Remember Facebook’s ‘Like’ button plugin? Now it’s doing the same for Reels.

The news: Meta has released an API for Facebook Reels, allowing users to post Reels directly to Facebook from third-party platforms that integrate the feature. The announcement comes three months after Meta did the same for Reels on Instagram.

• Meta announced three launch partners for the feature: influencer marketing platform Jellysmack, social media management platform Sprout Social, and code-free website builder Wix.

Reels everywhere: Facing dwindling ad revenues and time spent on the platform, Meta has gone all-in on copying the short-form video format that’s helped its younger competitor TikTok excel at both.

• In February, Meta rolled out Reels globally on Facebook in a move that foreshadowed its future focus on the format. Since then, it’s doubled down even further, adding advertising formats and features for creators while blurring the line between videos on Instagram and Facebook.
• Now, videos users post of a certain length on Instagram are automatically turned into Reels. They don’t get a say in the matter.
• But despite that steep investment, Reels are watched 11 times less than TikTok videos on average—that’s according to Meta’s own internal research. The lack of major creators is a big part of why. TikTok still offers unparalleled reach compared with Reels, so much so that Meta’s creator funds aren’t enough to entice them to make the switch.

Looking forward: Facebook rose to the top long ago (in internet years, at least) by imprinting its presence everywhere across the internet via “share” and “like” buttons.

• The internet has changed a lot since then, and while making it easier to post Reels from across the web may give the format a boost, it will still have trouble supplanting TikTok.
• But one thing’s for sure: Making it easier to access and post Reels from outside Meta’s apps certainly puts it a step ahead of TikTok. The web and mobile browser interface of TikTok is notoriously cluttered and difficult to use. Maybe that’s because it wants users to download the app, but it’s frustrating nonetheless.

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