Instagram Reels Launch Scorecard: Goals, North Star and Guardrails Across 150 Countries

You are the product manager for Instagram Reels, Instagram's short-form video feature, which has just been released in 150 countries. Set the goals for Reels and define the metrics you would use to decide whether it is succeeding. ```hint Start from why Reels exists Work out what Reels should do for viewers, for creators and for Instagram as a whole before naming any metric. Then ask how the answer should differ between the first weeks after launch and later, and across very different markets. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - How long ago was the release? Should the goals cover the first weeks of adoption, the coming year, or both? - What does leadership most want from Reels: more time spent on Instagram, a reason for creators to post short videos on Instagram, or reaching new users? - Should success be judged for Reels alone, or by its net effect on Instagram, including Feed and Stories? - Are all 150 countries weighted equally, or do some markets matter more, such as those where competing short-video apps are dominant or unavailable? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - Goals for each group Reels serves (viewers, creators and Instagram overall), linked to why the product was built - A precisely defined north-star metric with its unit and time window, and why it beats the alternatives - Supporting metrics for consumption and creation, plus guardrails for cannibalization of Feed and Stories, content quality and integrity - How the scorecard differs between the launch period and steady state, and how results are compared across 150 countries - How to separate real impact from novelty and from Instagram's underlying growth, for example with holdouts and cohort analysis ### Follow-up Questions - Time spent on Reels rises sharply while time on Feed and Stories falls by a similar amount. Is the launch a success? - Most first-time creators never post a second reel. Which metric reveals this, and what would you do about it? - How would you compare results between countries with very different network speeds and phone types?