Reels
Also known as: Instagram Reels, Reels Ads
Reels are short, vertical, full-screen videos on Instagram and Facebook, and a fast-growing placement for native-feeling video ads.
What it actually means
Reels are Meta's short-form vertical video format, designed to compete with TikTok, and they have become one of the most important ad placements on the platform. Ads in Reels appear between organic clips in a full-screen, swipe-up feed, so they must feel native — vertical, fast, sound-on-friendly, and authentic — or users swipe past instantly. Because Reels inventory is large and engagement is high, the placement often delivers efficient reach, especially for UGC-style and entertaining creative. The format rewards advertisers who design for it specifically rather than uploading a recycled horizontal video. Reels are central to any creative strategy aimed at younger, mobile-first audiences.
A local business can win cheap reach in Reels with genuine, vertical phone footage — a day in the shop, a quick tip, a finished result — that doesn't look like an ad.
Related terms
A video ad is an ad built around moving footage, used to demonstrate, tell a story, or build emotional connection more powerfully than a static image.
Ad creative is the visual and written content of an ad — the image or video, the headline, and the copy that capture attention and communicate the offer.
UGC is content that looks like it was made by a real customer or everyday person rather than a brand, used in ads to feel authentic and trustworthy.
Stories ads are full-screen vertical ads that appear between users' Stories on Instagram and Facebook, lasting a few seconds before auto-advancing.
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