In this video and blog post, I want to talk about my first Facebook reels and do they really work. Over the last couple of months, I’ve been experimenting more with social media to support my work online. One question that kept coming up was whether Facebook Reels are actually worth the effort. In this post, I want to share my early experience, not as an expert, but simply as someone testing things out and reporting back honestly.
If you’re new to my site, RoyBrettonOnline.com is where I document what I’m doing online, what’s working, what isn’t, and what I’m learning along the way.
Why I Decided to Try Facebook Reels
I’ll be honest — I’ve never been a huge fan of Facebook. However, after hearing repeatedly that people were getting results with Reels, I decided it was worth giving them a fair test. Around two and a half months ago, I set up a Facebook page and began posting content consistently.
I’ve written before about the importance of testing platforms rather than relying on opinion alone, and that same approach applies here. If you’re interested in how I approach content and platforms in general, you may find my posts in the blog section useful.
Early Page Growth
In roughly 10 to 11 weeks, the Facebook page grew to just over 150 followers. That’s not explosive growth, but it’s steady and organic. More importantly, it gave me enough data to start comparing different types of content.
Up to that point, most of my posts had been standard text-based updates. Then I started introducing Reels.
My First Facebook Reels Results
At the time of recording the video that accompanies this post, I had created just seven Facebook Reels. The first one was posted shortly after Christmas, and unsurprisingly, as the oldest Reel, it had the most views.
What immediately stood out was that Reels were consistently getting more reach than regular posts. Even with very small numbers, the difference was noticeable.
This mirrors what I’ve seen with other platforms too, including YouTube. If video content is something you’re interested in, you can see how I use it over on my YouTube page.
A Mistake I Made (And What I Learned)
One mistake I made early on was using the same background image for multiple Reels posted on the same day. Although the titles were different, the visuals looked almost identical.
The result was a big difference in views between two Reels that were published just hours apart. My conclusion is that people likely assumed they were seeing the same video again and simply scrolled past.
Since then, I’ve started varying backgrounds and even small things like clothing, just to make each Reel visually distinct. It’s a simple lesson, but an important one.
Are Facebook Reels Worth the Effort?
Reels definitely take longer to create than a simple text post, but based on what I’m seeing so far, the extra effort seems worthwhile. They appear to gain more traction and reach people who wouldn’t normally see a standard post.
I don’t yet know how long Reels continue to be shown — whether they’ll still be getting views months or even a year later — but that’s part of the ongoing experiment.
Consistency Matters More Than Perfection
If there’s one thing this test has reinforced, it’s the importance of consistency. Posting regularly matters far more than getting everything perfect. Facebook’s scheduling tools also make this easier, allowing posts and Reels to be planned in advance.
This same principle applies across everything I do online, whether it’s blogging, video creation, or experimenting with new platforms.
Final Thoughts
So, do Facebook Reels work? Based on my early experience, yes — they do appear to offer more reach than regular posts, even with a very small number of videos.
I’ll continue posting Reels and plan to share an update in a few weeks once I’ve gathered more data. As always, this site is about sharing the journey as it happens, not making big claims.
If you have any questions, or if you’re testing Facebook Reels yourself, feel free to get in touch or leave a comment.