Instagram Trial Reels
Meta announced a new Instagram feature called trial reels that lets you test your fresh content by showing it to users who don't follow you. The feature aimed at creators is designed to eliminate guesswork and explore new formats without fearing how the content will perform among your followers.
The social media giant acknowledged that creators are sometimes anxious about trying new content genres outside their niche or posting too much. "Now, if you want to try out a new genre, storytelling format or topic, you can easily get a gut check on how your content might perform," Meta said in a press release.
If you're a creator, you can turn on the "Trial" toggle button when drafting a new reel in the Instagram app. A trial reel is first displayed to non-followers on Instagram, and key insights such as views, likes, shares, and comments will appear within 24 hours of sharing.
Instagram Trial Reels
If everything feels alright, creators can share it with their followers anytime or set it up for auto-sharing, which happens if the trial reel gets enough views within 72 hours. Followers and people who visit a creator's main profile grid or the Reels tab won't see a reel currently under trial; it's only visible to the creator.
However, followers might come across a trial reel if someone shares it with them in a direct message. Followers might also find a trial reel on a page that shows reels with the same audio, location, or filter.
The company has been testing the feature since earlier this year, and creators who were a part of it reported that "fresh content ideas are performing well with both new audiences and existing followers."
The trial reels feature has started to roll out globally and will reach all eligible creators over the coming weeks. A creator must have a professional account to use trial reels; however, some creators without a professional account might get access to it as part of ongoing testing.
This adds to the features Instagram introduced for creators and users in recent updates. For instance, channel owners can now interact with members through replies and prompts. Meanwhile, regular users can reset their Instagram recommendation algorithm and share live location in DMs.