Instagram launches ‘trial reels’ feature; here's how to use

Have you ever experienced anxiety about sharing a reel on Instagram, uncertain if it will connect with your audience? Meta has acknowledged these concerns and is introducing a new feature known as ‘trial reels’ on Instagram.

This innovative tool is intended to assist creators in exploring content ideas without the apprehension of how their followers may respond.

Trial reels enable you to present your reel to non-followers initially, allowing you to assess its performance before sharing it with your primary audience. Below is a comprehensive overview of this feature and its functionality.

Trial reels serve as a mechanism for testing new content concepts with individuals who do not currently follow you. Meta developed this feature to empower creators to overcome the hesitation associated with experimenting beyond their established niche. Rather than directly sharing a reel with your followers, it will first be displayed to a wider audience of non-followers.

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This approach allows you to evaluate the content’s effectiveness without impacting your existing follower base. If the reel proves to be engaging, you have the option to share it with your followers or enable automatic publication if it performs well during the trial phase.

Instructions for sharing a trial reel:

Step 1: Create a reel as you typically would.
Step 2: Prior to sharing, activate the Trial option.
Step 3: Share the reel.

Once shared, the trial reel will be stored in your drafts section. It will not appear on your profile grid or in the Reels tab unless you opt to share it publicly.

While your followers will not see the trial reel in their feeds, they may still encounter it through other means, such as shared links or reels utilizing the same audio or filter.

After a 24-hour period, you will receive engagement metrics, including views, likes, and shares, to assist you in determining whether the reel is suitable for sharing with your followers. Additionally, you can automate this process by permitting Instagram to share trial reels that perform well after a 72-hour evaluation.

Meta has been conducting tests on trial reels and has received favorable feedback from creators. The feature is set to begin its global rollout today.