Discover Instagram’s Reels updates for monetising your content

Instagram, Meta’s popular photo and video sharing platform, has announced a series of updates to its Reels feature, aimed at content creators and influencers. These updates, designed to help creators stay on top of trends, optimise their content and monetise their Reels, include a dedicated trends section, streamlined editing tools, and improved analytics for tracking performance.

The new Reels Trends section, accessible via the Professional Dashboard, enables creators to discover the latest trending audio, hashtags, and topics on the platform.

By staying informed about what’s popular, creators can tailor their content to better engage their audience and increase reach. This feature is reminiscent of TikTok’s Creative Center tools, providing similar insights, albeit with a Reels-specific focus.

Creators can look forward to a more user-friendly editing experience, with the update merging video, stickers, text, and audio track editing into a single screen. This streamlined editing process, similar to TikTok’s CapCut app, makes it easier for creators to produce eye-catching Reels that resonate with their target audience.

Additionally, Instagram is enhancing its analytics for Reels. Users will now have access to metrics such as total watch time, which captures the total time spent watching a Reel, including replays, and average watch time, which measures the average time spent playing a Reel.

These insights will help creators understand their audience’s engagement levels and adjust their content accordingly.

As part of the update, creators will also receive notifications when a new follower discovers them through a Reel, providing valuable insights into how their content contributes to their growth on the platform.

To help creators monetise their Reels, Instagram is expanding its Gifts feature to more countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Mexico, New Zealand, and the UK. Gifts, first tested last year, allows fans to purchase virtual Stars to support their favourite creators with themed virtual gifts.

By acknowledging and thanking their top supporters, creators can foster stronger connections with their community and drive further engagement.

Instagram’s new Reels feature updates are a timely response to the growing scrutiny surrounding TikTok, its primary competitor in the short-form video market. As governments around the world express concerns about TikTok and its potential security risks, Meta is taking the opportunity to bolster its rival product, making it more attractive and user-friendly for creators.

These updates not only enhance the overall Reels experience but also provide content creators with additional tools and opportunities to monetise their work on the platform.