Creators and influencers on edge about Meta’s reported Reels spin-off

Meta’s plan to potentially spin Instagram Reels into a standalone video app has sparked excitement among creators and influencer marketers — but also concerns that the move could disrupt creators’ brand partnerships on Instagram.

The notion that Meta is planning a Reels-spin off, reported by The Information last month, has created many questions for creators, including speculation over the potential decrease in Reels viewership, as well as concerns about whether Meta will allow creators to port over their Instagram followings to the new app, should the decision go through. A Meta representative did not respond to a request for comment prior to the publication of this story.

Although Meta allowed Instagram users to bring their followers with them to Threads when it launched the microblogging platform in 2023, it’s unclear whether the company would take a similar approach for Reels. Furthermore, creators and influencer marketers believe that forcing users to download a new video app could deter some of them from watching creators’ videos. In the case of a spin-off, these factors could reduce the reach of influencers, some of whom have hundreds of thousands of followers, who use Reels as brand partnership inventory.

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