Instagram has just announced that it will allow users to post Reels videos up to 3 minutes long, double the previous 90-second limit. This information was announced by Adam Mosseri, Director of Instagram, emphasizing that this change comes from user feedback that 90 seconds “is too short.”
This is a major change from Mosseri, who announced last July that Instagram would not pursue longer videos because this could affect the platform's “core” of connecting people with people. friend.
This decision was made in the context that TikTok, which has allowed 3-minute videos since 2021, is preparing to face a ban in the US. According to the plan, TikTok will “turn off the lights” this coming Sunday when the ban officially takes effect.
Is Instagram late in the Reels race?
Instagram's expansion of Reels' time limit comes quite late. It's been more than two years since the platform allowed 90-second videos to be posted. Instagram previously tested increasing the limit to 10 minutes, but has not yet officially rolled it out, limiting longer videos only to non-Reels posts.
Expanding the Reels duration to 3 minutes can help Instagram attract more users, especially in the context that TikTok is at risk of disappearing from the US market. However, the likelihood of success will depend on whether Instagram can maintain a seamless experience for users.
If TikTok is indeed banned in the US, this could create a huge opportunity for competing platforms such as Instagram, YouTube Shorts or RedNote (Xiaohongshu). But whether Instagram can really take advantage of this opportunity to replace TikTok will depend on many other factors.
If TikTok disappears, what will be the opportunity for Instagram?
TikTok currently has about 170 million users in the US, most of whom are young people. If the platform disappears, these people will find new places to create and consume short content. Instagram Reels has a great advantage because it is already integrated into the Instagram ecosystem, which is a familiar social network to many TikTok users.
Instagram's decision to raise the limit to 3 minutes helps the platform better meet the need for longer content creation, one of TikTok's strengths in the past. At the same time, if Instagram can provide better tools for creators, such as editing features, unique effects, and monetization opportunities, they can attract their content creation team. TikTok.
