As a content creator, you’ve probably been considering your options when it comes to Instagram Reels and TikTok as they’re very similar. So similar, in fact, that if you’re creating content for one, there’s really no reason not to post it to the other.
Reels appears to have been created in response to TikTok to capitalize on its incredible growth. According to Sensor Tower, TikTok has been downloaded over 2 billion times worldwide. In Q1 of 2020, the app had 315 million downloads, which is the best quarter by any app ever.
Whatever the reason, Reels is a new frontier and likely one you should be exploring for your audiograms. Here’s a look at five reasons to promote your podcast on Instagram Reels.
1. Reels May Be a Better Fit for Your Demographics
The biggest difference between the Reels and TikTok is the demographics of their audiences.
According to Just Creative, Whilst TikTok has a lot going for it, including its growth trajectory, Reels allows you to reach the Instagram user base which is a slightly different audience. TikTok is most popular with 16-24 year olds whilst Instagram is most used by 25-34 year olds. So depending on your listener demographics, one platform may make more sense than the other.
2. Instagram Is Prioritizing Reels
You may have noticed an update to the main navigation bar at the bottom of your Instagram homepage. That little movie-clipper right in the middle takes you directly to your Reels feed, which had perviously only been found in the secondary navigation right above your grid or the top of the Explore grid.
If the app’s prioritization of this type of content is any indicator (which it usually is), you can bet that Reels will continue to evolve. Getting used to creating them before Facebook decides to start monetizing them (more on that later) will most likely pay off.
3. Reels Are Permanent Content
If you spend time and effort creating video, you want that content to stick around and continue to have the potential to bring in new audiences.
The Social Media Examiner points out that while Instagram Stories already allowed you to create videos, reels have the added benefit of being permanent content, whereas stories expire after 24 hours.
They explain that Reels offer great sharing functionality because, unlike Stories, you can share your reels to your grid. And viewers can easily share reels to their stories, allowing you to reach wider and new audiences much quicker.
4. You Can Target Your Reels Watchers With Facebook Ads
Reels is not yet being monetized by Facebook, meaning that there are no ads in the feed. However, The Hub points out that Facebook is allowing you to create retargeting audiences from people who have watched Reels.
Currently, there is no way to link out from Instagram via Reels. So the best way to maximize on their content is to retarget the people who have watched them with Facebook Ads (which obviously also show on Instagram).
Not only can you create Custom Audiences to retarget, but you can also harness the power of a Lookalike audience and find more people just like your Reels watchers to serve your ads to.
The Hub
5. You’ve Likely Already Done the Work
If you’re already creating Audiograms for Instagram Stories, TikTok, or Snapchat, it would likely just be a slightly shorter cut for Reels, which has a max length of 15 seconds.
Headliner’s time limit selector for Instagram Stories is 15 seconds, so you can use that to easily create Reels as well. The Reels you create can also be shared to your Stories and permanently on your feed.
If you have a loyal and engaged Instagram following, Reels has many options and is definitely becoming a major focus of Instagram, as seen by its prominence on the platform.
