Instagram is officially rolling out “trial reels” to give creators a way to test out new content by publishing videos that don’t appear to their followers. The feature, which launched in testing in May, allows creators to experiment with new ideas and see what performs best without having to worry about how their followers may react.
Trial reels are shown to non-followers, and if a creator feels good about how the content is performing, they can choose to share it with their followers.
The feature could give Instagram a bit of an edge over TikTok, which currently doesn’t offer a way for users to experiment with different types of content.
Instagram VP 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 heard from creators that they just don’t always feel comfortable or they’re reluctant to experiment with different types of content because they’ve built up a follower base and they want to make sure they don’t alienate it,” Alexander said. “We hear from the fashion creator that maybe wants to branch into a music career, but they’re kind of scared because their followers have gotten used to getting outfits of the day, and so if they’re posting a video of themselves singing, they’re worried that they might turn those people off.”
Creators can share a reel as a trial by toggling the “Trial” option after creating a reel. The reel will then be shared with non-followers, and won’t appear on their profile’s main grid or reels tab. It’s worth noting that a follower could still see a trial reel if someone shares it directly with them.
After 24 hours, creators can see how many views, likes, comments, and shares the reel received. They can then choose to archive it or post it to their profile to share it with their followers.
The new feature is rolling out globally to everyone with a professional account on Instagram over the next few weeks.
Trial reels are a useful addition for creators, as many of them see their Instagram profile as their business card, which adds a lot of pressure around the content they publish. With this new feature, they can test new content and ensure they are only putting their most polished content on their profile to ensure they don’t lose followers or brand deals.
“Creatives have lots of ideas and one of the worst things that can kill creativity is feeling pressure, or feeling like there’s repercussions for taking chances,” Alexander said. “And we don’t ever want that to feel that way on Instagram. Instagram should be a place where you can take all of your most bold creative chances and be rewarded when they pan out.”
Alexander said Instagram’s goal is to innovate ahead of its competitors, and that the social network wants to help creators understand how they can make their content better and reach a wider audience by recognizing what’s working well and what isn’t. The company plans to do this with both trial reels and future creator-focused features.
