Facebook Is Introducing “Reels”, and Plans to Start With Users in the U.S

As battle rages on TikTok’s number one position, Facebook tests “Facebook Reels” in the US. The company announced this morning that it is testing this new feature that will allow its users to create and share short-form video content directly as News Feed or within a Facebook group. 

As earlier reported by Reuters, this is an extension of the trials launched in India, Mexico and Canada. These tests focused on providing short videos to Facebook users, including sharing existing Instagram videos on Facebook. 

Additionally, Facebook said today that it will be testing a new feature that will allow Instagram creators in the United States to feature their Instagram Reels as recommended content on Facebook. When Creators decide to join, their videos appear in the Reel section of the user’s feed, along with other videos created on Facebook.

As the new feature rolls out, there will be a lot of places for users to create Reels from Facebook. Initially, you can tap the Create button in the Reels section that appears as you scroll through the newsfeed while viewing the reels, or by tapping Reels at the top of your newsfeed. From here, users have access to a standard set of creation tools. This includes tools for video capture, music selection, camera roll import, timed text, and more — much like you would have access to on Instagram. 

For audio, you are allowed to choose a song from Facebook’s music library, record your own original sound, or even use someone else’s audio (that is, if their settings is “Public”. There are also a variety of effects and editing tools to choose from, including a hands-free Reels timer, tools to speed up or slow down parts of your video or original sound, and a variety of augmented reality effects available from Facebook or Third party developers. 

What To Expect

For now, most of Instagram Reels features will also be available on Facebook Reels. However, as the test extends to more people, other features like Remix will be added over time. The Reels user interface is sure to evolve over time so that it looks a bit different from Instagram’s Reels based on user feedback. 

Once a Reel has been created, you can choose a specific audience like “Friends”, “Friends except the following” or share to the general public. The default setting is “General Public”. 

This feature will be available in Facebook groups, where you can create Reels and then share them with community members with similar interests. 

Users can also choose to visit “My Reels” to view those shared in the past. You can browse Reels created by others in the News Feed and selected Groups and Pages as well. Just like a normal post, you can  like, comment, or share Reels too. Reels will likely appear in Search Results, and most likely be recommended to users based on their interests, engagement, and what Facebook thinks is popular.