Okay, I can see how on the floor this may increasingly appear complicated.

At this time, on the Instagram Creators profile on IG, Instagram’s staff posted this explainer clip:

“Grasp on”, I hear you say, “didn’t you simply report, like, two weeks in the past that posting 90-second Reels is unhealthy for attain?”

Sure, sure I did, however these two issues are literally each in alignment.

Right here’s why:

Within the caption of this submit, Instagram explains that:

“You possibly can submit a video over 90 seconds on IG, simply do not forget that any video over 90 seconds gained’t be eligible to be really useful in Discover or Reels Tab.”

Which is exactly why, two weeks in the past, at an Instagram creator occasion, Instagram’s staff shared this slide which says that posting Reels over 90 seconds lengthy can damage distribution.

Instagram doesn’t explicitly state the rationale for this within the occasion slide, however the above word from at present’s submit is why this hurts distribution, as a result of longer Reels are usually not really useful within the app.

Which, logically, impacts attain. So sure, you are able to do it, and in some circumstances, as IG notes, it could even make sense to submit longer clips. However they gained’t see the identical publicity alternatives within the app.

Why are Reels longer than 90 seconds not displayed on its suggestions surfaces?

Nicely, presumably as a result of Instagram’s analysis has proven that customers solely need brief clips in these listings, so including longer content material impacts general engagement.

That stated, Instagram has additionally been experimenting with longer Reels choices, together with 3 minute and 10 minute clips. These, seemingly, are usually not on the playing cards for a full launch as but. However IG isn’t essentially confining itself to brief Reels solely, it’s simply not trying to spotlight them inside its suggestions.

So whereas it could appear contradictory, the logic is which you can submit longer clips, which can of worth in sure circumstances, however they gained’t have the identical attain potential.  

So that you in all probability solely wish to in very particular cases.