Meta says it has introduced new updates to its Reels, both on Facebook and Instagram. The company, which made the announcement on its “Meta for Creators” platform, says Instagram users can now record up to 90-seconds videos on Reels up from the initial 60 seconds.
The company has been testing 90-second Reels with select users for some months, and now, the feature is rolling out to everyone. While this goes against the short-form nature of Reels, TikTok increased the length of its video content in July 2021 (3 minutes) and then a few months ago (in February, to be precise) to 10 minutes and it’s still popular given it’s the most downloaded app.
Meta is also adding a variety of Instagram Stories stickers to Reels like polls, quiz, and emoji slider stickers. The social media company is also introducing a new audio import feature meaning Facebook Reels will now support voiceovers for recordings, so users can add narrations to their videos.
Meta also announced a new feature for its newly added Facebook Reels—Sound Sync. “Sound Sync lets you automatically sync your video clips to the beat of your favorite song,” Meta says. This could help creators make better Reels videos.
Last but not least, Meta is introducing Templates, a feature that enables users to “quickly and easily create their own reel using the same structure as a previously viewed reel.”
Other features which are aimed at professional creators include desktop-based video clipping tools that make it easier to test out Reels with long-form, recorded, or live videos. Using Creator Studio, for instance, they can convert their content into Facebook Reels. Gamers will also have access to tools that allow them to create short, vertical Reels directly from their Live content, with both gameplay and the creator cam in view at the same time
Creators will also now have the ability to create, edit, and schedule their Facebook Reels directly from their desktop computers.
Additionally, Facebook will promote Reels in its Feed globally and in Watch and Groups in an effort to increase discovery and help content creators gain wider exposure.
