Glossary/Instagram Reels
What is Instagram Reels?
Short answer
Instagram Reels is short vertical video that the platform also shows to people outside the creator's followers. Reach comes down to the material itself: the first seconds, the editing and the topic, not the size of the account. In a brand collaboration the creator films a reel in their own style, with the product part of the story rather than an ad added at the end.
What exactly is a reel on Instagram?
A reel stays on the profile, but its life starts in recommendations: the platform pushes it to new people if the material holds attention and gets watched to the end. Hence the emphasis on the first seconds, and on the video making sense without sound as well. A product shown in the middle of a reel works better than an advertising slogan right at the start.
How is Reels different from Stories?
In reach and in how long it lasts. A Story mainly goes to followers and disappears after a day. A reel stays on the profile and can be shown to new people long after it was published, so it keeps working even once the campaign has ended. A Story is closer to a conversation; a reel is edited material that costs the creator noticeably more work.
Why do brands order Reels?
Because a reel gives access to people who do not know the brand yet, and at the same time stays in the creator's portfolio as lasting material. For a brand it is a format where a smaller profile can deliver reach comparable to a large one, if the topic lands. For a creator it is a way to grow their own community while getting paid for the work.
Where to order it or find tasks
Related terms
Words that come up in the same conversations. Each has its own definition in the glossary.
- TikTok
- A short video platform where material reaches mainly people who do not follow the author. An account with few followers can still get large reach there. Read more
- Views
- The number of times the material was played, repeats by the same people included. Always higher than reach, which is why it is easy to mistake for the number of viewers. Read more
- Instagram Story
- Material that disappears after 24 hours and is watched full screen. It gives quick contact with the most active part of the audience and lets you add a link. Read more
- Feed post
- A publication that stays on the profile for good. It collects reactions more slowly than video, but it works as a calling card for the collaboration, one you can come back to. Read more
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a big account for Reels?
No. The material largely goes to people who do not follow the creator, so reach depends mainly on the topic and the first seconds. A smaller account with a good idea can collect more than a large one with something made on autopilot.
How much does a reel collaboration cost?
It depends on the niche, the scope of rights and whether the brand wants to use the material in paid advertising. We give rate ranges for each niche, because the differences between categories can be really large.
Can a brand use a reel in its own advertising?
Yes, if it was written into the task together with the period and the market. Without that clause the creator only provides the post on their own profile, and the rights to the material stay with them.
