During Meta’s 2022 Q1 earnings call, Meta shared that more than 20% of the time users spend on Instagram is dedicated to viewing IG Reels. Given Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri’s statement that Instagram intends to double down on its video focus in 2022, this percentage is only projected to increase going forward.

In fact, Instagram is already making headway on further developing their IG Reels feature. Read on to discover three new Instagram Reel capabilities that are starting to make their way onto the platform!

INSTAGRAM TESTS 90 SECOND IG REELS

IG Reels are currently available to all users for a 60-second duration. However, the platform has begun testing a 90-second IG Reel option with a small percentage of users on the app.

As we’ve shared before, IG Reels are great for discoverability (hello, 91.7% increase in our Instagram following in only one quarter!) on Instagram for a few reasons:

IG Reels have their own exclusive Explore page.
Video has a positive algorithm benefit as users spend more time-consuming videos than static feed posts. This extended amount of time on content signals to the algorithm that the content is valuable, resulting in the content being pushed for more users to enjoy.
Instagram is trying to keep up with their competitor, TikTok, so they’re pushing IG Reels like crazy!

Needless to say, the reach of an IG Reel far exceeds any static feed post, and this additional 30-seconds creates even more opportunities for users to leverage its discoverability.

IG REELS PLAY BONUS PROGRAM

To keep up with TikTok, Instagram has been strategizing various ways to incentivize creators to utilize their Reels feature. They’ve recently begun rolling out a new Reels Play Bonus Program, an invitation-only program that allows creators to earn money by sharing IG Reels. To get started, creators will receive an in-app notification like the example below and can begin by enabling bonuses on Instagram. Note the in-app notification will mention when the user’s eligibility expires, so we recommend getting set up ASAP.

Once you’ve enabled bonuses and agreed to the Program Rules, you have 30 days to share as many IG Reels as you’d like to count towards the bonus. Money is earned based on the performance of each IG Reel.

Here are a few key details to keep in mind:

In order to earn, each IG Reel must be tagged to the bonus within 24 hours of creation.
- To do so, select Reels Play Bonus from the Bonuses page.
Money earned per play is not always consistent throughout the 30 days.
Bonus program details and requirements can vary from user to user.
Users can track their bonus progress on the Progress page of the Bonuses settings.

Learn more about the program and what disqualifies an IG Reel from receiving a bonus here.

NEW IG REELS “TEMPLATE” FEATURE

Have you ever seen an IG Reel with editing so flawless that you’d love to replicate it? Allow us to introduce you to IG Reel Templates. Currently in testing with a small percentage of Instagram creators, this feature will allow users to automatically create a template that mirrors the exact editing cuts of an existing Reel. Users can then plug and play their own videos and images into the IG Reel Template.

We anticipate this streamlining of the creation process is likely Instagram’s attempt to encourage users to make Reels directly in the Instagram app, as opposed to third-party platforms like TikTok.

ig reel features — *Screenshot by* *@josephinemedia* *on Twitter.*

We hope you found this blog post helpful in learning more about how you can amp up your IG Reels strategy in the coming months. For more Instagram Reels and TikTok guidance, check out our ReelTok Online Course!

In the meantime, we’ll catch ya on the ‘Gram and in our weekly social media newsletter. Chat soon!

xx, The Homies