Food for thought: a staggering 89% of marketers plan to increase (or maintain) their investment in short-form video in 2022. Show
That’s because short videos are the perfect way to build brand awareness and educate customers without losing their attention. But content on Reels and TikTok is totally different than pretty much anything else you need on social media. If you don’t quite “get it,” we can help! In this guide, we’ll break down these two dominant short-form social platforms including similarities, differences and best practices for both. Our #1 Most Requested Feature is HereSave time with our powerful TikTok management tool. Test our TikTok integration in a free trial today. Published on What is TikTok, anyway?With over 1 billion monthly active users, TikTok is booming as the hub of short-form video on social media. TikTok’s trademark? Loud looping videos that you share with your friends. The platform is infamous for off-the-cuff video content that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Unlike other social networks where videos might be meticulously edited, unpolished and organic content tends to perform best on TikTok. Here’s a quick rundown of the types of videos that are popular on TikTok:
Although TikTok’s reputation is anything but businesslike, the platform is rightfully attracting interest from brands. Product-centric posts and recommendations dominate the platform. This signals a huge window of opportunity for marketers and advertisers. In fact, 84% of marketers are increasing their spending on TikTok. The good news? All of the content types above are totally fair game for brands. TikTok’s emphasis on community and sharing empowers brands to make connections with customers while also showing off products in action. For example, brands like Yours Skincare have built an organic and ad presence on TikTok that centers around skincare tips, product showcases and explainer videos breaking down beauty product ingredients. Coupled with fast edits, voice-overs and in-app music, these videos seamlessly blend entertainment value with education. This not only empowers brands to show off what they’re selling but also lets their brand voice shine. If you’re still trying to wrap your head around the platform, check out our quick guide to TikTok. What are Instagram Reels?Released in 2020, Reels represent Instagram’s response to TikTok re: short-form video. That’s kind of where the “Reels vs. TikTok” narrative comes from. Reels shares many of the same features and functions of TikTok which is why the two platforms are often thought of interchangeably when it comes to video content. Recent Instagram stats reveal that Reels are among the platform’s most popular features. Coupled with Stories, carousels and even longer-form video, the release of Reels allows brands on Instagram to cover all of their bases when it comes to visual content. Whereas TikTok leans heavily on trends, videos on Reels tend to resemble more “traditional” video content that’s simply stylized to fit the vertical format. In the early days of Reels, many brands would simply cross-post content directly from TikTok. That changed quickly when Instagram announced that their algorithm would deprioritize content containing the TikTok watermark. This has not only reduced direct cross-posting but also encouraged brands to reimagine what they should do with Reels at large. Popular among ecommerce brands, Reels are typically used to:
Check out Stitch Fix’s Reels tab, for reference. Notice the combination of seemingly “organic” content versus the more traditional videos with stylized text and backdrops. The videos themselves aren’t so different from what you might see on TikTok in terms of visuals and music (although they’re arguably a bit more polished). Think of Reels as an extension of your existing Instagram presence where your brand can be discovered beyond your feed via Instagram’s native search or the Reels tab on any profile. This is where TikTok differs since their content discovery primarily happens through your “For You” page (FYP). To learn more, check out our breakdown of how Instagram Reels work. Instagram Reels vs. TikTok: comparing features and characteristicsThe battle of Reels vs. TikTok seems like an even matchup considering both platforms encourage short-form video content. That said, they’re far from the same. Let’s take a deeper dive into the similarities and differences shared by both networks. Reels vs. TikTok: how they’re similarThere’s no denying the similarities between the platforms. After all, Reels was a direct result of TikTok’s growing popularity. And so you’ll often see the same pieces of content overlap across branded accounts with subtle differences in terms of creatives, captions and hashtags. See hair care brand Arctic Fox Hair Color’s content below: Beyond what we’ve already discussed, here’s a quick rundown of what Reels and TikTok have in common:
Reels vs. TikTok: how they’re differentWe’ll say it again: TikTok and Reels aren’t identical! Here are the key differences that marketers should know:
Can’t pick between Reels vs. TikTok? Why not both?Both TikTok’s rapid growth and the popularity of Reels signal the importance of short-form video moving forward. While competition is fierce in industries such as fashion and beauty, there are so many opportunities when it comes to short-form branded videos. Whether you stick to one platform or go with both, you need to brainstorm how to tie your social video campaigns to actual business goals. If you haven’t already, make sure to read our guide to building a social media marketing strategy that does exactly that. Categories
Brent Barnhart Brent Barnhart is a professional writer and content critic. When he's not battling the latest buzzwords, you can often find him strumming the nearest guitar. Feel free to bug him on Twitter or check out his website (brentwrites.com) Read all articles by Brent Barnhart Subscribe to our newsletter for social resourcesJoin 70,000+ professionals and become a better social media marketer. Get social media resources and tips in your inbox weekly. Where are the reels on TikTok?Where to find new TikTok and Reels trends. On Instagram: Visit the Explore Page.. On TikTok: Visit the Trending Page.. Watch Videos by Other Creators.. Search for Trending Hashtags.. Find Trends Online.. How do you add TikTok reels?Repurpose Your TikTok Videos for Instagram Reels. Step #1. Upload your video to TikTok.. Step #2. Copy the link.. Step #3. Paste your link in a third-party tool to download it without the TikTok logo.. Step #4. Save the new video to your Camera Roll.. How do I find the reel video?To find reels with a certain audio or hashtag, you can: Tap the audio name or hashtag at the bottom of the reel to see a page with other reels that use the same audio or hashtag. Search for specific hashtags in the search bar at the top.
Are there reels on TikTok?The first difference between TikTok and IG Reels is that you can respectively record videos up to 60 and 30 seconds on them. So, at the moment, Tiktok gives you twice the time Instagram gives its users on Reels. In the beginning, TikTok videos could only be 15s long, but they extended the limit to 60 seconds.
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