Following its global roll out of updates, the Philippines finally unlocks the access to Instagram Reels and Music, making way for more creation and connection on the no-longer-just-a-photo-sharing-app.
No, this isn’t some elaborate scheme to dress Instagram up ironically as TikTok for Halloween. Being one of the apps that have inadvertently shaped the way the world operates on social media and arguably exacerbated how society pushed aesthetic, curation, and influencing beyond mere buzzwords into actual ways of life, the popular photo-sharing app has always been at the forefront of the innovations, or at the very least, adapting to it when necessary. But seeing as the consumption of media has evolved from mere stills to mostly video content, changes had to be done, and fast. After lording over the visual domain on the virtual space, the Head of Instagram, Adam Moserri, declared in July that the Instagram we have come to know and love is no longer just a photo-sharing app.
“There’s stiff competition and there’s more to do. We have to embrace that, and that means change,” he shared in a video posted on Twitter and and Instagram, alluding to the heavier thrust of embracing video on the grid of the app. “Changes are coming to video on Instagram,” he wrote. “At Instagram, we’re always trying to build new features that help you get the most out of your experience.” And that, he says, is to be entertained. So, beyond IGTV, Instagram Stories, and Instagram Reels, the company also committed to exploring the algorithm beyond who you follow and to make video a more full-screen experience. While this was met with doubts and concerns, the leaning in on has been working quite well with more and more users taking to Reels as some have on TikTok.
However, in the roll out of the update on the app, the Philippines was on the outside looking in as the rest of the world got acquainted with Reels or even the long-awaited Instagram Music. Until now, that is.
Hello, Instagram Reels
From painstakingly adding song lyrics to music shared through Spotify or posting TikTok-like snippets on Instagram Stories, the days of hacking this update is now put to an end, becaues as of 8:00 AM on October 27, 2021, Instagram Music and Instagram Reels is finally available for Philippine users.
“We are continuously listening to and taking inspiration from what our community wants,” says Erin Pettigrew, Product Manager at Reels. “They’re telling us that in addition to all the ways to share video, they want the opportunity to make and watch short-form, edited videos that entertain and be a creator on a global stage with a bigger and diverse audience. We see Reels as a core part of the future of entertainment on Instagram; and today, we are excited to give people in the Philippines new ways to express their authentic selves through Reels.”
From casual viewers to consistent creators, the entry of Instagram Reels in the Philippines means more reasons to scroll through the app for whatever form of entertainment fits your fancy. This experience, especially if you are itching to go beyond mere Instagram Stories, allows you create and edit up to 60-second short-form vidoes and an opportunity to be a creator on a global stage. With its easy-to-use interface, people can discover, watch, and interact with a diverse community in the dedicated corner of Reels on the app.
While instinct lets you access Reels through the Instagram Stories panel, the biggest change is seen through the Instagram camera, which lets you access the tab directly. Here, you can film videos directly or upload from your gallery where you can use a host of tools to take your videos to an extraordinary level. Whether it be speed, timer and countdown, timed text and stickers, align, and touch-up, dedicated users in the Philippines can now let their creativity soar with Reels.
Finally, Music
Another cool and highly-anticipated update specific to the Philippines is the unlocking of Instagram Music. No more copy pasting of lyrics or hearing silence with a pesky notification that says, “Music is not available in your country” anymore, because now, we can integrate songs into our Instagram Stories, as well as on Facebook.
“We bring music into all of the places people already are sharing and connecting,” says Revie Sylvania, Entertainment Partnerhips Director for the Philippines. “This makes our opportunity with Music even more distinct: we work with our music partners to build social music opportunities for artists, writers, music lovers and people across our family of apps—in particular, Facebook and Instagram.”
A change long time coming, the arrival of Instagram Music together with the launch of Instagram Reels in the Philippines makes connecting, consuming, and creating all the more fun and cool. Particularly for Instagram Music, which was made possible through a partneships with FILSCAP, this includes the expansion of the audio library for user-generated content with licensed music, music stickers on Facebook and Instagram Stories, lyrics on Facebook and Instagram Stories, and finally, music on one’s Facebook Profile.
So, what are you waiting for? Update your app, start creating, and get posting. The world is waiting for the unique point-of-view of the Philippines to take the stage an shine through. No longer left out, we can finally relate with the rest of ‘em.
CONTINUE READING: EXPECT TO SEE SOME BIG CHANGES ON INSTAGRAM REAL SOON
