Does Creating Reels in 3rd Party Tools Hurt You on Instagram?

Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, shared a video where he explained that creators are NOT penalized for creating Reels videos outside of Instagram. However, he stressed that if there is a 3rd party tool watermark (from something like Canva, or CapCut, or TikTok), then those WILL get reduced reach.

What does this mean for you? Well, make sure you’re paying for the video editing tools you use. Many tools will let you use them for free but then your videos include the watermark. If you pay for the upgraded service, the watermark won’t typically be there. And let’s face it, if you’re going to use the free version, you’ll need to pay for a watermark stripping software, so just pay for the first tool and you’re ahead of the game.

The other thing worth noting, is that he doesn’t discuss the ADVANTAGE of editing in-app on Instagram. He just says you won’t be demoted for using an external video. BUT I have long said that any editing you do in Instagram will help you get more distribution? Why? Because then they know it’s original content.

If you upload a video you made in Canva, put in Instagram, add a caption, and hit publish, they assume you’re using that same video on other platforms. But, if you do some simple edits – adding a filter, adding a text box, adding music, adding stickers – then the video is now unique and original to Instagram. That video isn’t likely to appear elsewhere in exactly that format, which tends to increase distribution because Instagram wants to promote original, fresh content.

So, though he doesn’t talk about this, I’d highly recommend you make sure to do some editing in-app to give yourself the added boost.