Tech
Explained: How and why Instagram changed the rules for sharing video posts and what they mean for you
Instagram announced some new rules for video posts uploaded on social media platforms. According to a blog post updated by Instagram, the Meta-owned instant photo-sharing service will now turn new video posts shorter than 15 minutes into Reels. The company is said to have been testing this new change for a while now and has now decided to make it a permanent feature in the coming weeks.
Why did Instagram decide to do this move?
According to the blog, Instagram says that the new changes are part of the company’s efforts “to deliver a richer and full-screen experience”. Additionally, the company is also consolidating the Videos and Videos tabs on users’ profiles to create a single compilation for all the videos on the app. However, the blog suggests that videos that were posted before this change took effect will remain as videos and will not become Stories.
How will this change affect Instagram users
The blog mentions that the change will affect users with public and private accounts differently. If a user with a public account posts a video converted to a Story, anyone on the platform can discover it Reel and use its original sound to create their Story. However, it currently applies to Stories that are less than 90 seconds long. Meanwhile, individual account holder Stories will only be visible to their followers.
In the case of public accounts, anyone can create Remix with their Stories, however, individual account holders can prevent other users from recombining their Stories. This change may disappoint some users as it has the potential to cause some challenges. For example, users may even have difficulty posting a horizontal video if it was uploaded in the vertical Reels format.
More Instagram Stories-related changes coming soon
In addition to this change, Instagram also announced new ways for users to create and share Stories. The blog says that the Meta-owned platform is also planning to launch a new “dual” feature that will allow users to record their content and reactions simultaneously. Both the front and rear cameras of a device will be able to record video at the same time to share “a different perspective using the Dual feature in the Instagram camera,” the blog suggests.
Furthermore, the social media platform is also rolling out updates to the “Templates” feature for Stories. Instagram users who want to create their Stories will be allowed to upload both videos and photos after browsing and choosing from a variety of templates that will be available upon opening the Stories camera. An initial demo of the templates was rolled out by the company last month, giving users the ability to create their Story using this format and audio from another existing Story.
Advanced Remix features to drive collaboration on Instagram
The updated blog also mentions that Instagram is expanding tools for Remix to help improve the way users tell their stories on Instagram while collaborating with their favorite creators and friends. The social media platform will soon allow users to combine public photos that can help them create their unique Stories.
Furthermore, Instagram users will also be allowed to add video comments to existing reels. Users can choose between green screen, horizontal or vertical split screen, or a picture-in-picture reaction view to include in their video commentary.
Additionally, the company will now allow users to add their remix clip after the original clip for them to play sequentially. This will reduce the chance of appearing at the same time as the remix with the original.
Also read: Instagram rolled out Map features globally to help users discover popular locations. Click here read more
Why did Instagram decide to do this move?
According to the blog, Instagram says that the new changes are part of the company’s efforts “to deliver a richer and full-screen experience”. Additionally, the company is also consolidating the Videos and Videos tabs on users’ profiles to create a single compilation for all the videos on the app. However, the blog suggests that videos that were posted before this change took effect will remain as videos and will not become Stories.
How will this change affect Instagram users
The blog mentions that the change will affect users with public and private accounts differently. If a user with a public account posts a video converted to a Story, anyone on the platform can discover it Reel and use its original sound to create their Story. However, it currently applies to Stories that are less than 90 seconds long. Meanwhile, individual account holder Stories will only be visible to their followers.
In the case of public accounts, anyone can create Remix with their Stories, however, individual account holders can prevent other users from recombining their Stories. This change may disappoint some users as it has the potential to cause some challenges. For example, users may even have difficulty posting a horizontal video if it was uploaded in the vertical Reels format.
More Instagram Stories-related changes coming soon
In addition to this change, Instagram also announced new ways for users to create and share Stories. The blog says that the Meta-owned platform is also planning to launch a new “dual” feature that will allow users to record their content and reactions simultaneously. Both the front and rear cameras of a device will be able to record video at the same time to share “a different perspective using the Dual feature in the Instagram camera,” the blog suggests.
Furthermore, the social media platform is also rolling out updates to the “Templates” feature for Stories. Instagram users who want to create their Stories will be allowed to upload both videos and photos after browsing and choosing from a variety of templates that will be available upon opening the Stories camera. An initial demo of the templates was rolled out by the company last month, giving users the ability to create their Story using this format and audio from another existing Story.
Advanced Remix features to drive collaboration on Instagram
The updated blog also mentions that Instagram is expanding tools for Remix to help improve the way users tell their stories on Instagram while collaborating with their favorite creators and friends. The social media platform will soon allow users to combine public photos that can help them create their unique Stories.
Furthermore, Instagram users will also be allowed to add video comments to existing reels. Users can choose between green screen, horizontal or vertical split screen, or a picture-in-picture reaction view to include in their video commentary.
Additionally, the company will now allow users to add their remix clip after the original clip for them to play sequentially. This will reduce the chance of appearing at the same time as the remix with the original.
Also read: Instagram rolled out Map features globally to help users discover popular locations. Click here read more
