As part of Instagram's ongoing efforts to replace TikTok as the big dogs of short-form video, it has launched new insights for Reels and Live that will give creators more valuable data and convince them that Reels are the future.

Instagram Business Team

"For Reels, we will be showing new metrics including Plays, Accounts Reached, Likes, Comments, Saves, and Shares. For Live, we will be showing Accounts Reached, Peak Concurrent Viewers, Comments, and Shares."

These metrics will be housed within Account Insights and will provide a broader overview of how Live and Reels shape an account's performance.

Richer Instagram insights data

You can use Instagram Insights to learn more about overall trends across your followers and your content's performance with your audience. Insights are, obviously, free and available for business or creator accounts.

Previously you could only view insights for specific posts, stories and IGTV videos you've created to see how each one performed and how people engaged with them. However, now business can add Reels & Live to the equation.

Prior to this update, Instagram users could only access views, likes and comments on a Reel.

To access Account Insights, you need to have a business or creator account.

1. Go to your profile.
2. Tap the insights action button or to the three horizontal lines in the top right corner and tap insights.
3. Tap metrics under Overview section, or specific shared content for a more detailed breakdown.
    

Improving Reels insights and positive momentum

Instagram will now provide more detailed information on an account's reach, which can also be found within the Account Insights tab. This extra detail will include:

• Which types of accounts you're reaching
• Which content forms are driving reach

These updates will be rolled out via Desktop and Mobile, while the insights time frame is expected to go beyond the seven and 30-day preset options.

The extra detail is useful for marketers because it finally puts Instagram on an even keel with TikTok, which has included detailed content data for some time.

Brands will now have more data to support decisions about who to partner with for Reels and Lives, and can do so with a greater understanding of which content would be suitable for their audience.

While this reporting improvement is welcomed, there is still room for improvement, and through 2021 marketers can expect to see further enhancement on the evaluation front.

Instagram Business Team

"We will be continually updating the Insights experience throughout 2021 and beyond to better meet the needs of creators and businesses."

Improved insights are a win/win for marketers and influencers.

We've discussed the former, while the latter will be able to use these insights to improve content, optimise reach and monetise far more effectively than they would have been able to before.

We could also see an increase in brands who want to partner with creators to take advantage of Reels' predominant placement.

After a sluggish launch, Instagram Reels appears to be building up positive momentum.

David Wehner, Facebook CFO, April 2021

"We're seeing really strong engagement on video, particularly internationally. And we're pleased with that.

I'd point to a couple of examples there. I'd say Facebook Watch, we talked about the 1.25 billion users. Also, Reels is starting to get traction on and doing well on Instagram."

Although, while Reels are no doubt attracting a lot of eyeballs due to their prominent placement within the Instagram user interface, it is still a rather limited imitation of the real thing on TikTok.

Something which, for consumer brands looking to be at the forefront of the cultural zeitgeist, will remain a concern.