Reels has become a standout format for Meta, bringing in more than 200 billion views per day across Instagram and Facebook. As Meta looks for more ways to emphasize its version of TikTok‘s vertical videos, it is considering whether to launch a new app. According to Instagram Head Adam Mosseri, Instagram is mulling a standalone destination dedicated entirely to Reels.
According to The Information, Mosseri remarked on the potential Reels app during a conversation with employees. Instagram did not offer a comment on the report.
Like many Meta features, Reels began as an imitation of a popular product on another platform, but what began as a TikTok copycat has emerged as a legitimate rival for the ByteDance-owned app. Reels was one of the highlights during Meta’s Q4 2024 earnings report thanks to its accelerating reach. According to eMarketer, Reels has accounted for up to 19% of Instagram impressions, driving the platform to U.S. ad revenue that is projected to reach $37.13 billion in 2025.
Threats to TikTok’s operations in the United States have emboldened Meta’s Reels push. With a slew of new products
and cash bonuses, Meta has positioned its platforms as the logical landing spot for displaced TikTokers. Currently, that effort is directing creators to Instagram, but what if Meta operated an app that more closely resembled TikTok? Mimicking the app’s layout, video format, and monetization structure on a new Reels app would make migrating creators feel right at home.Meta has already made moves that consolidate and organize systems that span multiple platforms and content formats. On Facebook, for example, a November 2024 change united multiple revenue streams within a single program. Instagram’s form of standardization has concerned its disparate traffic metrics, which are now united under the “views” umbrella.
Bringing together the Facebook and Instagram versions of Reels would be right in line with Meta’s overall strategy. The vertical video format is Mark Zuckerberg’s best chance of usurping TikTok’s market share — with or without a standalone app.
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