No, Facebook Reels and Instagram Reels are different. Although both of these social media platforms are owned by Meta and are indeed similar to each other, there are minute differences that set them apart. When it comes to social media platforms, these minute differences can and do change your experience on the said platform. The experience may not even matter if you are just a casual user of these platforms. After all, you can just switch between the platforms. But if you are a business that relies on these social media platforms, these small differences will determine your marketing strategy drastically.
The question now is – What makes reels on Facebook and Instagram Reels different? For this, we look at these two short video content platforms’ features, pros, and cons and then compile them all into a vs. battle at the end.
But before we do this, let’s know what these platforms are.
Facebook Reels Vs. Instagram Reels: What are they?
Facebook Reels and Instagram Reels are sections within their respective social media platforms for short-form video content. The video content on both Facebook and Insta reels comes with additional features such as music, audio, effects, AR, and customization features.
In this aspect, both Facebook Reels and Instagram reels are identical. They are parts of their social media platforms dedicated to short videos.
Facebook Reels Vs. Instagram Reels: What are their features?
This, again, is one of those areas where both Facebook and Instagram reels are just about the same. The difference is that reels on Facebook are more catered toward the general video, while Insta Reels lean more towards celebrities and business personnel.
Although both short-form video content platforms have similar features, they have subtle differences. Let’s get a quick overview of them.
Features of Facebook Reels
- Video Length: 60 seconds
- Audio Support: Library and Original
- AR Effects: Third-Party and In-App
- Timer and Countdown: Supported
- Speed Control: Enabled
- Multi-Clip: Supported
- Clip Transition: N/A
- Captions: Enabled
- Cover Image: Disabled
- Location and Tagging: Disabled
Features of Instagram Reels:
- Video Length: 90 seconds
- Audio Support: Library and Original
- AR Effects: Third-Party and In-App
- Timer and Countdown: Supported
- Speed Control: Enabled
- Multi-Clip: Supported
- Clip Transition: Align Transition
- Caption: Disabled
- Cover Image: Enabled
- Location and Tagging: Enabled
From this, you can see that Instagram Reels has a slight advantage over Facebook Reels with its longer video length and additional transition feature. The extended video length gives more freedom to the content creators, and the align transition is an additional feature to enhance the video quality.
For those unaware, Align transition enables the content creator to line up objects with the previous clip. One of the best examples of this transition is the outfit change transition.
Facebook Reels Vs. Instagram Reels: Pros and Cons
Regardless of what it is, everything has its share of pros and cons. This applies to both Instagram Reels and Facebook Reels as well. Both of these reel platforms have their pros and cons, especially for the businesses that run on them.
Pros and Cons of Instagram Reels
The primary pro of Insta Reels is that it simply has features that focus on the video content within the reels. Insta reels have benefits for business too. Sure, it may not have captions enabled, but you can see where location tag, brand tag, and cover image of the user/ business that uploaded the content. That said, there are also drawbacks, like the unavailability of the music on their reels for business accounts.
Following is the list of both the pros and cons of Instagram reels.
Pros of Instagram Reels
- Better Organic Views
- View and Like Counts
- Easily interact with the viewers
- Longer Shelf Life
Cons of Instagram Reels
- Inability to Promote Reels
- Restriction on Music for Business Profiles
- Unknown Algorithm
Pros and Cons of Facebook Reels
Like Instagram Reels, Facebook Reels have its share of pros and cons, which are not the same as Instagram Reels. The pros and cons of Facebook reels are the primary determining factor in the battle between Facebook Reels and Instagram Reels.
So what are some of the pros and cons of Facebook Reels?
Pros of Facebook Reels
- Easy to promote
- Easy to Monetize
- Captions for Additional content
- Better Visibility
Cons of Facebook Reels
- No Branded Tags
- Cannot see View Count
- Reduced Communication between viewers and creator
Now when comparing the pros and cons of both Facebook reels and Instagram reels, we can see the difference between two seemingly similar short-form video content platforms. Instagram reels are better for businesses that rely on content with long shelf life and want better interaction with their viewers. This naturally is catered towards celebrities and brands with a customer base.
On the flip side, Facebook Reels is meant for discovering, sharing, and finding new content creators. In fact, you can even share Instagram reels to Facebook. The shelf life of Reels on Facebook is extremely short; however, it is extremely easy to find new content creators. At the same time, the algorithm of Facebook reels is similar to that of TikTok, meaning that if you spend too much time on one type of reel, you will be fed a similar type of reel.
So the difference?
The difference between Facebook Reels and Instagram reels lies in their intended use. As we mentioned earlier, Instagram reels are primarily intended for content creators, celebrities, and brands that already have a presence to some extent. However, you can still grow your viewers and followers via Instagram reel restriction. That said, if you have decent followers, you will find Instagram Reels extremely convenient to keep in touch with them and see the performance of your content.
The opposite is true, as it is harder to know how your content is performed and to stay connected, but it is extremely easy to spread your content and brand through Facebook reels.
Unlike our comparison with Instagram Reels Vs. TikTok Vs. YouTube Shorts, this comparison is a bit harder. These three short-form video content platforms exist under different brands, while here, both Insta reels and facebook reels are a part of Meta.
So the Winner Is?
None. Facebook and Instagram are owned by Meta and are just two faces of the same dice. Facebook is a social media meant for connecting with your personal friends, discovering things you like, and sharing them amongst your group. The same principle applies to Facebook reels as well.
At the same time, Instagram is a platform designed for you to follow your favorite content creator and stay updated with them. The reels of this platform follow a similar concept as well. There is no winner as both of these short-form video content are incomplete. Whether you are a content creator or in the field of digital marketing, you will get the best results if you combine both platforms.
The conclusion may be a bit dull, but we never said this would be an epic battle. If you want that, read the other article we mentioned earlier.
We hope you found this interesting. And as always, thank you for reading till the end.
FAQ
Q: Which are better, Facebook reels or Instagram reels?
A: Facebook reels are better for searching for your audience and appealing to many viewers. In comparison, Instagram Reels are better if you already have a brand niche and want to focus on your brand image rather than search for an audience. So there is no clear “better” one among these two.
Q: Do Facebook reels make money?
A: Yes, you can make money from Facebook Money.
Q: Do Facebook views count on Instagram reels?
A: Yes, they do. Since you can share Instagram reel to Facebook, the views on both mediums count separately.