Instagram opens up Trial Reels feature to more creators

Instagram Trial Reels

We first heard about Trial Reels last year, and Instagram launched the feature to a limited number of creators back in December. Now the social media giant is giving more people access to the feature which is designed to help grow a following.

There is not yet free access to Trial Reels for everyone and anyone; there are entry requirements. The promotion tool is aimed at creators, and a following of at least 1,000 is needed to get started. You will also need to have an account that is set to public. So, if you meet these criteria, what does Trial Reels mean for you?

As well as being a way for creators to build a larger following, Instagram is hoping that it also encourages great experimentation. When Trial Reels first received a limited launch, the company said:

We're introducing Trial Reels, a new way to try out content and see what performs best, by giving you the option to share reels with people who don't follow you. If you've ever found yourself wanting to experiment with new ideas without the worry of how your followers might react, trial reels give you the freedom to take your creativity even further while helping to take the guesswork out of how your content could perform.

Translated, the feature provides a way to try out different types of content without the risk of alienating or scaring off your existing followers. It’s a way to take risks, but with less risk.

The fact that Trial Reels are shared first of all with account that do not follow you, they serve the dual purpose of acting as an advertisement, and gives the chance to branch out into new areas in terms of content, tone, or style.

Instagram is still experimenting with how the feature works, it seems. Describing how it works the company says:

To share a reel as a trial, simply take the usual steps to create a reel. Before sharing, tap the toggle to turn on Trial. After sharing your trial reel, you can find it by visiting your profile where it will appear alongside any drafts you have. Only you will be able to see that your reel is a trial. Only you will be able to see that your reel is a trial. It will not be shown to other people on your profile unless you later decide to share it with everyone, and your followers won't see the trial reel in their feed or Reels tab.

However, there is also the following note:

Some followers may still see a trial reel in other places. For example, someone might share your reel with them in a direct message or on a page that shows reels with the same audio, location or filter.

After a period of around 24 hours, Instagram says that it will share information about engagement with Trial Reels so creators can get an idea of how they were received. By default, if Instagram decides a Trial Reel performed well, it will be shared with everyone after 72 hours – but there is the option of turning this off if you would prefer to stay in firm control of how and when content is shared. 

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