When in the year 2020 Instagram introduced a new content format, the Reels, emerged in the shadow of the characteristic short videos of TikTok, nobody could suspect that they would end up dethroning the rest. Neither photos nor videos through IGTV, the Reels have become the star content of this social network. So much so that they have caused a 44% drop in interest in the hitherto only Instagram formats.
Emerged as a photo social network, Instagram evolved through video and now Reels are the most popular format
These are data from a study carried out by Later after examine more than 81 million posts on Instagramthe average engagement rate of hitherto traditional posts on Instagram (images and videos) fell from 5.16% to 2.88% due to the arrival of Reels.
For this study, Later analyzed publications that excluded both Reels and IGTV from January 1, 2019 to February 28, 2022, establishing as analysis criteria the sum of “likes” and comments, divided by the number of users, to in order to establish an average result of interactions.
That is why no one should be surprised that the Reels have become a priority within the attention devoted by the platform, which has placed the rest of the formats in a secondary role. The proof of success is that those content creators who have relied on Reels have seen their visits and interactions increase, in some cases with increases of up to 500%. Yes, five hundred, no extra zero has slipped in.
Similarly, the average number of interactions has increased from 1.28% in 2019 to the current 9.09% in a movement that has not been unrelated to the growing popularity of the Reels, which are increasingly chosen by more users as the “default publication” On Instagram.
It has also been found that the use of Reels is key to reach new audiences, which is highly attractive for social profiles seeking growth and visibility. The good news is that it is easy to use, especially due to the existence of templates that simplify its publication.
