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Instagram is officially rolling out “demo reels” to give creators a way to test new content by posting videos that aren’t shown to their followers. The feature, which went into testing in May, allows creators to try out new ideas and see what works best without having to worry about how their followers will interact.
Demo reels are shown to non-followers, and if the creator feels satisfied with the performance of the content, they can choose to share it with their followers.
This feature could give Instagram a bit of an advantage over TikTok, which currently doesn’t offer a way for users to try out different types of content.
Instagram vice president and head of product management Ashley Alexander told TechCrunch in an interview that the idea behind the feature is to give creators a way to try out a new genre, storytelling format, or topic without facing pressure to perform.
“We’ve heard from creators that they don’t always feel comfortable or are hesitant to try different types of content because they’ve built a following and want to make sure they’re not alienated by it,” Alexander said. “We hear from fashion designers that maybe they want to branch out into a music career, but they’re kind of scared because their followers are used to getting clothes of the day, so if they post a video of themselves singing, they’re worried they might push those people away.
Creators can share the reel as an experiment by toggling the “Experiment” option after creating the reel. The reel will then be shared with non-followers, and will not appear on their profile main grid or reels tab. It’s worth noting that a follower can still see a demo clip if someone shares it directly with them.
After 24 hours, creators can see how many views, likes, comments, and shares the clip has received. They can then choose to archive it or post it to their profile to share with their followers.
The new feature will roll out globally to everyone with a professional Instagram account over the next few weeks.
Demo reels are a useful addition for content creators, many of whom see their Instagram profile as their business card, which adds a lot of pressure around the content they post. With this new feature, they can test new content and make sure they only put the most polished content on their profile to ensure they don’t lose followers or brand deals.
“Creative people have a lot of ideas, and one of the worst things that can kill creativity is feeling pressured, or feeling like there are repercussions for taking a risk,” Alexander said. “And we never want to feel that way on Instagram. Instagram should be a place where you can take all of your boldest creative opportunities and get rewarded when they work.”
Alexander said Instagram’s goal is to innovate before its competitors, and that the social network wants to help creators understand how they can improve their content and reach a broader audience by recognizing what’s working well and what’s not. The company plans to do this with both demo reels and future creator-focused features.
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