Instagram Reels tests Template to allow users to copy other creators’ video formats

Instagram Reels continues to challenge TikTok as a video-sharing platform. One of its latest steps to improve the experience in the place is the new feature it is testing called “Templates.” It is somehow similar to the concept of TikTok’s Templates tool, which will allow you to drop your own photos or videos into a selected ready-to-use template. Currently, Reels Template is under beta testing for a small group of users, as reported by Business Insider.

“We are always working on new ways to make Reels simpler to create. We are testing the ability for you to make a reel using an existing Template from another reel,” a Meta spokesperson said in an email statement to TechCrunch.

#Instagram is working on the "Use as template" option for #Reels ? pic.twitter.com/JORfxxc8rj

— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) January 31, 2022

The feature was discovered earlier by Alessandro Paluzzi, a mobile developer and reverse engineer leaking hidden features being prepared by apps. In a post on January 31, Paluzzi shows that the feature will be presented as a “Use as template” option. Once chosen, the different templates will appear with the numbers of seconds they have indicated on them.

Instagram REELS announced a new feature! “Use as template” allows user to replace the clips with your own and it will match the time stamps of the template reel. Let me know what you think of this feature. Does this make you want to create more reels? pic.twitter.com/rLMJAX89jG

— Jolivia Pope | Content Creator in Comms (@JosephineMedia) March 26, 2022

Influencer Josephine Hill is one of the users who are able to experience the Template feature. In a tweet, Hill gave more clarity about the feature saying, “‘Use as template’ allows user to replace the clips with your own and it will match the time stamps of the template reel.”

This will be a big move for Instagram since TikTok is already packed with features and tools, making video creation and preparation intuitive and easy for its users. And as Instagram Reels finds a large number of videos from TikTok being just reposted and shared on its platform, the Template feature should encourage users to make their original content instead. With the warning from the company that it will stop suggesting shared non-original posts, it is good news that it is equipping the place with such a tool that can promote the creation of original content.