What started as an attempt to mimic popular app TikTok’s continuous short-video platform style has now gained its popularity– According to LinkedIn, 30% of the time spent on Instagram’s platform is spent watching Instagram Reels.
Senior Tehya Jacobs believes reels have risen in popularity after evolving in humor, combining the sense of TikTok and YouTube into one feed. Instagram uses an algorithm of user activity to recommend personalized videos on everybody’s feed, allowing users to find a niche of content that they enjoy.
When scrolling through Reels, there is a never-ending amount of content that is specifically tailored for each of its millions of users; from cooking to traveling to humor to lifestyle to fashion, every viewer’s interests are conveniently stationed on Instagram.
“There are many diverse sections of Instagram Reels,” senior Evan Sanger said. “Every time I open Instagram Reels I find something that makes me laugh out loud.”
Though short-form videos are common across social media platforms alike, one difference has added a new aspect to video consumption: the likes on Reels are publicly displayed, sharing what videos students are interacting with.
“It’s a little overbearing, what people are liking should not be out there,” Jacobs said. “I don’t approve.”
Furthermore, sophomore Laura Turner said that the feature stops her from interacting with videos, as she does not want others wondering why she liked them. However, Turner said that one of her favorite features of Reels is seeing the weird stuff that people have liked.
“It’s really funny,” Turner said. “Sometimes I’ll send Reels and say ‘Why did you like this?’ Because some people like some really weird stuff.”
Over a billion Instagram Reels are sent in a single day according to LinkedIn. With Instagram’s largely established Direct Messaging system videos can be sent with just a few clicks, further contributing to Reel’s popularity.
“I am always watching and sending videos to my friends that they will like,” Sanger said. “It’s nice to see videos specific to you or your friends in your messages.”
