BLACK FRIDAY OFFER: 30% off for first 2 months! Use "BF2024" at checkout
In 2021, Facebook introduced Facebook Reels, a feature tailored for creating short-form videos to foster better engagement and opportunities for monetization for content creators. As of February 2022, Reels has reached over 150 countries, empowering creators to craft videos spanning 3 to 60 seconds, enriched with various creative tools such as music, text overlays, filters, and stickers. These tools are purposefully designed for mobile viewing and optimized with a vertical 9:16 aspect ratio.
Facebook has rolled out diverse monetization avenues, including the Reels Play bonus program, offering eligible creators the potential to earn up to $35,000 per month based on views. Furthermore, banner and sticker overlay ads are presently undergoing testing, with creators set to receive a share of the ad revenue. Facebook has invested a hefty $1 billion to support creators and introduced features like Stars, allowing fans to provide financial support.
Updates to Reels encompass the introduction of Remix, expansion to 60-second videos, the capability to create and save drafts for future editing, and video clipping tools. Reels seamlessly integrate across Facebook’s platform, including Stories, the Watch tab, and suggested feeds. Moreover, it facilitates crossposting with Instagram, enabling creators to broaden their audience reach. With a staggering 2.9 billion active users on Facebook and a daily count of 140 billion Reels played, there is immense potential for community growth and monetization through creative content.
The Entertainment sector leads with 25%, driven by music videos, movie trailers, and celebrity content. Food and beverage are closely followed, with 15% being captured by recipes and cooking tutorials.
Publishing and Media attract 12% with news summaries and mini-documentaries, while Beauty and Fashion hold 10% with makeup and styling tips. Sports, Gaming, and Travel and Tourism engage 8%, 7%, and 5%, respectively, offering game highlights, walkthroughs, and travel vlogs.
Other sectors, such as E-commerce (5%), Technology (4%), and DIY and Crafts (3%), also maintain a presence through product demos, tech reviews, and craft tutorials. Education and Pets capture 2% with bite-sized lessons and cute animal videos.
Finance and investing, real estate, fitness, non-profit organizations, personal development, and automotive each account for 1%, focusing on niche content such as investment tips, property tours, and car showcases.
| Industry | Estimated Viewership (%) | Niche |
| Entertainment | 25% | Music videos, movie trailers, TV show clips, celebrity interviews, comedy sketches, behind-the-scenes footage |
| Food and Beverage | 15% | Recipes, cooking tutorials, restaurant reviews, food challenges, kitchen hacks, aesthetically pleasing food presentations |
| Publishing and Media | 12% | News summaries, mini-documentaries, explainer videos, interviews, opinion pieces, listicles |
| Beauty and Fashion | 10% | Makeup tutorials, hairstyle ideas, outfit inspiration, product reviews, fashion shows, styling tips |
| Sports | 8% | Game highlights, athlete interviews, training routines, behind-the-scenes footage, fan reactions, sports news |
| Gaming | 7% | Game trailers, gameplay highlights, walkthroughs, tips and tricks, live streams, esports highlights |
| Travel and Tourism | 5% | Destination showcases, travel vlogs, hotel reviews, packing tips, local experiences, adventure activities |
| E-commerce | 5% | Product demos, unboxing videos, styling ideas, customer testimonials, limited-time offers, behind-the-scenes of product creation |
| Technology | 4% | Product launches, tech reviews, software tutorials, app demonstrations, unboxing tech gadgets, explainer videos about complex technologies |
| DIY and Crafts | 3% | DIY project tutorials, craft demonstrations, home decor ideas, creative hacks, upcycling ideas, artistic showcases |
| Education | 2% | Bite-sized lessons, language learning tips, quick science experiments, historical facts, study tips, educational explainers |
| Pets and Animals | 2% | Cute animal videos, pet care tips, funny pet moments, heartwarming stories, animal rescue videos |
| Finance and Investing | 1% | Investment tips, financial advice, stock market updates, explanations of financial concepts, budgeting tips |
| Real Estate | 1% | Virtual property tours, home staging ideas, neighborhood walkthroughs, real estate market updates, mortgage tips |
| Fitness and Sports | 1% | Workout routines, fitness challenges, motivational talks, healthy recipes, sports drills, athlete stories |
| Non-Profit Organizations | 1% | Impact stories, volunteer spotlights, donation appeals, awareness campaigns, calls to action |
| Personal Development | 1% | Productivity hacks, self-improvement tips, motivational quotes, mindfulness exercises, career advice, relationship tips |
| Automotive | 1% | New car model showcases, test drive reviews, car maintenance tips, behind-the-scenes at car factories, car customization ideas |
The number of active users on Facebook Reels was 78 million in 2020, but by 2023, it had increased dramatically to 800 million. It reached 200 million users in 2021 and 500 million users in 2022 before marking the significant milestone of 800 million in 2023.
| Year | Facebook Reels Active Users |
| 2020 | 78 million |
| 2021 | 200 million |
| 2022 | 500 million |
| 2023 | 800 million |
The user base for Facebook Reels comprises 35% females, with 35% of them aged 18-24 and 25% aged 25-34. The age groups 35-44, 45-54, and 55+ represent 18%, 12%, and 10% respectively.
For males, 30% are aged 18-24, and 22% are aged 25-34. The 35-44, 45-54, and 55+ age groups represent 16%, 14%, and 8% respectively.
This distribution indicates that Reels is popular among younger users and has significant engagement across older demographics, demonstrating its broad appeal.
| Gender | Age Group | Estimated Percentage |
| Female | 18-24 | 35% |
| 25-34 | 25% | |
| 35-44 | 18% | |
| 45-54 | 12% | |
| 55+ | 10% | |
| Male | 18-24 | 30% |
| 25-34 | 22% | |
| 35-44 | 16% | |
| 45-54 | 14% | |
| 55+ | 8% |
The popularity of Facebook Reels spans the globe, with a significant portion of its users based in India, a country with a high prevalence of smartphone usage and easily accessible internet.
The United States follows with 15% of users, taking advantage of widespread digital device usage. Brazil contributes 10% of the user base, driven by a strong preference for mobile usage and the popularity of short-form content. Indonesia adds 8% to the user traffic, showcasing the expansion of its digital landscape.
Lastly, Mexico represents 5% of the traffic, indicating substantial Facebook usage and a growing interest in short-form videos.
| Country | Estimated Traffic Percentage | |
| India | 25% | |
| USA | 15% | |
| Brazil | 10% | |
| Indonesia | 8% | |
| Mexico | 5% | |
| Others | 37% |
Most Facebook Reels users access the platform through mobile devices, which make up 85% of its traffic. About 10% of users access Facebook Reels from desktops, indicating that some prefer the web interface. Additionally, 5% of users access Facebook Reels from tablets, catering to those who prefer a balance between mobility and screen size.
| Device | Estimated Percentage Traffic by Device |
| Mobile | 85% |
| Desktop | 10% |
| Tablet | 5% |
MrBeast’s Squid Game Recreation has accumulated 200 million views on Facebook Reels, making it the top video. Following closely behind is Khaby Lame’s Life Hacks, which has garnered 150 million views.
Mike and Joelle’s Pharmacists has reached 100 million views, Tasty’s food videos have attracted 80 million views, and Pawp’s cat content has secured 50 million views.
Adventure and immersive content have also performed well, with GoPro’s Surfing in Tahiti receiving 30 million views and Apple Daily’s Time-lapse of Taiwan amassing 20 million views.
| Video Title | Creator/Source | Estimated Views |
| MrBeast’s Squid Game Recreation | MrBeast | 200 million views |
| Khaby Lame’s Life Hacks | Khaby Lame | 150 million views |
| Pharmacists | Mike and Joelle | 100 million views |
| Tasty Food Recipe Compilation | Tasty | 80 million views |
| World of Cats | Pawp | 50 million views |
| Surfing in Tahiti (GoPro) | GoPro | 30 million views |
| Time-lapse 360 Video of Taiwan | Apple Daily | 20 Million |
| Real Madrid Training (360) | Real Madrid | 12 million views |
| California’s Valley Fire Aftermath (360) | BuzzFeed | 15 million views |
| Facebook Campus Time-lapse (360) | Mark Zuckerberg | 10 million views |
| New Orleans Saints Entrance | NFL/Team | 8 million views |
Source: Facebook
Over the past four years, Reels has experienced substantial growth, reaching around 5% share of ad impressions in 2023 and an estimated 800 million potential advertising reach.
Despite a slight decrease in average engagement rates, Reels outperforms other post types and remains highly effective for marketers, with 85% finding the platform effective throughout all four years.
| Statistic | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| Ad Impressions (Share) | ~1% | ~2% | 3.3% | ~5% |
| Estimated Potential Ad Reach | ~300 Million | ~500 Million | 697.1 Million | ~800 Million |
| Daily Plays | ~50 Billion | ~100 Billion | 140 Billion | ~180 Billion |
| Average Engagement Rate | 0.25% | 0.23% | 0.22% | 0.21% |
| Outperforms Other Video Uploads (Views) | 2x+ | 2.8x+ | 3x+ | 3.1x+ |
In the first quarter of 2024, it was observed that Facebook accounts with more than 50,000 followers had a Reels engagement rate of approximately 2.18 percent.
On the other hand, smaller Facebook accounts with 2,000 or fewer followers had Reels engagement rates of 1.55 percent, and those with followers ranging from 2,001 to 10,000 reported a 1.76 percent engagement rate.
| Account Size | Engagement rate |
| Tiny | 1.55% |
| Small | 1.55% |
| Medium | 1.76% |
| Big | 1.87% |
| Huge | 2.18% |
Source: Statista
With at least 1000 views in 30 days. Creators can earn up to $35,000 per month for successful Reels.
Click Monetization in the left menu. Navigate to Tools to Try and click on Ads on Reels. Review the Terms and Conditions, then click Agree to Terms. Set up your payment account.
Average Earnings from Facebook Views While the exact earnings from Facebook views vary, reports suggest that content creators typically earn between $8.75 and $10 per 1,000 views.
David leads the editing team at SendShort. With this help, the team delivers the latest guides on using your favorite social media apps and creating short-form content.
