The competition to be the best platform for video sharing continues as Instagram allows Reels videos to now be up to one minute long.

In 2020, Tik Tok extended video time limits to 60 seconds when users were stitching four 15 second segments together in-app. However, using a pre-recorded video from your camera roll, or even saved from Instagram, there is no time limit.

The extension to 60 second Reels allows users and brands to create snappy content under a minute before they must graduate to IGTV for long-form content. But do we need Reels to be this long?

We know that impact has to be made within the first 3 seconds of a video for it to retain viewers (and also count as a view for engagement), so there is a certain amount of pressure to now hold an Instagram user’s attention for a whole minute on Reels (which is tough).

Tik Tok and Reels were built on the premise of being snackable pieces of content that were more or less over in 15 seconds. Instagram upped it to 30 seconds earlier this year which allows more room for creative content, sure, but is edging on most users swiping away. The way that Tik Tok and Reels’ make users swipe on and on means they’re not compelled to watch any longer than they deem necessary, so choosing the right content is incredibly important.

Another recent Reels update was also poached from Tik Tok’s Duet function: Remix. This allows users to jump onto trends like viral dances, make-up looks or recipes to show their take. It’s a step that encourages users to get involved rather than sitting back and watching.

Have you got started on Reels yet? Or would you like to and unsure where to start. We’ve got some ideas for you!