Notably, as per a report by The Verge, Facebook is testing the Facebook Reels feature for some users. This move will make Facebook appear slightly more TikTok-ish for some users. During the testing phase, this new feature will be live for users in the News Feed and within Groups. The availability in Groups makes it easier for people to watch Reels together. There is a nice advantage for those who extensively make use of the Reels feature on Instagram. Apparently, they can now cross-post Instagram Reels on the Facebook app. The Short-video format has gained tremendous popularity thanks to the Chinese TikTok app. But the platform was filled with cringe videos. Now, as more and more social media giants are adopting this format, the availability of cringe videos is also increasing. Facebook is saying this feature is designed to let people “express themselves, discover entertaining content, and to help creators broaden their reach.”
Facebook Reels is already under testing in India, Mexico, and Canada
As of now, Facebook is already testing this feature in a few countries. This includes India, Mexico, and Canada. The US is the latest joinee. As noted by The Verge, this limited rollout is a part of the extension of the test. Facebook has a really good point regarding the inclusion of Reels on Facebook. The company says most users use their app to watch videos, anyway. And, the short-video format is actually growing at a rapid pace. So, it very well gives a good enough reason to Facebook to include Reels onto their platform. As far as how many users on Facebook will make use of Reels is concerned, the company has sorted that out too. FYI, Facebook’s competitor Snapchat has spent over $1 million per day to incentivize usage of the short-video format “Spotlight” on their app. Moreover, for “Shorts” YouTube has also announced a Shorts Fund of about $100 million over the next year for the creators. Facebook will also spend $1 billion on creators for using the Reels program. That goes for both Facebook and Instagram apps, through 2022. On top of this, the company has also announced additional bonuses and seed funding in the coming months for Reels creators. All these lucrative incentives are more than good enough reasons to use the short-video format feature, especially Facebook Reels.