Meta Is Prioritizing Reels, but Advertisers Aren’t Biting

The TikTok clone is good for engagement but isn't driving sales

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Meta has made clear it’s prioritizing its short-form TikTok competitor, Reels. So far, however, advertisers are not committing with much vigor.

In Meta’s fourth-quarter earnings call, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Reels is one of the company’s investment priorities, emphasizing that the short videos will transform Facebook and Instagram and help the company grow.

But, according to six social marketers Adweek spoke with, advertisers aren’t making the same kind of investment. The majority are not devoting a significant portion of time and money to Reels, partly since it has failed to drive performance objectives, especially lower-funnel goals like sales and conversions.

“If someone has a limited budget, Reels would be one of the first things we remove from it,” said Tom Olivieri, group director of creative services at performance marketing agency Within.

That

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