I have seen a lot of Indians suffering due to the TikTok ban recently. A plethora of apps are gaining popularity amidst this ban such as Chingari & Roposo, and now the giant Instagram, has left no stone unturned by launching Reels in India.
Instagram has already started testing Reels in Brazil, France, and Germany where the TikTok user base was large. But given the Indian TikTok user base, Reels could change everything!
It's a short video feature that lets users create videos within the app. Just like TikTok, one can add creative filters and various music tracks to create a short video.
Reels allow you to create a 15 seconds video or less and can be shared with everyone on Instagram. Users can share Reels in the Explore section of Instagram and this would give their profile a good exposure. Of course, one can share them in the regular feed with their followers as well.
As of now, there's no monetization model implement for Reels but sooner or later you could expect it to be implemented.
To create Reels, click on the story icon on the top left and click on Reels. Now select the music tracks from the existing Instagram library. Once done, get started by creating Reels.
While many may argue with the move of Reels being integrated into Instagram and not being launched as a separate platform, I strongly believe that it would increase Instagram user base in Tier 3 and Tier 4 cities in India.
With so many TikTok-like apps around and the urge to use made in India apps, I somewhere believe that Instagram is a bit late to the party! Of course, the debate between TikTok and Instagram is never going to end. Nevertheless, Instagram has a user base of 165 million, and introducing Reels within Instagram's Explore section would give Reels a boost in no time!
Ever since the TikTok ban in India, all the TikTok stars went in a frenzy on other social media platforms to support the government's decision. But somewhere deep down in their hearts, they knew that it was a monetary loss for them. They have worked hard to make their profiles active and get sponsored endorsements through which they earned. Even the ones who didn't know to use smartphone made decent money from TikTok.
Now with Instagram Reels launched, it gives them a new hope to start their journey again! It's not going to be easy but I'm sure they will rise to the occasion.
Reels is surely going to be a life-changer for TikTok creators in India if they utilize it in the right way!