The day has come, and Instagram is finally pretty clear with its users about TikTok re-posts within the Reels features. Do you remember when TikTok’s future in the US was uncertain, and Instagram Reels was entering the scene? The social media giant’s foster child Reels is TikTok’s clone, and many believe it Fails To Fill In The Gap After TikTok’s Ban. Instead of creating content via Reels, users are continuing to create within TikTok to then share their content in Reels. Apparently, Instagram doesn’t like it. 

The platform has been quite discreet about the issue, implying very indirectly in their tips on creating great Reels content that they will not promote users re-posting TikTok clips on their platform. Instagram, of course, did not mention anything about TikTok or re-posting, but they stated that only the content which uses original Reels audios from the Reels music library and audio tools and created with Reels camera, would be promoted. However, the message was probably too subtle for most users as they continued re-posting from TikTok. So, recently, Instagram felt the urge to issue some new advice on succeeding on Reels, sharing more explicit warnings about re-posts.

In their new “Don’t Post A Reel That” suggestions, they made it very clear that Reels content that is:

  • blurry due to low-resolution
  • is visibly recycled from other apps (uh! the hints tho)
  • is uploaded with a border around it 
  • has the majority of the message covered by text 

will not be recommended to the users who don’t follow the creator on the Reels tab. Still, if the Reels meet the Community Guidelines, they will be shown to the creator’s followers on the creator’s Profile or Feed. 

Once again, Instagram certainly does not get clear on names and terms, but this time, they made it pretty obvious that their concerns are about TikTok re-posts as every point mentioned in the announcement matches with the videos uploaded from TikTok. These types of content are blurry and have TikTok watermarks. The Instagram algorithm will detect such posts and downrank them within the Reels tab and Explore, which will eliminate the chances of the Reels users to widen their audience or go viral on the platform. 

Instagram confirmed the updates of the algorithm to The Verge, explaining that they are: “building on what we’ve learned from Explore to recommend fun and entertaining videos in places like the Reels tab and personalize the experience. We are getting better at using ranking signals that help us predict whether people will find a reel entertaining and whether we should recommend it.” 

The platform also shared tips on maximizing the reach of Reels posts encouraging users to upload Reels that:

  • are entertaining and fun 
  • are inspiring
  • use creative tools like texts, filters, or camera effects
  • use vertical videos 
  • use music from the Instagram music library and/or original audio created or found on Reels
  • are an experiment! Try something new, be yourself, and see what works for you

Creating fun and entertaining content is not always easy, but at least, Instagram is quite detailed about their guidelines and provides clear parameters for users to focus on, so that they can approach their content accordingly. It will be interesting to see if users’ behavior will change after Instagram shared these new tips. Stay tuned to MusicPromoToday’s blogs and Instagram to be updated on the topic and get the latest and most credible music industry news and tips.