Instagram Updates Reels To Have TikTok-Like Abilities For Editing And Discovery

Online business is fierce, and one should always keep up with the competition to thrive.

The same goes to Instagram, the Meta-owned photo- and video-sharing platform. Once touted as the fastest-growing app, it has since live in the shadow of TikTok, one particular competitor that managed to quickly capture the hearts of many young people around the world.

At this time, TikTok, the short video app, is facing ban threats in some countries. Some governments' departments have also started banning the app on devices being used by officials amidst security concerns.

As the Chinese app faces these challenges, Instagram is taking advantage of it.

Reels, which is a direct competitor to TikTok, has been updated with a bunch of improvements, one of which is clearly TikTok-inspired.

"We strive to make Instagram a home for creators like you to express your creativity, connect with your audience and earn a living. Today we’re announcing improvements to Reels — to empower you to do what you do best," said Meta in an announcement.

First of, is the ability to find what's trending on Reels.

"Creators are always looking to discover fresh content ideas, so now we’re adding a dedicated destination for you to be inspired by the latest trends. You’ll be able to see the top trending songs on Reels, see how many times the audio has been used, tap in to use it or save the audio for yourself," explained Meta.

Users should also be able to see what the top trending topics and hashtags are on Reels to inform their own content.

Next, is the ability to easily edit Reels.

This feature is similar to what's found on TikTok, in which it allows users to edit tweak uploaded video clips, audio, stickers, and text overlays all in the same screen instead of having to do it in separate steps.

"This makes it easier to align and time elements of your reel to the right moments in a more visual way. Keep an eye out for even more exciting tools to come as we continue to invest in more ways to make editing your reels simpler and easier. This is available globally, across both iOS and Android devices," Meta said.

Then, for content creators, Instagram has also updated Reels Insight to help them "better understand" how their content is performing.

"We’re adding two new metrics: total watch time and average watch time – and making it easier to see your insights while viewing your reels directly," said Meta, adding that it's also "adding a new way to see how your reels are contributing to your growth. You’ll now receive a notification with new followers from your reels."

And lastly, another Reels-related addition is that the app can finally throw a tailored notification someone follows a user after watching one of their Reels.

Instagram is also bringing its paid gifts feature to more creators by releasing it in Australia, Canada, France, Mexico, New Zealand, and the UK, in the coming weeks.

Creators should also be able to see the names of users who have sent them gifts and show acknowledgement by tapping a heart icon next to their names.

"If you tap the heart icon next to your supporters, they’ll get a notification that you’ve seen and recognized their gift, providing an even stronger sense of connection between you and your fans," explained Meta.

The features deliberate answered user feedback, where creators complained about Reels' editing features which aren't as easy as TikTok's.