The news: Instagram has launched "Trial Reels," allowing creators to test new content formats exclusively with nonfollowers before deciding whether to share them with their main audience.

How it works:

• Trial Reels won't appear on creators' profile grids or Reels tabs during testing, hiding from the creators’ usual audience.
• The feature provides detailed metrics on views, likes, comments, and shares to inform publishing decisions after 24 hours.
• An automation option can share successful Trial Reels with followers based on early performance data.

Why it matters: The platform is addressing key creator concerns while positioning itself against competitors.

• Creators can experiment with new content formats without risking engagement from existing followers.
• While designed for nonfollowers, content may still reach followers through DMs or shares, potentially affecting testing accuracy.
• The delayed visibility approach to a limited audience could slow initial engagement compared with standard posts.

Zooming out: Instagram is trying to capture market share from TikTok, which faces a looming US ban, by adding new features like Spotify integration and resetting content recommendations.

Our take: Trial Reels represents Meta's effort to compete with TikTok by addressing creator anxieties about experimentation and performance.

• By offering a low-stakes testing ground, Instagram could foster more diverse, higher-quality content while helping creators expand their reach without alienating existing audiences.
• However, the platform will need to carefully balance the visibility limitations of Trial Reels against creators' desires for immediate engagement.
• This feature underscores how today’s creators can’t solely be creative; rather, they must be highly data driven and recognize that testing helps maximize key metrics, like engagement rate.

This article is part of EMARKETER’s client-only subscription Briefings—daily newsletters authored by industry analysts who are experts in marketing, advertising, media, and tech trends. To help you finish 2024 strong, and start 2025 off on the right foot, articles like this one—delivering the latest news and insights—are completely free through January 31, 2025. If you want to learn how to get insights like these delivered to your inbox every day, and get access to our data-driven forecasts, reports, and industry benchmarks, schedule a demo with our sales team.