Reels or short videos are highly popular both on Facebook and Instagram. Facebook is doubling its efforts to monetise these videos, and stay ahead of the competitors such as YouTube Shorts, Moj, MX TakaTak. Several new features are being added, and some old features are being dropped.

Facebook is testing its programme Ads on Reels so as to compensate the creators solely by the performance of the reels and not by ad earnings. The same programme will be rolled out on Instagram too.

Reels Play bonus has been phased out in 2023. It rewarded the creators for video goals including performance metrics, post frequency and thematic content.

Facebook proposes a gift scheme. Here the users can purchase gift stars for their favourite creators. Creators will receive a payout of $0.01 for every star received.

Facebook ties up with the campaigns of many brands. It introduced. MadeonReels inviting brands to submit their creative briefs and participate. Selected brands will receive support on Reels at Facebook expense. It will enhance the visibility of Reels.

The Reels were started less than three years ago. Today 2 billion plus Reels are shared everyday (up from 1 billion just six months back).

The short form video advertising market is expanding. It keeps advertisers interested as these are shorter, crisper and snappier messages as compared to TV commercials. Besides, these are made with smaller budgets, and can be produced faster. TV commercials show budgetary extravagance.

There are challenges. One is the content creation with impact on a continuous basis. There are diminishing attention spans, say only the first three seconds in digital landscape. There has to be a fit between brand ethos and the content creator. There is competition from other platforms.

Facebook, despite all this, has retained its hold over this segment — 140 billion daily views across Instagram and Facebook.