Meta has announced that Facebook Reels will now be available in over 150 countries worldwide for IOS and Android after launching in the US late last year.
Facebook Reels follows similar short video features on other apps such as Instagram and Tik Tok. These short videos can be up to 60 seconds long while also allowing for drafts, video clipping and remixing, where reels can be created along-side other reels on Facebook.
Meta has stated that in the coming weeks, the roll out will see the reels able to feature in stories, watch as well as the usual Facebook feed. Mark Zuckerberg posted on Facebook that the new reels feature will be a great means for users to create new content on the platform.
“Reels is already our fastest growing content format by far, and today we’re making it available to everyone on Facebook globally,” he said.
“We want Reels to be the best place for creators to connect with their community and make a living, so we’re launching new monetisation tools too.”
In July 2021, Meta announced that they would invest $1 billion dollars by the end of 2022 into a program that would allow people to get paid for content creation. According to Meta, the program can pay content creators up to $35,000 a month based on views and popularity off a qualified reel.
Although Zuckerberg has said that reels are vital to the growth of Facebook, the creation of the feature contributed to Meta losing $322 billion in one day after user growth was stagnant in the last quarter of 202, as focus was placed on the creation of the reels feature. Facebook said on the loss that “while video has been historically slower to monetise, we believe that over time short-form video is going to monetise more like feed or stories”.
Currently only US content creators are eligible to be paid up to $35,000 for selected content but the bonus program will be expanded to more countries in the coming months according to Facebook. Meta is also testing ad-overlay for Reels in the US, Canada, and Mexico with the goal of helping content creators to generate income from ads.
Meta Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand Will Easton said on Facebook short videos are the best way to engage users.
“By launching Reels on Facebook, we’re meeting people where they are already sharing and connecting and giving them even more option for how to express themselves,” he said.
“For businesses, the introduction of Reels is another innovative tool available on Facebook for them to engage more people in an immersive experience online.”
