It is a pedantic level, or possibly a petty one, although both method, it’s nonetheless a related observe for social media entrepreneurs.
Final Could, Instagram ran a creator even in New York, through which it shared a spread of tips about learn how to maximize content material efficiency, and enhance the attain of your clips.
Introduced by IG at that occasion was this slide, which summarizes a lot of the topline notes.
As you may see, lower than a yr in the past, Instagram famous that 90 second+ Reels must be averted, as a result of, in keeping with IG on the time, it had discovered that customers had been much less involved in longer Reels, and it due to this fact didn’t suggest them as extensively.
Which is smart, besides then, in January this yr, as IG was in search of methods to counter TikTok, and doubtlessly supply a touchdown spot for TikTok creators in case TikTok did find yourself being banned within the U.S., Instagram expanded the size of native Reels to three minutes
As defined by Instagram chief Adam Mosseri on the time:
“Beginning immediately, you may add Reels to Instagram as much as three minutes lengthy. Now, traditionally, it’s solely been 90 seconds, and that’s as a result of we’ve wished to focus Instagram on short-form video, not on long-form video. However we’ve heard numerous suggestions from numerous you creators on the market that 90 seconds is simply too brief, so we’re hoping that upping that restrict as much as three minutes will make it easier to inform the tales that you just actually need to inform.”
So now, customers are okay with longer Reels? Okay then.
And immediately, at its newest creator even in NYC, IG shared the next notes:

That is the very same checklist that it shared final yr, with one change: Now, you shouldn’t submit Reels longer than 3 minutes as a substitute.
Technically, this pertains to Instagram’s algorithmic suggestions, in that IG wasn’t recommending Reels longer than 90 seconds final yr, however now it’s. In that sense, the recommendation is smart, however I do discover it humorous that Instagram had tried to border this as a person desire situation, versus it actually being pushed by what IG itself needs.
Instagram now needs you to submit longer content material, so it will probably higher compete with different apps. So now, longer clips are okay, however it’s obtained completely nothing to do with viewers demand, or desire, or the rest.
It’s one other reminder that the apps themselves dictate tendencies and shifts, by what they select to amplify, which regularly has as a lot affect as the general content material itself.
Greatest to align with their newest whims.