Emplifi, a name well-known in the world of customer engagement software, recently dropped some pretty interesting stats about social media videos.
They took a deep dive into how different video types are doing on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, and guess what?
Instagram Reels are absolutely killing it.
Coming straight out of New York on December 19, 2023, Emplifi’s findings are like a goldmine for anyone looking to up their game in social media advertising. They checked out how branded videos on Instagram Reels, Facebook, and TikTok are doing, and the insights they came up with are super valuable for marketers planning their moves in the year ahead. Thanks to the Emplifi Social Marketing Cloud, they figured out that Instagram Reels aren’t just doing well—they’re outdoing every other type of video content out there, even the stuff on TikTok and Facebook.
Here’s something that might surprise you:
it’s the longer Instagram Reels, those over 90 seconds, that are pulling in more than twice the views compared to TikTok.
It looks like people are really into longer videos on Instagram, moving away from those quick, 15-30 second video ads.
Zarnaz Arlia, Emplifi’s CMO, points out how this change in video lengths on Instagram is a big deal. “People are really getting into these longer videos. It’s a great chance for brands to rethink how they’re doing things on Instagram,” she says.
And it’s not just Emplifi saying this. Insider Intelligence reports that social videos are where people are spending most of their time on social media. In 2023, U.S. adults spent over half their social media time watching videos. That’s a big jump from the past few years.
Now, about Instagram content. Instagram Reels are not just doing better than videos on other platforms, but they’re also the top dog on Instagram itself. They’re getting six times the reach of Instagram Stories. But here’s the twist: brands are still posting more Stories than Reels. Between May and October 2023, there were way more Stories than Reels from global brands.
When it comes to the Instagram vs. TikTok debate, it seems like Instagram’s longer videos are more popular, but TikTok’s views stay pretty steady no matter the video length. Brands seem to be balancing their content across both platforms, but Instagram Reels are really where it’s at.
On Facebook, things are shaking up too. Facebook Live got a lot of love from brands in the latter part of 2023. But just like Instagram, longer Facebook Reels are where the real action is, outshining other video formats in terms of views and engagement.
To wrap it up, Emplifi’s study is basically saying, “Hey, brands, you might want to pay more attention to Instagram Reels.” They’re working better than other types of content, but not as many brands are using them as they could be. Arlia suggests that brands might find Stories easier to make, but Reels are where the results are. So, diving into Instagram Reels could be a smart move for brands looking to boost their reach and views.
A Bit About Emplifi:
Emplifi isn’t just another company. They’re at the forefront of customer engagement, helping big names like McDonald’s, Ford, and Delta Air Lines connect with their communities digitally and socially. Based in New York, they work with major players like Google, Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Snapchat, making sure businesses can create those meaningful, connected experiences in marketing, sales, and customer service.
