Facebook wants to become more popular with young users. The short video service Reels, which is now being integrated worldwide in the social network, is intended to help. Reels is intended to be a counterweight to TikTok.
Facebook is now rolling out its short video service, Reels, globally on Facebook. This was announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a Facebook post on Tuesday evening. It may be an attempt to stop the downward trend in the social network.
The social media giant Facebook had previously rolled from one user record to the next for years – but that is apparently over, the user growth of the multi-billion dollar network recently came to a grinding halt: For the past quarter, Facebook had to admit slightly shrinking user numbers for the first time.
That doesn’t come as a surprise. For a number of years now, young people have seen Facebook as a platform for old people: young people and young adults are more likely to use the short video service TikTok. With this trend towards concise video content that can be consumed on the side, Facebook should now also be fully involved – with reels.
Format had already been introduced on Instagram in 2020
This short video function was already introduced on Instagram in August 2020: Here users can upload and watch 1 short video clips. With a swipe of your finger you can switch directly to the next clip. The striking resemblance to the TikTok model is apparently not even attempted to be concealed.
In autumn 2021, Reels was also integrated into Facebook – but only in the USA. In a Facebook post, Mark Zuckerberg, head of the parent company Meta, explains that the service will be launched worldwide for all Facebook users with immediate effect.
Reels is “by far the fastest growing content format,” he said. In addition, a new function will also be released to monetize the Reels content. Here it is initially about displayed advertising banners and advertising stickers, full-surface advertisements between the short videos are also to come soon. The platform should also become attractive for professional video creators.
Zuckerberg also revealed other planned extensions to the service: ‘Remix’ should make it possible to create content from existing stories and a crop tool will also be added.
Cross-platform linking of reels will also be possible: Reels from Instagram can then be advertised on Facebook.
The reels will appear on Facebook, among other things, in the newsfeed at the top as a small button next to the “Live”, “Photo” and “Room” buttons. If you tap on it, you can then create your own reels. This button was not previously available on an iOS device used by the editors.
–
