Should've called it "Moments" or "Memes."
I personally like the name Reels, it implies a level curation needed in the process.
Introducing Instagram Reels
21–30 of 51 posts
Re: Introducing Instagram Reels
#22I wonder if this will work as well as Stories did. I mean, technologically it will, sure, but if you start with the customer in mind, Snapchat is not TikTok. Instagram and Snapchat share the same market. Like Facebook, they originated among college students, and became the default platforms of that young adult demographic. Instagram copying Snapchat features is brutal to Snapchat because Snapchat power users were pro…
Anecdata for sure, but my younger aged family members (and their general age group) on TikTok are all on Instagram.
Another data point. My sons group are all on both, but no one actively uses IG. TikTok is their app of choice. My son says IG is boring. I think Reels has a major uphill journey.
Re: Introducing Instagram Reels
#23I have to say they are really annoying in "Explore" tab because they take more than half of the screen-space.
Re: Introducing Instagram Reels
#24Copying snapchat to make stories. TikTok to make Reels. And fb originally bought Instagram. Can the big players just copy or buy every competitor at some point and remain on top?
The big differentiator between these isn't per se the way that content is shared/created, but the network itself. So, as long as the network is intact, then in my opinion yes the big players can just copy/buy every competitor and remain on top.
Re: Introducing Instagram Reels
#25I feel like IG missed the mark with the 15 second video limit if they want an actual competitor to TT. The really really good TT content: original songwriters and musicians, semi-pro chefs, artists, woodworking, blacksmithing, skateboarding, sewing, just really passionate nerds teaching or showing off their skills benefit from longer-form videos.
The format of TT has made it really easy for people to share their hobbies but isn't plagued by the Wadsworth Constant.
Re: Introducing Instagram Reels
#26This flips the typical narrative of "Chinese companies copy our products and their government lets them" on its head. I understand why this is a valid business move, but I think that the sense of moral superiority over China that is so pervasive in conversations with Americans is even less credible now.
I think the criticism tends to be more focused on corporate espionage which this is decidedly not. I wouldn't say this is flipping any narrative on its head. I can't even tell the major differences between vine, tiktok, stories, snapchat, and now reels.
Re: Introducing Instagram Reels
#27This flips the typical narrative of "Chinese companies copy our products and their government lets them" on its head. I understand why this is a valid business move, but I think that the sense of moral superiority over China that is so pervasive in conversations with Americans is even less credible now.
Realistically, a lot of companies copy each other's products and features, within the American tech scene. The cure - software patents - is worse than the disease; remember Amazon's one click patent?
How many team chat apps appeared after Slack, for example?
Re: Introducing Instagram Reels
#28This flips the typical narrative of "Chinese companies copy our products and their government lets them" on its head. I understand why this is a valid business move, but I think that the sense of moral superiority over China that is so pervasive in conversations with Americans is even less credible now.
Because companies that do business here aren’t required to turn over IP in order to do business here and aren’t required to have a local partner? You’re comparing exceptions in one place with everyday requirements in another.
Re: Introducing Instagram Reels
#29Instagram Stories were not quite a Snapchat-killer, but they did take a huge chunk of the Snapchat market share. This could be similar.
Snapchat is interesting - in my age group (mid to late 20s), it got obliterated by Instagram a few years ago, to the point where it feels "old" to use it. However it is very popular with younger people (college and early 20s).
Re: Introducing Instagram Reels
#30This flips the typical narrative of "Chinese companies copy our products and their government lets them" on its head. I understand why this is a valid business move, but I think that the sense of moral superiority over China that is so pervasive in conversations with Americans is even less credible now.
I do think the rhetoric goes a bit overboard, but people are not wrong about the problem your comment addresses. That problem is orthogonal to this Instagram product. Imitation != theft.