Meta’s making Branded Content on Facebook Reels available to all creators globally, which will provide another monetization avenue for short-form creators in the app.
As explained by Meta:
“Reels is one of the fastest growing new formats on Facebook, and now, creators can use this format with the Branded Content tag tool on Facebook Reels in their organic posts, and tagged brands can easily convert these Reels to Branded Content Ads (‘Sponsored with’ label).”
As Meta notes, by using the Branded Content Tag, business partners will be notified of your post, and will receive certain metrics about its performance. Meta further notes that all creator content which features or is influenced by a brand or product for an exchange of value must tag that business to stay within Meta’s promotional guidelines.
Meta first enabled the use of the Branded Content Tag for Instagram Reels back in 2020, so it’s not a new concept in any way. But now, Facebook Reels creators will also be able to add the tag – which will also provide a lot more capacity for brands to partner with relevant creators in their niche and region on Facebook Reels promotions.
Which they probably should. As it works to keep up with TikTok, and lean into the short-form video shift, Facebook continues to revamp its algorithmic and policy approaches, de-emphasizing, for example, link-based posts in favor of video content. And as you would have seen in your own experience, Facebook’s now showing users more and more Reels wherever it can, which means that if you want to maximize your Facebook performance this holiday shopping period, you probably want to at least consider adding Reels into your content mix.
The option will also add to Meta’s steadily growing suite of monetization options for Reels creators, which also includes its Reels Play Bonus program and new ad options in development.
In some ways, it’s crazy to see the emphasis that Meta is putting on Reels, but with 50% of all time spent on Facebook now taken up by video consumption, and short-form video being the trend of the moment, it also makes sense, as Meta seeks to keep a hold on its audience, and stop them migrating to TikTok instead.
Probably best to roll with it if you can – yet at the same time, Meta can and will switch and change focus on a dime, so going all-in on Reels would also be a mistake.
All Reels creators who comply with Meta’s Partner Monetization and Branded Content policies will be eligible to use the Branded Content tool from today. More information – including a guide book on using Branded Content for Reels, available here.
