What is Happening?

While the US government has been making life difficult for TikTok, Instagram has been busy launching Instagram Reels.

Similar to TikTok, Instagram Reels allows users to create videos set to audio which can be shared in Feed, through Stories, Close Friends or via DMs. Instagram has also redesigned the Explore page to prioritise Reels and will launch a dedicated tab for Reels on users’ profiles.

Compared to TikTok, a large audio catalogue could be a competitive advantage for Reels — not to mention a feature that’s difficult for smaller apps to acquire due to the complicated nature of audio licensing.

What Does it Mean?

With Reels, Instagram’s goal is not just to capture the now potentially up-for-grabs TikTok audience in — it’s to steal them away even if TikTok remains.