Instagram’s Algorithm Cracks Down on Reels Reposters

Instagram introduced the Reels feature to their platform in August of 2020. They first launched this feature in the USA and 50 other countries and later rolled it out to other countries.  Since then, it has become one of the most popular sections on Instagram, with millions of repeat users every day. 

Reels allow you to record and edit 15 to 30 seconds videos that you can later save and share on the platform. The feature also allows creators to add AR filters to make their videos look unique. 

After the Instagram Reels feature was introduced, many people compared it to TikTok – they have a lot in common. Many people who use Reels usually repost videos from TikTok instead of recording videos with the Instagram camera app itself. 

This move by creators hasn’t gone well with Instagram, which has forced the platform to tweak its algorithm in favor of creators that use the inbuilt Reels feature to create videos instead of other third-party platforms. Any videos with watermarks will significantly get fewer impressions than those made within the app itself – this was part of the new release that Instagram recently posted. 

If you’re a creator, you’ll likely see a drop in engagement if you post videos that bear watermarks with third-party logos, especially that of TikTok. 

TikTok is a better option for most creators when it comes to short videos. Even Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, acknowledges that TikTok is still ahead of them. Instagram’s move to de-rank all videos with watermarks was virtually one way to invite more creators to use their inbuilt Reels feature to create videos. This way, they will be able to get more data about how creators are using available features within the platform, enabling them to improve Reels. 

Like any other platform would have done, Instagram’s decision to de-rank Reels videos with third-party logos promotes the usage of their in-house features. Eventually, creators will be forced to use the Instagram-made features within Reels if they want their content to perform well.