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Tag: Reels

  • Instagram reels tops India’s short-video charts

    Instagram reels tops India’s short-video charts

    MUMBAI: It’s reel life, not real life, that has India hooked. Five years since its debut, Instagram reels has danced its way to the top of the short-video throne, leaving rivals trailing behind.

    A new IPSOS study commissioned by Meta shows that reels has become the country’s favourite short-form video platform. Out of more than 3,500 people surveyed across 33 Indian cities, a staggering 92 per cent picked reels over other formats, making it more popular than television, Youtube or any competing app.

    The numbers are eye-catching. Nearly everyone watches short-form video daily, and 95 per cent of those surveyed say they watch reels every day, putting it at least 12 points ahead of other platforms. It’s not just a Gen Z craze either. Reels is also the go-to for urban audiences in higher-income households.

    Meta India’s boss Arun Srinivas puts it simply. “India is leading the world in video adoption, and Reels is at the centre of this shift.”

    From viral dance-offs to grwm tutorials and witty memes, Reels has become the cultural engine of India’s internet. The study found that viewers flock to content in fashion, beauty and film, consuming 20–40 per cent more of it here than on other platforms. For creators, reels is even more powerful. Engagement levels are about one third higher compared to competing apps.

    It’s not just entertainment. Reels is also driving business. Eight in ten Indians say they discover new brands on Meta’s platforms. Ads on reels are proving potent too, with twice the top-of-mind recall and four times the message association of long-form video ads.

    In short, reels is more than a passing trend. It has reshaped how India consumes video, spurred creators to new heights and become a launchpad for brands. For marketers, the message is clear: think in reels or risk being left out of the picture.

     

  • Saregama snaps up more of Pocket Aces, goes all in on youth initiative

    Saregama snaps up more of Pocket Aces, goes all in on youth initiative

    MUMBAI: Saregama has snapped up a further 36.63 per cent of Pocket Aces for a cool Rs 127.47 crore. This latest splurge, a second tranche if you will, pushes Saregama’s ownership to a dominant 90.37 per cent, leaving little room for anyone else at the digital buffet.

    The deal, finalised on 29 March  2025, sees Saregama hoovering up a veritable smorgasbord of shares, from equity to an array of convertible preference shares. Pocket Aces, boasting a digital empire of 175 million followers across its FilterCopy, Dice Media, Nutshell and Gobble channels, and a talent roster of over 215 influencers via Clout, is now firmly under Saregama’s wing. The company declared this to the BSE through a regulatory filing on Saturday. 

    Pocket Aces, with a back catalogue of over 35,000 content pieces, from digital originals  to those ubiquitous reels, is a digital goldmine for Saregama, keen to woo the 18-35 demographic.

    Pocket Aces’ financials reveal a turnover of Rs 8859.17 lakhs for FY 24, a slight dip from the previous year’s Rs 10267.93 lakhs, but Saregama is betting on synergies, not just spreadsheets. The acquisition, which includes a related party transaction with a Pocket Aces director – all done “at arm’s length”, naturally – is being touted as a strategic masterstroke.

    “This isn’t just about owning content; it’s about owning the conversation,” an industry observer chirped, with the knowledge that  Pocket Aces’ vast network can be used by Saregama to turbocharge its music library.

    With influencers, long-form content, and snackable reels all under one roof, Saregama is clearly aiming to be the king of the digital jungle.

  • Meta serves up AI sauce for better creator and influencer marketing

    Meta serves up AI sauce for better creator and influencer marketing

    MUMBAI: Meta has dropped digital innovations, unveiling AI-powered creator marketing solutions that promise to turn brand partnerships into growth rockets.

    Meta director and head of ads business in India Arun Srinivas couldn’t contain his excitement: “The world’s largest community of Instagram creators is right here in India, and it’s no surprise that we’re seeing strong momentum around brands partnering with them to drive sales and ROAS. Meta’s creator marketing solutions such as partnership ads and Instagram creator marketplace can help brands easily discover, connect, and drive performance with creators to get the most out of the partnerships. The new tools we’re launching today harness the power of AI to make creator discovery even more seamless for brands, in turn boosting growth potential for both brands and creators.”

    Case in point: Snitch, a  fashion brand, saw a awesome 53 per cent increase in return on ad spend by leveraging Reels and creator content., according to its chief business officer Aniket Singh.

    The new toolkit is a creator’s dream and a marketer’s secret weapon:
    * AI-powered creator content recommendations that predict partnership magic within the partnership ads hub in ads manager
    * Keyword search in Instagram’s creator marketplace letting brands hunt for the perfect content creators. Previously, brands needed to leverage a variety of filters to find their ideal creator set. Granular filters spanning everything from “Bollywood dance steps” to “gadget unboxing.”

    To help businesses better discover and evaluate creator fit, Meta has also added a variety of features to Instagram’s creator marketplace
    * Playable creator reels
    * Direct email contacts for seamless collaboration
    * Badges showing creators’ partnership experience
    * Active Partnership Ads: Meta will now show a creator’s current partnership ads on their creator profile. 
    * Marketing API expansions for partnership ads

    Advertisers can also now use existing Instagram posts for partnerships ads in both placement asset customisation and Advantage+ Creative when creating ads via API.  In addition, partnership ads can now be used for click-to-message destinations.

    Meta’s data suggests partnership ads outperform traditional creatives by a whopping 96 per cent confidence interval – proving that human creativity, turbocharged by AI, is the new marketing holy grail.

    With India leading global Reels production and hosting the largest Instagram creator community, brands are in for a wild ride.

    Bottoms up to the creator economy!

  • Blink Digital, Meta, and OML host workshop on using reels for performance marketing

    Blink Digital, Meta, and OML host workshop on using reels for performance marketing

    Mumbai: Blink Digital is excited to announce a strategic partnership with Meta and Only Much Louder to deliver an intensive one-day workshop on 28 May, focused on the power of Reels in performance marketing. This initiative aims to educate brands and marketers on creating compelling, thumb-stopping content that drives both engagement and action. With the growing importance of short-form video content, the workshop will highlight the benefits of investing in Reels as high-performing assets.

    Blink Digital, an award-winning independent digital agency, aims to bring their learning of global clients to India. With a staggering 100M spent on reel by Blink last year, the session will be power-packed with insights and learnings with Meta as a leading discovery platform and Only Much Louder enhancing the focus on creator content, this workshop represents a unique opportunity for brands and creators alike to stay ahead in the dynamic field of performance marketing.

    Meta, India head of agency Gaurav Singh will deliver the keynote address, setting the stage for a series of sessions and workshops. Topics include ‘Reels in Modern Marketing’ by Anoop Menon, Agency Partner at Meta, India, and ‘Creating High-Performance Reels’ by Dia Kirpalani, Head of Creative Strategy at Blink Digital.

    “This initiative is designed to educate brands at the forefront of the digital ecosystem,” said Blink Digital co-founder and COO Rikki Agarwal. He added, “Utilising short-form video content on Reels is crucial for brands to thrive online. We grasp the nuances of the global market and aim to bring those insights to India. At Blink Digital, we are convinced that creativity is paramount, and when executed well, it drives the performance brands require.”

    Only Much Louder CEO  Gunjan Arya added, “We are excited to bring our network of creators and brand partners to this workshop, with whom OML has had the privilege to keep in step with as the platform has grown. Borrowing from our insights having worked with over 10,000+ creators in 20+ countries, we are offering participants real-world insights and practical tips on creating impactful Reels. We assure you that everyone attending will gain valuable knowledge and skills, making this workshop beneficial for both brands and creators alike.”

    Join us for an exclusive session where we share our insider secrets. Learn how to optimise your media spending, ensure each investment delivers exceptional ROI, and drive remarkable growth. RSVP now to secure your spot and take the first step toward unlocking your brand’s full potential.

    You can register and see the agenda here – https://blinkdigital.in/metaday/

    When – Tuesday, 28th May

    Time – 10:30 am onwards

    Where – Meta Office, One BKC, Mumbai

  • Mark Zuckerberg expects Meta to return to healthier revenue growth trends next year

    Mark Zuckerberg expects Meta to return to healthier revenue growth trends next year

    Mumbai: In a conference call with analysts to discuss the third quarter 2022 results, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that in terms of the business, total revenue grew slightly this quarter on a constant currency basis. “We’re still behind where I think we should be, but we believe that we will return to healthier revenue growth trends next year. That said, it’s not clear that the economy has stabilised yet, so we’re planning our budget somewhat more conservatively.”

    He noted that the company in the quarter had launched JioMart on WhatsApp in India. “It’s our first end-to-end shopping experience that shows the potential for chat-based commerce through messaging.” He said that beyond Reels, messaging is another major monetisation opportunity. “Billions of people and millions of businesses use WhatsApp and Messenger every day, and we’re confident we can connect them in ways that create valuable experiences.”

    For the record, Meta’s share price fell by 20 per cent in after-hours trading after it reported its fourth straight quarterly decline in profit. Analysts want Meta to cut costs. Some analysts describe Meta’s investments as being confusing and confounding.

    Zuckerberg also said that Meta’s product trends look better than what the commentary that he has seen suggests.

    “Our community continued to grow this quarter. We now reach more than 3.7 billion people monthly across our family of apps. And while we continue to navigate some challenging dynamics—a volatile macroeconomy, increasing competition, ad signal loss, and growing costs from our long-term investments—Iq have to say that our product trends look better from what I see than some of the commentary I’ve seen suggests.”

    He said that three of the areas that Meta is very focused on are the AI discovery engine, the ads and business messaging platforms, and the future vision for the metaverse. “I believe the tougher prioritisation, discipline, and efficiency that we’re driving across the organisation will help us navigate the current environment and emerge an even stronger company.”

    Reels, which is its short-form video platform, continues to grow quickly across apps—both in production and consumption. “There are now more than 140 billion reels played across Facebook and Instagram each day. That’s a 50 per cent increase from six months ago. Reels are incremental to time spent on our apps. The trends look good here, and we believe that we’re gaining time spent on competitors like TikTok.”

    While analysts are unsure about whether the big bets on areas like the Metaverse will pay off, Zuckerberg expressed confidence in the work being done in the Metaverse space. “We just had our Connect conference and announced Quest Pro, which we just started shipping. It’s our new high-end VR headset that delivers high-resolution mixed reality so you can blend virtual objects into the physical environment around you. It’s pretty amazing when you see it, and it’s going to enable all kinds of new experiences in socializing, gaming, fitness, and work. I’m really looking forward to seeing what people build with this new capability.

    Working in the metaverse is a big theme for Quest Pro. There are 200 million people who get new PCs every year, mostly for work. Our goal for the Quest Pro line over the next several years is to enable more and more of these people to get their work done in virtual and mixed reality, eventually even better than they could on PCs.”

    He dwelt on the importance of partnerships. “To deliver a great work and productivity experience, I’m excited about the partnerships we announced with Microsoft bringing their suite of productivity and enterprise management services to Quest, Adobe and Autodesk bringing their creative tools, Zoom bringing their communication platform, Accenture building solutions for enterprises, and more.

    “There’s still a long road ahead to build the next computing platform, but we are clearly doing leading work here. This is a massive undertaking, and it’s often going to take a few versions of each product before they become mainstream. But I think our work is going to be of historic importance and create the foundation for an entirely new way that we will interact with each other and blend technology into our lives, as well as a foundation for the long term of our business.”

  • Facebook to start testing ads on Instagram Reels

    Facebook to start testing ads on Instagram Reels

    New Delhi: Social media giant Facebook Inc said on Thursday that it will begin testing advertisements on Instagram Reels in India as it aims to expand revenue from its short-form video feature. It will also launch this feature in a few other countries including Brazil, Germany, and Australia.

    The social media platform plans to cash in on the popularity of Instagram Reels in India — a fast-growing social media market. 

    “The introduction of ads is an indication of how strong the momentum is for Reels,” said Facebook vice president – global business group Carolyn Everson. “It is a big deal for marketers.”

    Facebook plans to test other features in India, such as letting content creators share Reels videos on their Facebook accounts, according to a report published by Reuters. As with other content on Reels, ads can be up to 30 seconds long and users can choose to skip the ads.

    The Mark Zuckerberg-owned tech behemoth also announced that it will let advertisers select categories of video content they want to place ads on, such as videos about children and parenting, animals and pets, or fitness and workouts. Advertisers typically use Facebook to target certain users by their interests.

    In addition to this, the social networking platform will begin testing sticker ads for Facebook Stories. Brands can create stickers that creators will place in their Stories, and influencers will earn a cut of any sales made through the sticker ads.

    According to government data, India has as many as 41 crore Facebook users and as many as 21 crore people who use Instagram.

  • Instagram follows TikTok, launches ‘Remix’ on Reels

    Instagram follows TikTok, launches ‘Remix’ on Reels

    NEW DELHI: In a bid to overpower short-video platform TikTok, image sharing app Instagram has rolled out a new feature called Remix. The Remix feature allows users to remix reels which means they can upload a video next to another user's, building on top of the original clip.

    To launch the Remix feature, users should click on the three dots that show up on the top right corner of the Reel, and choose Remix This Reel option. While using this feature, the screen will split into two parts; one part will carry the original reel, while the second will be your new reel. After recording, users can control the volume for the original audio, your recorded audio, and can even add a voiceover. 

    A similar feature is already popular in TikTok under the duet, and is being widely used for dance challenges. As TikTok is banned in India, Instagram believes that its new feature will garner huge popularity in the country. 

    "Remix lets you create your own Reel, along-side an existing reel. Interactive tools like Live Rooms, polls and questions in Stories, and AR effects have always been a huge part of how people connect on Instagram," said Instagram in a recent statement. 

    Facebook-owned Instagram had launched Reels last year, and since then, several features have been added to it. Some of these new specs include an extension of recording time to 30 seconds, and extending the countdown timer to 10 seconds while recording. It is also possible to trim and delete audio clips from the timeline. 

    It is to be noted that the Remix option will be enabled only in newly uploaded reels. If you want older reels to be remixed by others, the feature should be enabled manually. If you do not want people remixing your reels, you should go to settings, tap on reels, and disable the option. 

  • Instagram introduces Reels to entertain India

    Instagram introduces Reels to entertain India

    NEW DELHI: Instagram today announced the extension of the testing of Reels, a new video format, to India. This format offers a new way to create and share short videos on Instagram, aimed at redefining the future of entertainment on the platform.

    With Reels, people can express themselves while entertaining others, whether that’s by trying out a fun new dance or spreading the message on something they care about. People can record and edit 15-second multi-clip videos with audio, effects and new creative tools on Reels; share them with their followers on Feed; and, if they have a public account, make their reels available to the wider Instagram community through a new space in Explore.

    Sharing to Reels in Explore gives people the opportunity to access a larger audience, especially since more than 50 per cent of accounts on Instagram globally visit Explore every month. Explore can showcase an entertaining selection of reels made by public accounts on Instagram, which may inspire people to create their next reel.

    Facebook India vice president and managing director Ajit Mohan said, “With the rise in video consumption overall and videos making up over a third of posts on Instagram in India, Instagram has a big role to play in unleashing expression in the country. People across the big and small cities of India come to Instagram to express themselves safely, and also to be entertained. With Reels, we’re unveiling the future of entertainment on the platform, in a way that ignites creativity. With the multiple creative formats, whichever way you want to express yourself, it can now be on Instagram.”

    Facebook vice president of product Vishal Shah said, "Instagram has always been a place where culture is created, because people come to share the things they care about and be entertained. We’re constantly listening to our community, and have heard that they want to make and watch short-form videos on Instagram and have the opportunity to be discovered by our broader community.  We’re excited to expand the test of Reels to India and give the next generation of creators born and bred in India a chance to share their native and cultural context — and be potential global stars."

    The feature will start rolling out to users in India from 7.30 pm IST and at the onset, will be populated with content from a diverse set of public figures and creators, such as Ammy Virk, Gippy Grewal, Komal Pandey, Arjun Kanungo, Jahnavi Dasetty aka Mahathalli, Indrani Biswas aka Wondermunna, Kusha Kapila, Radhika Bangia, RJ Abhinav and Ankush Bhaguna.

    India is the fourth country, after Brazil, Germany and France, where this new format is being tested. This entertainment experience builds on the work done in the past year to enable expression, such as the vast library of music available on the platform thanks to a partnership with prominent music labels; the Spark AR effects on Instagram that enable more creation and expression on the platform; and the ‘Born on Instagram’ program, which has led to discovery and growth of creators from all across India. 

    While this is a test, Instagram is committed to getting the experience right and will continue to learn and build as India creates and shares reels. To see reels from India on the day of launch, do follow #FeelitReelit.

    To create a reel:

    Select Reels at the bottom of the Instagram camera. You’ll see a variety of creative editing tools on the left side of your screen that you can use to create your reel, including:

    Audio: Search for a song from the Instagram music library for your reel. You can also use your own original audio by simply recording a reel with it.

    AR Effects: Select one of the many effects in our AR library, created by both Instagram, and creators all over the world, to record multiple clips with different effects.

    Timer and Countdown: Set the timer to record any of your clips hands-free.

    Align: Line up objects from your previous clip before recording your next, which helps for seamless transitions like outfit changes or adding new friends into your reel.

    Speed: Choose to speed up or slow down part of the video or audio you selected, which helps you stay on a beat or make slow motion videos.

    To share a reel:

    With Reels, you can share with your followers and have the potential to be discovered by the huge, diverse Instagram community on Explore. Reels that you post to Feed or Explore will also appear in the Reels tab of your profile. You can also share to Stories or in Direct, though your reel would then disappear after 24 hours, not be shared to Reels in Explore, and not appear on your profile.

    If you have a Public Account: You can share your reel to a dedicated space in Explore, where it has the chance to be seen and discovered by the wider Instagram community. You can also share to Feed so your followers can see your reel. When you share reels featuring certain songs, hashtags or effects, your reel may also appear on dedicated pages whenever someone clicks on that song, hashtag or effect.

    If you have a Private Account: You can share to Feed so your followers can see your reel. You can also share to Stories or in Direct, though your reel would then disappear after 24 hours.

    To watch Reels:

    Reels in Explore is a new space to enjoy reels created by the diverse community on Instagram. Discover your new favorite comedian, inspiring advocate, trending dance or beauty trend in a vertical feed customized for you. If you enjoy a reel, you can easily like, comment or share it with your friends.