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Written by Lucy Wilson
Social media platform Instagram has been testing a new way to integrate Stories and Reels, which involves Reels playing for their full duration within the Stories flow.
Some users can now see the full-length Reels playing within the Stories stream, rather than getting the first 15 seconds then having to tap through to view the whole video.
With Instagram chief Adam Mosseri sharing that more people are now sharing content in Stories and DMs as opposed to the main feed, extending Reels on Stories is another way to lean into the popularity of the Reels format.
Increased Facebook usage
A recent report from Meta showed that Facebook usage increased in the fourth quarter of last year, which was largely driven by Reels consumption, rising 20 per cent year-on-year.
However, at the same time, original content creation in Meta’s apps is declining, with fewer people posting to both Facebook and Instagram than previously.
This means that the time people are spending in Facebook and Instagram is increasingly shifting towards discovery and consumption rather than content creation, which is helped by Meta’s various displays of Reels content in both apps.
Although people may criticise Meta for copying functions from Snapchat and TikTok, this type of content is proven that it works and resonates with audiences due to these engagement figures.
Incorporate Reels into your posting approach
With video content being at the forefront of engagement, a further integration of Stories and Reels makes sense. If this experiment leads to an increase in Reels consumption, creators could give Stories a bigger platform.
Although it’s still early days and it would be a small update to the app, it’s interesting to see Meta experimenting with its different functionalities, which would impact your business’s posting approach.
This potential permanent update means the use of Reels is hugely important for your business’s social presence as it could help boost engagement with your Instagram content.
Looking for social media support on your Instagram page? Contact us today to find out how we can help enhance user engagement and brand awareness through your social content.