What Marketers Should Know About Instagram’s Expansion of Trial Reels A/B Testing

For content producers, Instagram’s new A/B testing feature for reels has the potential to change the industry. Trial Reels, which were first introduced in December 2024, allow creators to test a clip on a limited number of users outside of their following before making it widely available. Instagram confirmed in July 2025 that additional accounts—more precisely, any public account with 1,000 or more followers—can now utilize this feature. Trial reels are a risk-free method for marketers to assess audience response, improve content, and possibly expand their reach. Here’s what you should know about this update and how to use it to your brand’s advantage.

Instagram Trial Reels: What Are They?

Creators can test Reels with a limited audience of non-followers using Instagram’s new “Trial Reels” feature. In essence, Trial Reels are an integrated A/B testing tool for Reels. When you share a reel, you have the option to toggle on “Trial” so that it doesn’t post to your feed and followers right away. Only users who haven’t followed you on Instagram will then see that video. You get “real-world feedback from Instagram users who don’t follow you (yet)”—basically, it’s a focus group for your content. You don’t run the risk of overwhelming your loyal followers or weakening your brand voice because they won’t see the trial version at all. Instagram releases a preview of the trial’s engagement metrics (views, likes, comments, shares, etc.) after about a day so you can see what’s effective before committing.

Increased Access: Who Is Eligible to Use Trial Reels?

Trial Reels are now more widely available on Instagram, allowing more brands and creators to try new things. Trial Reels are now available to any creator who has at least 1,000 followers and a public profile. According to Instagram’s team, the feature can be activated by simply turning on “Trial” in the Reels composer before posting. The toggle will appear at the top of the Reels share screen if your account satisfies those requirements. Until you choose to share it publicly, your reel will only show up on your profile under “Drafts & Trial Reels” after it has been published in trial mode. In summary, accessing this potent testing tool is relatively simple: all you need to do is reach 1,000 followers and make your account public.

Advantages for Creators and Marketers

For digital marketers and content producers, the Trial Reels feature offers the following significant advantages:

Unbiased Evaluation: Trial Reels provide you with an “unbiased evaluation” of your material. You can test concepts and gauge responses without biased feedback because the trial is only visible to users who do not follow you—not your friends or fans. This makes it easier to determine which ideas genuinely appeal to a new audience.

Wider Audience: Trial videos are intentionally made to reach individuals who are not in your current network. Trial reels can “offer an actual means to get more reach…among users who you’re not connected to, for free,” according to Social Media Today. In actuality, this opens up new markets for your brand and may encourage the growth of your following.

Protected Feed Experience: Unless you decide to post them later, your present followers won’t see your trials. This implies that you can try new things without overcrowding your main feed or running the risk of unexpected unfollows. It’s a secure method of taking imaginative chances.

Content Repurposing: To get the most out of already-existing content, some creators even repost older Reels in trial mode because trials are only visible to outsiders. This essentially gives your old or underutilized videos a second chance at life.

Data-Driven Insights: Instagram gives each trial reel complete engagement metrics after a day or so, including views, likes, comments, shares, saves, reach, watch time, and more. You can compare various trials, evaluate performance, and improve your approach with the help of these analytics. In other words, you can use concrete data to support your future content decisions.

When combined, these advantages make Trial Reels an effective way to test your social media strategy.

How to Use Trial Reels to Strengthen Your Approach

Use these easy steps to get Trial Reels working:

Verify Eligibility: Make sure your Instagram profile satisfies the prerequisites, which call for a public account with at least 1,000 followers.

Make a plan for your experiment: Select a Reel concept to test; it could be a repurposed video, a novel idea, a format, or a style for the captions. Consider it a miniature version of your content’s A/B test.

Post a Trial Reel: Make your clip as you normally would in the Reels composer. Turn on the “Trial” option before tapping Share. After that, upload the video, and for a select group of Instagram users, it will instantly enter trial mode.

Track Performance: After a day or so, review the outcomes. To see your trial posts, click the Reels tab in your profile and choose “Drafts & Trial Reels.” To view audience response metrics, such as views, likes, comments, shares, saves, reach, and watch time, tap View Insights.

Take Action Based on Results: Examine the metrics. Share the trial reel in your main feed or invite your followers to watch it if it does well. Find out why it didn’t perform well: Was the hook not strong enough? Was the video boring? For future efforts, please consider exploring a different creative approach or adjusting your content based on these insights.

Iterate Frequently: Include experimenting in your daily routine. To continuously test new concepts, schedule trial reels on a regular basis. Before you spend money promoting it, you’ll have a better idea of what your audience enjoys over time.

Remember that the feature is a one-of-a-kind free reach opportunity. Instagram may eventually close this “loophole,” as Social Media Today warns. Therefore, while the feature is available, now is the ideal time to test new ideas and collect information so that your brand can improve its approach.

What to Do Next and How Relizon Can Help

Instagram’s expanded Trial Reels feature provides marketers with an additional growth lever. Start experimenting next: look over your content calendar, select a few upcoming reels that might benefit from a test run, and use the trial option to get preliminary feedback. Monitor the results closely and let the data guide you in determining which concepts require further exploration.

Our social media marketing specialists at Relizon AI are prepared to assist you in taking advantage of this change. From campaign planning to performance analysis, we can help. For instance, we can assist with the interpretation of trial reel analytics, suggest innovative changes based on actual outcomes, and incorporate those findings into a more comprehensive Instagram strategy. We know how to turn new features like Trial Reels into genuine growth because our team keeps up with the most recent Instagram tools and algorithms.

Relizon is your partner for maximizing Instagram’s new testing tool, to put it briefly. Our creative strategy and data-driven analysis will guarantee that your brand’s Reels content not only reaches a wider audience but also generates significant engagement and conversions.

Are you prepared to begin? Adopt Trial Reels as your next marketing experiment and follow Relizon’s advice based on their experience with digital marketing. We’ll work together to make this new feature give your brand a competitive edge.