Social media platforms are on every marketer’s radar. Brands can not only hyper-target consumers by leveraging social media data to understand exact demographics, but they can also easily build-on and reach any audience around the world. Additionally, companies are able to track ROI, which in turn enables campaign optimisation for future marketing strategies.

One way to advertise on social media is through the growingly popular Meta Reels. Initially 15 seconds long, Reels have expanded to allow for longer videos with varying production quality. This evolution has hooked marketers looking to engage with their audiences in fresh new ways, whether through Reels’ Stories or in-feed formats.

With different Reels formats yielding varying results, brands looking to drive campaign performance must understand the nuances associated with not only different production budgets, but also different channels. VidMob recently conducted an in-depth analysis, aiming to understand how effective Reels are for advertising. From low-fidelity (lo-fi) and User Generated Content (UGC) to the difference of posting on Facebook Reels vs. Instagram Reels, the study has shown that results are content and platform-specific.

‘Amateur’ content rises above the rest

‘Lo-fi’ content refers to user-generated content (UGC) which appears to be made by an amateur, seemingly shot on a smartphone without much editing. In other words, videos that anyone could have made themselves. Although it resembles UGC, lo-fi content can be purposefully created by a brand to have a more ‘home-made’ feel, with the aim of boosting engagement, via native looking content.

Truthfully, this is an ingenious tactic to connect with consumers, particularly as it doesn’t always require high-budget productions, which is a bonus amid tight ad budgets. VidMob’s study found that viewers prefer lo-fi content that resembles UGC, rather than the high-fidelity (hi-fi) content, which is usually associated with polished and scripted ads seen on TV and streaming channels.

Lo-fi creative showed an 81% increase in Click-Through-Rate (CTR) and a 13.6% increase in View-Through-25% (VT25%), compared to the account average. Comparatively, hi-fi creative saw a 71% decrease in CTR and a 14.5% decrease in VT25% compared to the account average.

The results, particularly relevant for smaller businesses, should relieve those brands unable to heavily invest in bigger productions for their campaigns. Smaller projects focused on innovative creative execution rather than extravagant displays of ‘cinematic masterpieces’ deliver stronger engagement with consumers and boost engagement, driving campaign performance – a proven case of ‘less is more’.

With the proliferation of bigger and better campaigns served by large corporations, consumers are showing a penchant for more ‘relatable’ content on Reels, which is also associated with the influencer phenomenon. Now occupying near-celebrity status, influencers build bonds with audiences based on common interests, usually addressing viewers directly and informally, as they would a friend. By presenting themselves as ‘experts’ in their field, influencers are able to create trends and inform their audiences on new products and services through UGC – the quality of which resembles lo-fi ads.

Instagram vs. Facebook

Despite both being part of Meta, Instagram and Facebook have incredibly distinct structures, yet the successful strategies of one seemingly influence the other. Instagram implemented Reels in 2020, one year before Facebook. However, Instagram’s attempt itself was a move to compete with social giant TikTok – with some going so far as calling it a copycat – which started the trend of UGC and general video frenzy on social platforms. Since then, YouTube and Snapchat have also adopted this format type.

Even so, Instagram and Facebook have found continued success in their own merit, and both platforms remain some of the most widely used, with Facebook taking the crown for the most popular one.

VidMob’s analysis revealed that utilising key product imagery or human presence at the beginning of any Reel is a key driver of VTR, with an 8% lift in VT25% for imagery and a 10% lift for human presence. In comparison, text-heavy frames displayed a 60% decrease in VT25%. But a deeper look into the granular data for Instagram and Facebook revealed further key insights.

Viewers of both Meta platforms gravitate towards different types of lo-fi content. Instagram provides an experience that enables viewers to follow and connect with influencers more intimately, whereas Facebook provides more functional content with a less personal feel. This difference was observed in the content performance on both platforms. The research confirmed that talent-led content drove stronger results on Instagram, with a lift of 20% in VT25%, but a decrease of 33% in VT25% for reels on Facebook.

It seems then that brands looking to target consumers with campaigns in the form of Reels need to take a careful approach to the way they utilise platforms, with the creative execution having to match the distinct characteristics of each channel. Brands that want to engage with consumers on Instagram would require a more talent-focused approach to their content, whilst keeping it less personal on Facebook, to yield optimal results respectively.

Creative effectiveness is key to achieving higher ROI

The study confirms that creative execution is key in driving campaign performance, which in turn must be fine-tuned to the specifics of both content type and channel. The best chance for brands to optimise their Reels results is to analyse creative data, their brand specific first party data, which generates key insights that human teams can then turn into actionable strategies.

By looking at creative output – in and of itself subjective – from an analytical standpoint supported by empirical creative data, brands can optimise their campaign creative and generate better results with higher ROI.