Instagram recently launched Reels, a new way to create and discover short, entertaining videos on Instagram. The new addition has created opportunities for brands and creators to make a new type of content which is both fun and engaging.

Reels allows Instagram users to create short videos to music and is seen to be Facebook’s latest attempt to compete with the widely popular platform TikTok.

Instagram is using Reels as a way to create more authentic content on the platform and to give creators a new way to be discovered.

We sat down with some of our creators to find out how they feel about Reels and how they will be using them moving forward.

Aimee Kelly (@byamieekelly)

Aimee is an NYC Content creator who is known for her love for fashion and food, and has recently been creating content on Reels for her 26.4K followers.

Have you tested Instagram Reels yet? What are your initial thoughts?

Reels are a game-changer, and I am currently obsessed with them! I love it, and I try not to compare it to TikTok and just accept it as a new Instagram feature.

How have your followers engaged with the Reels content?

Since it’s a new feature, I am sure Instagram is doing everything to push Reels up the Ladder. Therefore I am having a high amount of engagement.

I see my followers engaging more often on my Reels, I am happy because it’s totally different content to my regular feed post.

Will you migrate from TikTok to Instagram Reels? Will the content be similar to what you might make for TikTok?

No, I believe TikTok and Instagram Reels are two different worlds with similarities. I plan on making my TikTok and Reels content quite differently.

Alecsandra Pap (@alecsandra.pap)

Alecsandra, is a London based creator who balances motherhood with working in the city. She loves fashion and is currently experimenting with Reels and is excited by the opportunities they may create.

Will you migrate from TikTok to Instagram Reels? Will the content be similar to what you might make for TikTok?

I think I will, as I haven’t got the chance to develop much content on TikTok, just because I couldn’t find the time to switch between two platforms.

I believe Reels will make things easier now and I am keen on creating content here. I also love the fact that I get to use the same platform. It’s a great opportunity to create different content on Instagram, I think this is a feature that everyone will enjoy.

Do you think Reels will give you more creative freedom on Instagram?

Yes, definitely. I do think it brings more creativity on Instagram and I would love to collaborate with brands using Reels.

Bushra Sidd (@bsiddlife)

Bushra, a London blogger who posts beautiful pictures showing off her outfits and the city, thinks Reels are a real competitor for TikTok and she is interested to see how Reels will develop its own style.

Have you tested Instagram Reels yet? What are your initial thoughts?

Yes, I have. I think it’s great! A real competitor for TikTok. More and more people like to consume short content now and ones that have a comedy twist to it. People want to have a laugh when they’re on social media nowadays and I think Reels lets Instagram take part in that.

Will you migrate from TikTok to Instagram Reels? Will the content be similar to what you might make for TikTok?

At the moment there is a lot of recycled content from TikTok being posted on Reels. It will be interesting to see if Reels brings about its own style of content.

Would you use Reels to collaborate with brands?

Yes, 100% It’s perfect for quick and snappy content which is fun and eye-catching.

Ellie May (@petiteelliee)

Ellie is a London based fashion and travel blogger who posts glamorous pictures of her outfits with hilarious captions for her 53.1K followers. She is uncertain about the opportunities Reels offer as she is worried that another platform for creators to post on will create “content fatigue.”

Have you tested Instagram Reels yet? What are your initial thoughts?

I haven’t yet tested reels myself but have seen a lot of other influencers already using them. Initial feedback seems to be that although the reach is great (Instagram is very much pushing them out) engagement has been fairly low on Reels.

Would you use Reels to collaborate with brands?

I am really undecided as to whether I am going to start creating reels, my main concern with them being that there’s another platform we’re expected to create on.

I do worry that the addition of Reels is going to lead to content fatigue — influencers are already expected to create content for IGTV, grid posts, stories, YouTube, blog posts, Twitter, TikTok, Pinterest and now another medium has been added into the mix.

Is this going to lead to a generation of Influencers who are creating mediocre content, just to ensure they’re active on all platforms?

So, what’s the verdict?

We posted a poll on the TAKUMI Instagram account asking people if they would migrate from TikTok to Instagram Reel and we found that 68% of people, who responded, were considering migrating to Instagram Reels. This shows what a huge development Reels are for the social media landscape.

Most of our Influencers have enjoyed experimenting with Reels and creating more creative content on Instagram. They have found that Reels consistently have very good reach but that engagement can vary depending on the size and the taste of their followers.

Reels are being viewed as a good alternative to TikTok but it seems that it will take time for creators to develop their own style on Reels. The majority of creators are looking forward to collaborating with brands on Reels as they see it as an exciting way to create fun eye-catching content.

We have also been experimenting with Reels for the last few weeks on the TAKUMI Instagram account and have discovered a few things.

We have seen first hand that Reels does have very good reach at the moment because of Instagram pushing the new feature. We posted the same video on both Reels and TikTok and found that on Reels it received 12x more views and much more engagement.

Overall, we have enjoyed experimenting with Reels and look forward to developing more content as Reels progresses!

If you would like to read up on Reels, check out our blog post ‘Everything you need to know about Reels’.

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