are more likely than other platforms to follow people and brands that interest them and actively seek out information about them. In fact, 71% of Instagram users follow influencers and celebrities they are interested in.
Once they are interested in you, they are likely to follow your account and continue to see your posts and other information in the future.
When creating creative content for Reels, it is important to know how to deliver useful information in an entertaining way to your users.
3-2.Trend Sensitivity
Compared to other platforms, Instagram has many users who are more sensitive to trends and social situations.
Meta reports that active users of Instagram have the following characteristics when buying products
69% of users buy products that take into account race, LGBT, etc.
66% of users buy products that are trendy
66% of users buy items that allow them to express their individuality
59% of users buy products from companies that are socially responsible
Because of these insights, creating videos that take into account social situations and trends may attract people to your services and products.
It is recommended that you actually stay up to date with the type of content that is trending and resonating with your audience on Reels..
For example, the #squidgames hashtag has recently become one of the most popular posts.
3-3. Creativity increases brand value
People born in the late 1990s and 2000s, known as Generation Z, are now more interested in Instagram videos.
They tend to be more appreciative of a brand, especially if it produces highly unique creative in its advertising.
Gen Z's usage of Instagram is high, with Meta's survey reporting the following results:
91% of Generation Z use Stories at least once a week
71% of Generation Z use IGTV at least once a week
61% of Generation Z use Reels at least once a week
Be sure to create creative content that excites and entertains people in order to increase your brand value.
4. Reel creativity that sticks with users
The following six topics are among the most effective content in Reels.
Beauty/style
Lifestyle
Dance/ Music
Comedy
Tutorial
Digital Magic
4-1. Beauty
"Beauty" videos related to make-up and fashion are highly rated by users.
This is thought to be related to the fact that Instagram users are sensitive to trends.
There are many users who try to catch up with the latest fashion and beauty information from Instagram, and companies in these industries are recommended to use Reels ads.
In the following post, make-up and clothes change one after another to create a striking video while promoting a smartphone case on Reels!
4-2. Lifestyle
“Lifestyle" videos expressing daily life and interests are also common on Reels.
However, it is not enough to just post videos of your daily life on Reels; you need to make videos that are fun and entertaining to users.
In the following Reels, the creator played with editing to piece together a series of golf shots in an inviting and captivating way.
4-3. Dance/Music
There is a great affinity between short videos and dynamic content such as "dance".
Dance and music can convey a lot to users in a short period of time, and it is a good idea to try it out when you have no idea what kind of creative to create with Reels
In the following post, influencers who are famous for their dance-related posts are dancing through different poses, one after another.
The difficulty level is fairly easy, making you want to try this dance as well.
4-4. Comedy
"Comedy" videos that entertain users are also highly rated.
In the following post, a woman who has eaten a meal until her stomach is full has composed a video in which she tries to eat more dessert, which makes us giggle.
4-5. Tutorial
“Tutorial" videos that explain how to use products and services are also popular among users.
The following post explains how to use Nespresso, a home coffee maker.
By including text as well as video, it explains how to make coffee more clearly.
4-6. Digital Magic
Reels that play with interesting and surprising transitions and editing are also very popular and effective.
In the following video, a credit card is enlarged using editing techniques, and the user goes to get a meal on it.
The use of editing techniques to express things that would be impossible in the real world are highly appreciated by users.
5. How to make reel ads more effective?
When using Reels ads, the performance is higher when combined with Feed and Stories ads instead of Reels ads alone.
This tends to be more effective if the content is designed and optimized differently for each placement.
6. “KAIZEN Ad” solutions
Reels ads have a much higher creative importance than other ads.
If a user feels that a post is an ad, even for a moment, the ad will be skipped immediately.
In order to make Reels ads successful, you need to create an attractive video that will attract the attention of users. We recommended that you do not try to create a video on your own, but work with creators to create Reels ads.
With Kaizen Ad, we can use the know-how we have accumulated to produce creative for Reels ads.
What is Kaizen Ad?
KAIZEN Ad is a still image and video advertising support platform provided by Kaizen Platform. With more than 10,000 creators who can create multiple types of creative in a short period of time, KAIZEN Ad is a solution that can save labor for data-based creative improvement operations and creative submission.
Because of its ability to perform the PDCA cycle at high speed, KAIZEN Ad has solved the problem of ineffective creative on many platforms such as Instagram.
For more information about KAIZEN Ad, please visit the following website
7. Summary
Reels will become even more popular in the future.
As a result, the number of users that Reels ads can reach is expected to increase further.
To maximize the effectiveness of Reels ads, we need to create creative content that users will find attractive.
You should always be aware of what kind of creatives will be highly evaluated by users.