#SamosaTalks: Facebook's Saket Jha on all you need to know about Instagram Reels

Facebook India's Saket Jha Saurabh talks about the journey of Instagram Reels so far and the way ahead in the Indian market.

About a dozen days after the launch in India, Instagram Reels is now an integral part of the platform experience for users as well as creators. While Stories are used for more spontaneous storytelling, Reels are slightly on the curation side of the content creation process. It's snackable but not ephemeral, making it a very different experience/product from Facebook.

"We are seeing a lot of timely, culturally relatable and in the moment content on Reels. There is a lot of content around music/lip-sync, comedy sketches, food and tutorials," Saket Jha Saurabh, Head - Entertainment Partnerships, Facebook India talks about the kind of content they have seen on the platform since the launch of the feature in India.

While some creators are seeing Reels as an addition to the various content formats on Instagram, others are starting their Instagram journey with Reels. In regards to the timing of the launch in India, which came just after the ban on TikTok, Saurabh tells us how the process of evolution in regards to short-form content has been in the works for a while, as a result of observing global content consumption patterns and that it was not a response to the circumstances here.

Also Read: Brands make a debut on Instagram Reels

Is there a magic number of Reels that can help creators get noticed more prominently than others? Saurabh explains, "Some creators are making five Reels in a day and some make one in two-three days. Your rules in regards to posting are your own. There is no one, single consistent number. It depends on your genre of content and the way your fans are reacting to it."

"The algorithm is a living, moving thing. From observation, we have seen that timely, culturally relevant content, consistency and an understanding of each surface for its nuance show rewarding results," he adds, explaining the way creators can work around the algorithm to get noticed.

When asked about what's in store for brands, Saurabh says that it's still just the beginning for Reels in India and a lot will unfold as weeks go by. So far, quite a few brands have embraced the new format, experimenting with the content they put across on the platform.

You can see the entire session here: