Facebook Rolls Out New Reels Updates to Boost Engagement
Facebook is introducing several new features aimed at increasing Reels engagement — including “friend-liked” indicators on posts and improved recommendation algorithms designed to surface newer videos more quickly.
These updates are part of Facebook’s ongoing effort to encourage users to spend more time watching videos. With over 3.5 billion Reels shared daily across Facebook and Instagram, it’s no surprise that Meta is doubling down on short-form video.
“Friend Bubbles” and Social Discovery
The biggest update is the rollout of “friend bubbles” on Reels and Feed posts. These indicators highlight content that has been liked by friends, making it easier to discover posts through your social network. As you scroll, you’ll now see Reels and posts that friends have interacted with — creating a more personal and socially driven discovery experience.
This feature mirrors Instagram’s recent addition of similar indicators earlier this year. For Facebook users, it means more cues about what their friends and family are engaging with — but also a reminder that your own likes could be more visible than before.
TikTok-Style Topic Searches
Facebook is also adding topic tags below Reels, allowing users to dive deeper into related content. For example, tapping a tag like “soup dumpling recipes” will immediately open a search for Reels on that topic.
This feature closely resembles TikTok’s topic recommendations, underscoring how much Meta’s products have been influenced by the short-form video pioneer.
Smarter Recommendations and Fresher Content
Along with interface tweaks, Facebook says its recommendation engine is being upgraded to surface newer videos and better match user preferences.
According to the company:
“Facebook continues to be the home for all types of video, and our recommendations will help ensure you see fresher content in the formats you enjoy most… Our recommendation engine is now surfacing 50% more Reels from creators published that day, so you see the newest content faster.”
Facebook also notes that it’s refining its algorithm to understand your interests faster, taking inspiration from TikTok’s ability to quickly adapt to user behavior.
More Control Through Feedback
Another key update gives users greater control over what they see. You can now mark a Reel as “Not Interested,” or flag comments that don’t fit the tone of the conversation — allowing the algorithm to adjust recommendations accordingly.
Additionally, the Save feature has been redesigned to make it easier to collect favorite Reels and posts in one place. Facebook says that saves now weigh more heavily in its ranking system, helping further personalize each user’s feed and driving longer watch times globally.
Meta’s Bigger Video Strategy
These updates align with Meta’s broader strategy of emphasizing video as the central driver of engagement on its platforms. While Facebook frames features like “friend bubbles” as tools for connection, the deeper goal is to maximize viewing time and keep users in the app longer.
Still, with Reels continuing to dominate engagement metrics, these updates may benefit both creators and everyday users — even if they happen to look a lot like TikTok.
