Instagram‘s Reels format is getting some new features that will bring it in line with its major competitors in the short-form video industry. Among other updates, Instagram has announced a central hub that will aggregate trends from across the Reels universe.
The trending topics featured on the hub will include both buzzy video memes and audio tracks that have gone viral on Reels. By highlighting hot soundbites and songs, Instagram is recognizing the powerful impact of short-form content within the recording industry. The Grammys have recognized performers whose tracks have spread across TikTok, and YouTube Shorts has helped Miley Cyrus reach #1 on the charts by proliferating her song ‘Flowers’ across more than 600,000 clips.
In a more general sense, channels that serve as content aggregators have become some of the most popular destinations on Shorts. By summing up some of the hottest fads on Reels, Instagram is getting in on that action.
Meta’s main man, Mark Zuckerberg, announced Instagram’s latest updates on his personal account. An Instagram blog post provided more details about the new features and testimonials from Reels-loving creators.
“With comedy sketches, the audio has to be right and correlate to the mood of the video,” said comedy creator Sachin Kumar. “A dramatic track helps the storytelling. I’m always on the lookout for audio, so this will allow me to save a bunch of sounds that are trending. As I begin the editing process, I’ll be able to quickly find saved audio that’s also trending.”
Beyond the trend hub, Instagram’s other updates include a streamlined editing process and new analytics for Reels creators. The Meta-owned app is also updating the gifts feature it launched last year. YouTube and TikTok offer analogous tip jar features for their short-form formats.
As the major players in the short-form world copy each other’s features, Reels, TikToks, and Shorts are becoming somewhat interchangeable. Instagram may not be able to slow down that trend, but it can at least highlight the culture that makes its version of vertical video distinct.
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