Facebook introduces Topic Search and Friend Likes to reels to improve content discovery and social interaction on the site.
Facebook has introduced a number of features to boost user engagement on its Reels platform, such as friend bubbles to bring attention to photos that friends have liked and AI-generated topic search links to help you immediately find more related content.
This move is likely to encourage users to spend even more time watching Reels, and with over 3.5 billion shared daily across Facebook and Instagram, it’s clear why Facebook is investing further in the format.
Friend Bubbles Add Social Context to Reels and the Feed
Facebook is introducing “friend bubbles” on Reels and feed posts. As you scroll through Reels or your feed, friend bubbles show up on posts, letting you know the content that your friends have liked.
Clicking a bubble starts a private chat, so you can connect right away to talk about your favorite topics.
The feature is a copy of one that Instagram introduced earlier this year, and it reflects Facebook’s efforts to revive core social experiences by surfacing what friends find enjoyable and encouraging conversation.
AI-Powered Topic Search Helps Users Explore Interests
At the bottom of Reels, Facebook will now surface AI-generated topic search suggestions to help you discover more videos on a subject, whether you’re interested in “soup dumpling recipes” or something similarly niche.
In turn, this integration provides an easier way for users to continue down the rabbit hole of interests without having to leave the Reels player, helping to retain user engagement and discovery flow that’s already inspired by TikTok’s own successful design.
According to Facebook:
“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, regardless of length.”
Facebook further briefs:
“If you prefer longer videos, you’re in luck – reels over a minute make up a quarter of reels produced by creators with over 10,000 followers and over 50% of watch time on Facebook.”
Also, Facebook suggests:
“Our recommendation engine is also now surfacing 50% more reels from creators published that day, so you see the newest content faster.”
The system also takes your preferred video length into account, and it learns to recognize your interests quickly for an even more personalised experience.
New Controls to Refine Content You See
Users can now tap “Not Interested” on reels or flag comments that violate guidelines to help guide the recommendation algorithm toward more relevant content.
Also included in the update is a redesigned Save experience that neatly stores your saved reels and posts in one personal save folder, fine-tuning your recommendations and improving watch time worldwide.
According to Facebook:
“You can tap ‘Not Interested’ on a reel or flag a comment that doesn’t fit the spirit of the conversation, and the recommendations engine will respond to these signals, making your reels even more personalized.“
Also, Facebook adds:
“Plus, we’ve made updates to the Save feature to make it simpler to collect your favorite reels and posts in one place.“
With a final suggestion:
“You’ll help Facebook fine-tune your recommendations with each save, resulting in a more tailored experience that we’ve seen lead to increased watch time globally.”
Balancing Connection and Attention
While friend bubbles and AI-driven suggestions are promoting social interaction and content discovery, the updates also work toward Meta’s larger mission of increasing user time spent on its platform by propping up popular video formats.
For many of them, that will mean more shared experiences. For Meta, it amounts to a strategic push to keep the audience engaged and connected. More broadly, these updates again underline Meta’s ongoing focus on video content and working to get as much engagement from its uploads.
Although Facebook believes that it will emphasize user connections by featuring Reels that friends have liked, the overriding agenda looks to hold onto users on app floors rather than fostering meaningful social interaction.
Bottom Line
These updates position Facebook’s Reels experience as more interactive, social, and tailored, blending the best of Instagram and TikTok features to capture continued growth in short-form video consumption.