Instagram’s Reels vs. TikTok: Exposure against popularity, which one will win?

Instagram Reels versus TikTok. For the past few days, we have been seeing a lot of news about the future sale of the Chinese application (TikTok). We also saw Instagram’s last venture, Instagram Reels, which is clearly inspired by TikTok. Here, we will tell you why the latter is better and not TikTok.

According to data provided by the Digital 2019 Global Overview study, Instagram has over 1 billion users around the world. So, in its desire to maintain these figures and even increase them, it incorporates new functionalities.

One of the latest additions to the famous photo application has copied TikTok. We know that this is a social platform of Chinese origin. Likewise, it allows us to create videos of up to 60 seconds long. The aim of this is to share these videos in its stories function.

With the arrival of the month in question, we can now do the same on Instagram because of Reels.

What is Instagram Reels?

As we said before, Reels is the new functionality of Instagram.

It works exactly like TikTok with only a few modifications and more functions.

Likewise, we can create videos of up to 60 seconds.

With these videos we can edit them, adding parts of audios, music, effects, and more.

Do you think Reels will triumph?

We believe that this new Instagram tool will be a success for the app. This is, of course, if we take into account that the photo application has copied TikTok’s function.

It’s an app that caught the attention of the younger audience. It also had over 1,500 million users spread over many countries, mainly in the United States.

Likewise, it’s not the first time that Instagram adds success to its list.

The app has “borrowed” functions from other apps before.

A clear example of this is the famous stories in the Snapchat app.

How do Reels work on Instagram?

Managing Reels on Instagram is very simple.

We’ll explain how to create videos with background music or other audios with this new tool:

• First, introduce yourself to the app’s stories.
• Then, the Reels option should appear at the bottom, along with other options such as Super Zoom or Boomerang.
• After clicking on Reels, the app will give you the option of choosing borrowed audio from a video or the option of incorporating a commercial song that you want to include.

Instagram Reels vs TikTok.  We can search these songs with hashtags just like on TikTok.

• Create a video.
• After creating the video, you have the option of editing it by applying filters. You can also modify the video playback speed, or place timed texts, among other things.
• Finally, after editing the video, you can share it on Instagram stories. You can also share with your best friends Instagram’s private messages.

Likewise, the “Top Reels” tool is added to the “Explore” box on Instagram. This is where the most viewed, virtualized, and highlighted music videos, will appear.

The expert “tiktokers” that have a large following will be able to expand more in this app. This, of course, if they know how to use it.

How do you create a reel and what is it for?

Establishing a Reel is easy for users who use the app daily. In general, users are used to making videos with music for Instagram.

In short, it’s one more function of Instagram that offers many possibilities. You can record a video in silence to later place some audio or a song. Or maybe you want to apply some transitions to give it professionalism. Thus, this allows you to let your originality flow, and much more.

Another function that is worth mentioning with Reels is that it allows you to share the videos with your followers. People can also discover you through the Explore function:

• Instagram Reels vs TikTok, If you have a private account: 

Reels respects the privacy settings of your Instagram account.

By sharing your Reel, only your followers will be able to see it. Users who view your Reels won’t be able to use the original audio, and they won’t be able to share your videos with other uses other than your followers.

• If you have a public account: 

You can share your Reel in any section provided by the Explore section. This way you can reach more users within the app.

To share it with your followers, just share it on your feed. To reach more users, you can also use hashtags, songs, or effects. If you do this, your Reel will appear on the pages of a certain hashtag, effect, or song.

By the time your Reel is ready, you can save it as a draft before posting.

You will be able to change the cover image or add hashtags, tag friends, and more.

When you share your Reel, it will appear in a tab within your profile where all the ones you have created will be stored.

This new Instagram tool provides users with much more content, videos with original and fun Instagram background music.

These videos will undoubtedly enhance the creativity of instagramers.

Instagram Reels vs TikTok, How to activate the Reels?

To use Reels, you must open the Instagram camera, which is where the feature is located.

In the latest versions of Instagram, the camera interface changes to be divided into three options:

Live, Story, and Reels.

To activate this tool, you must tap on Reels.

The first time you open the application, it will show you an information window in which you must click Start.

Instagram Reels is available in 50 countries, including Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Brazil, India, and the United States.

If you’re in one of these countries and the tab doesn’t appear, make sure you have the latest version of Instagram installed. Sometimes, it may take a few days before the Reels function is activated on the mobile.

• Open the Instagram camera.
• Once the Reels tab appears, tap on it.
• If it doesn’t appear, update Instagram to the latest version.
• Now, if it still doesn’t appear and you’re in a country where Reels has been activated, be patient. It will end up arriving, eventually.

TikTok

Since the beginning of the quarantine, TikTok has become one of the most downloaded apps, since people use it as entertainment.

With this application, you can create short videos of 15 or 60 seconds, add music from a large catalog of songs or effects and funny phrases. Also, it allows you to change the speed of videos faster or slower and add filters.

During these months, millions of users have experimented with TikTok and created incredible videos. But TikTok also has its cons, for example, we can only share them within the app as a feed, story, or direct message.

Likewise, adding it to another social platform requires downloading the video and uploading it to Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Although we must remember the recent rumors that the app will probably disappear in the United States and some parts of the world. If so, TikTok will have served to inspire the creation of Instagram Reels.

On TikTok you can:

• Create videos of 15 seconds and 60 seconds. Add music found in Spotify or the Apple Music catalog.

But not only that. You can also add song effects you like, plus some pretty funny phrases, as we mentioned above.

• Speed ​​up or slow down a video.
• People can create effects on clips.
• You can post to the stories, feed, or send the video to another user via direct message. You can even download the clip in certain cases.
• To see the TikTok videos, you just have to open the application and view the ones that appear on the main screen, encouraging you to create yours.
• You can only change video by scrolling the clip up
• You can “like” it, share the video with your friends, or leave a comment. There is even a button to “follow” the author.

As you have seen, there are a certain amount of differences that show how both applications have their advantages and disadvantages.

Do you stick with TikTok or Instagram Reels?

Instagram Reels vs TikTok, Why this new functionality?

It’s not clear how long Facebook has been preparing for the global launch of Instagram Reels, but the fact is that it’s seizing a great opportunity.

The Trump administration has long investigated TikTok’s ties to China, where the company that created it (ByteDance) is located.

In early July 2020, Trump threatened to block TikTok in retaliation for the coronavirus. He also raised some concerns about the possible access of the Chinese government to TikTok data and content moderation on the platform.

Given the possible disappearance of TikTok, users and creators are looking for a platform where they can continue to share these types of videos, and Instagram Reels comes to cover that need.

Considering that TikTok is estimated to have a user base of 80 million users in the United States, it may be a perfect opportunity to capture market share. Although, Microsoft has announced that it will buy the rights to the social platform TikTok in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

All this to keep user data on servers in the United States and so that there are no information security problems. Thus, this avoids the ban of the app and it would continue to be a very strong competition against Instagram Reels in the United States.

In India, a similar situation has already occurred, since in early summer 2020 its government blocked the download of multiple Chinese applications, including TikTok. The reason for this was because its government considered that it was a threat to the country’s security. Although, we must mention that these actions do have a political background and borders.

The launch of Instagram Reels in this country at the beginning of July came at the perfect time to take that place.

Differences between Reels and TikTok

We have already explained what each app is about, how it works, and what we can do within it, now, we will explain their differences and explain which one is better.

Let’s get started!

Instagram Reels vs TikTok, Application:

Remember that Reels is not an application, it’s a complementary option to Instagram, as is IGTV. While TikTok it’s a separate social platform.

This influences when polling the content because, in TikTok, it’s easier to know the trending content or to search for specific videos, while in Reels the process is more annoying, despite being like the Asian platform.

Edit videos:

To make a video in Reels, the user only has to slide their screen to the right, while in TikTok they must press the “+” button.

If you have used both applications, you know how it is.

Regarding editing tools, TikTok shows its power by presenting multiple options in your videos.

In Reels, you can only add songs to your videos, change the speed of effects, at least for now.

For example, those of augmented reality that was already presented for stories, text, and a timer.

In the same way, TikTok has many more effects, including the most popular ones such as beauty and photo montage functions.

When editing, both platforms are totally the same, in the sense that you can cut, add effects to each take, and more.

However, as mentioned above, TikTok has more filters and effects.

Instagram Reels vs TikTok, Duration:

In TikTok, the duration of the videos is one minute, while in the new Instagram function it’s only 15 seconds maximum.

It’s a big difference.

However, it depends on what action you use the tool for.

Although both options are for entertainment, we can also use it corporately.

It totally depends merely on the user who is going to use it.

Publication:

When we speak about the publishing aspect, Reels has more variety.

This is thanks to the fact that we can share the new video on Instagram’s feed or only in the Stories.

You can also send it to the best friends section or by Direct Messages.

While in TikTok there is only one publication option and that’s it.

Instagram Reels vs TikTok, Which is one better?

At the moment, TikTok offers many more options to users who want to make this content.

However, Reels is not far behind, it’s a threat behind the millions of users who already use Instagram and can be attracted to this new tool.

The new Instagram tool is very similar to TikTok. Both offer their users the possibility of creating 15-second videos and editing them to suit the user, with filters and many other options.

The big difference between these two apps is that Reels can benefit from Instagram instant messaging, while TikTok cannot.

It’s a great advantage that Reels has over TikTok because it allows users to share the video with whoever they want, not only in the stories of the app.

This allows them to limit their viewing to a specific group of people (such as best friends) or to a single contact or Instagram follower.

From Facebook, and despite the similarities between both tools, they assure that Reels is not a copy of TikTok.

They said that the main objective of this Instagram functionality is the creation of authentic Instagram videos.

So can Reels unseat TikTok or other music video apps? Predicting what is going to happen is complicated.

However, there are a few things that are opposed to the American giant.

The startup that created TikTok is one of the most valuable in the world and they will do everything they can to compete with Instagram Reels.

We can help you!

From BluCactus we have a team of specialists in digital marketing that are highly qualified in carrying out strategies on different social platforms such as Instagram.

If you’re interested in establishing a Social Media strategy that helps you increase your profits through social platforms, contact us.

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