Meta, the parent company of platforms like facebook and Instagram, has just announced the global rollout of Facebook Reels, its rival to TikTok, now reaching more than 150 countries through the Facebook mobile app for Android and iOS platforms.
The launch has been coupled with the launch of new tools, both creative and discovery, and also with new monetization options for creators based on new advertising options.
There is no doubt that TikTok is hot on the heels of Meta and it is not a plan to stand still, and more so, as pointed out by the same platform, when half of the time users spend on Facebook is consuming video content.
Meta notes that he has these intentions with his announcement today:
We’re focused on making Reels the best way for creators to get discovered, connect with their audience, and earn money. We also want to make it fun and easy for people to find and share relevant and entertaining content.
More tools and new advertising options
Regarding the new creative tools for Facebook Reels, where part of which will be arriving over the next few weeks, Remix: to create a reel using your own video, with the video, in whole or in part, of another user shared publicly; possibility of having reels up to 60 seconds long, Save as Draft; and new video cropping tool.
Among the new reel discovery tools is Reels in Stories: to “share public reels in Stories on Facebook”, Reels in Watch: to watch Reels videos in the Watch tab, although tools for creating Reels for Watch are coming soon; new Reels tag for the top of the wall; and in selected countries, suggested Reels from users’ own walls.
Meta further seeks to offer new tools to facilitate the cross posting of Reels on Facebook and Instagram.
In the section on monetization through advertising options, precisely two types arrive: ads “as a semi-transparent overlay at the bottom of a Facebook reel” and static sticky ads “that a creator can place anywhere within their reel”.
Currently these options will be available to creators associated with the in-stream ads program in the US, Canada and Mexicoeven though…
Starting in mid-March, these tests will expand to creators in nearly all countries where in-stream ads are available.
In addition to the ads, the creators they will also be able to monetize their work thanks to the support of their most direct followers:
We’ll also start testing Stars on Facebook Reels in the coming weeks, so people can buy and send Stars while watching videos to support creators.
All details are available in the official announcement.
