PSA: Folks watch 138.9 million Fb and Instagram Reels each minute.
Instagram Reels continues to be the platform’s fastest-growing function, so when you’re seeking to get in on the engagement motion, the time is now.
Whether or not you’re new to short-form video creation otherwise you’re seeking to step up your technique to get extra views, shares, and saves, we’ve put collectively the last word information to Instagram Reels.
Hold studying for a step-by-step information to creating Reels that individuals really wish to watch. We’re additionally sharing expert-backed greatest practices and real-life examples from manufacturers who’re utilizing Reels to amplify their social presence.
Bonus: Declare your pack of free animated Instagram Reels templates created by Hootsuite’s skilled designers. Simply customise them in Canva, and take your Reels sport to the following degree right this moment.
What’s an Instagram Reel?
An Instagram Reel is a short-form vertical video shared on Instagram. Like TikTok, Reels lets you report, edit, and sew collectively a number of video clips and images.
You can too add results comparable to unique audio, like voiceovers, music, textual content overlays, stickers, and extra.
What’s the distinction between a Reel and a TikTok?
Each Reels and TikTok are short-form video platforms with comparable options, however there are a number of key variations.
For starters, TikTok is a standalone app whereas Reels is a part of Instagram’s — and finally Meta’s — ecosystem. Reels are served to Instagram customers throughout varied contact factors on the platform, from Discover to Tales to their house feeds. Whereas TikTok movies are proven in a consumer’s FYP or following feed.
One other key distinction between a Reel and a TikTok is the size. You may add movies on TikTok as much as 10 minutes lengthy and as much as three minutes lengthy on Reels.
Here’s a breakdown of the principle variations between a Reel and a TikTok:
Instagram ReelsTikTok
Most length3 minutes60 minutes
AudioOriginal audio, musicOriginal audio, music
EffectsVisual and sound effectsVisual and sound results
How lengthy can Instagram Reels be?
In 2025, Instagram Reels will be as much as three minutes lengthy.
Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, shared this much-awaited replace earlier this yr, and the response from creators was largely constructive. Beforehand, the max size for Reels was 90 seconds.
Instagram Reels sizes and specs
Like TikTok, Reels needs to be vertical, full-screen movies. Listed here are the precise sizes and specs for recording and importing Instagram Reels:
- Side ratio: Between 1.91:1 and 9:16
- Decision: Minimal of 720 pixels
- Body fee: Minimal of 30 FPS (frames per second)
What can you utilize Instagram Reels for?
You need to use Instagram Reels for a variety of short-form video alternatives. Assume: behind-the-scenes content material, product tutorials, interviews, or entertaining movies.
Right here’s a listing of codecs to strive in your subsequent Reel:
- Earlier than and afters
- Behind-the-scenes
- Instructional content material (tutorials, how-tos, and so on.)
- Trending audio
- Day-in-the-life movies
- Bulletins
- Shareable content material
- Interviews
- UGC
- Showcasing merchandise
How does the Instagram Reels algorithm work?
In response to Meta, Instagram’s algorithm is now based mostly on an AI system to find out rating reasonably than an algorithm.
For Reels particularly, Meta says that the AI system that handles Instagram Reels Chaining “routinely determines which Reels present up, and in what order, by predicting what you’re almost certainly to be considering or interact with.”
The system gathers about 100 Reels and ranks them based mostly on how seemingly you might be to remark, share, or observe the creator, as an example.
You may learn extra about how Reels determines its rating components right here.
For social media managers who’re answerable for crafting participating Reels on the common, these rating components can really feel a little bit onerous to pinpoint — we get it.
For those who’re searching for fast insights into how one can get extra attain in your Reels like, now, Adam Mosseri lately shared 5 fast ideas:
- Don’t use watermarks or logos
- Hold Reels lower than 3 minutes lengthy
- Use audio and trending music
- Publish constantly
- Experiment by utilizing trial Reels; this function lets you share Reels with individuals who don’t observe you first, then improve to your profile and followers if it performs nicely
You may watch his full breakdown under:
Find out how to create an Instagram Reel
For those who’re able to dive into the world of short-form movies, observe these steps to create and publish an Instagram Reel.
Step 1: Choose or report a video
Out of your feed or your web page, faucet the + button to create a brand new submit. Then, choose Reel from the choices to create a brand new Reel.
From right here, you’ll be able to both hit the report button to create a video immediately throughout the app, or select a premade video out of your digital camera roll.
Reminder: You may add a video as much as three minutes lengthy.
Step 2: Edit your video
Subsequent, you should utilize the built-in video enhancing instruments so as to add layers, transitions, and results to your recording.
Listed here are some enhancing choices:
- Lower out silences
- Add and rearrange a number of video clips
- Add voice overs
- Alter the pace
- Crop the clips
- Add audio or visible results, like textual content and stickers
Step 3: Browse trending audio
Instagram’s music library is a treasure trove of unique audio and trending songs.
Select from the record of curated audio from the For you tab, or see what’s trending. The inexperienced and pink arrows let you understand which sounds are gaining or shedding reputation amongst customers. You can too save audio to make use of later.
Step 4: Add or edit your Reels cowl
Your Reels cowl is the very first thing customers will see once they’re searching your feed. It’s necessary to make use of a graphic that grabs their consideration and lets them know what the video is about.
You may choose a canopy picture from the video — let’s say, a body with textual content overlay that describes what the video is about. Or you’ll be able to select a particular picture out of your digital camera roll you wish to use for the Reel.
On this step, you may as well see what the quilt will seem like in your profile grid.
Step 5: Publish or save as a draft
Lastly, it’s time to get your Reel able to publish. Right here you’ll see a preview of your Reel cowl, and might edit it if crucial.
You’ll additionally must add a caption. Instagram Reels captions will be as much as 2,200 characters lengthy (the identical as an Instagram submit).
You can too add:
- Hashtags
- A ballot or immediate
- Location tag
- Person tags when you’re collaborating with one other account
On desktop
When you can’t report an Instagram Reel on desktop, you’ll be able to add, edit, and publish one. The steps are primarily the identical, except for the complete suite of enhancing choices.
- From the left menu, select Create, then Publish
- Select choose from laptop to add a prerecorded video
- You may trim the start or finish of your clip
- Add a cowl photograph out of your system or by selecting one from the clip
Free Instagram Reels templates
Templates make the method of making and sharing participating Reels rather a lot simpler. Right here’s a bonus from our workforce that gives you a jumpstart: totally customizable Reel templates that may make it easier to stand out in busy feeds.
Bonus: Declare your pack of free animated Instagram Reels templates created by Hootsuite’s skilled designers. Simply customise them in Canva, and take your Reels sport to the following degree right this moment.
Find out how to schedule an Instagram Reel: 2 strategies
Scheduling your Instagram Reels is a game-changer for busy social media managers and creators.
You may schedule your Reel immediately within the app, or use an all-in-one scheduling software like Hootsuite. We’ve put collectively the step-by-step course of for each choices.
Schedule an Instagram Reel on Instagram
To schedule an Instagram Reel on Instagram, create your Reel following the steps we shared above.
When you’ve made it to the publishing step, as an alternative of hitting Share, scroll right down to Extra choices.
Subsequent, toggle on the choice to schedule this Reel.
You may schedule your Reel as much as 75 days upfront.
You even have the choice to edit or reschedule your Reels.
Out of your profile, faucet the three traces to get your settings. Then go to scheduled content material. You may handle your entire scheduled posts right here, together with Reels.
Schedule an Instagram Reel with Hootsuite
We could be biased, however we predict Hootsuite is one of the simplest ways to schedule Instagram Reels (together with the remainder of your Instagram content material!).
Right here’s learn how to do it:
1. Save your video to your system.
2. In Hootsuite, faucet the Create icon, then faucet Publish.
3. Choose the Instagram Enterprise account you wish to publish your Reel to.
4. For those who add a single video to a submit, it would routinely publish as a Reel. You can too choose Publish Within the Content material part to be further certain.
5. Add your saved video. Movies should be between 3 seconds and quarter-hour lengthy and have a facet ratio of 9:16.
6. Add a caption. You may embrace emojis and hashtags, and tag different accounts in your caption.
7. Preview your Reel and click on Publish now to publish it instantly, save as draft, or…
8. … Click on Schedule for later to submit your Reel at a unique time. Manually set a publication date or select one of many beneficial days and instances to submit.
Your Reel will present up within the Planner, alongside all of your different scheduled social media posts.
From there, you’ll be able to edit, delete, or duplicate your Reel, or transfer it to drafts. It should routinely publish in your scheduled date!
When you publish your Reel, it would seem in each your feed and the Reels tab in your account.
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When is the most effective time to submit an Instagram Reel?
In response to Hootsuite analysis, the most effective time to submit an Instagram Reel is Tuesday at 7AM.
Listed here are a number of different instances when Reels carry out nicely:
- Sunday between 6-7PM
- Wednesday between 4-7PM
- Friday between 7-10AM
3 greatest practices for creating a fascinating Instagram Reel, backed by specialists
Making a Reel is one factor, however making it participating? That takes experimentation.
Listed here are three ideas that social media managers advocate to create participating Instagram Reels.
1. Give attention to the intro
The quickest solution to lose your viewers’s consideration is by drawing out the intro of your Reel.
If you wish to cease folks from scrolling and enhance your probabilities of engagement, hook your viewers as shortly as potential.
Jeannie Assimos, Head of Content material and Communications at beverage firm, mainelove recommends introducing your view topic inside 5 seconds.
“Have interaction folks instantly with no matter you’re sharing,” she says. “The arrange is necessary — don’t use title playing cards or gradual intros, otherwise you’ll lose an viewers used to a fast content material model.”
Under is an instance Assimos shared of one of many model’s high-performing Reels. The video introduced the corporate’s sponsorship of Maine’s first skilled soccer workforce, The Portland Hearts of Pine.
“We put collectively a sizzle Reel of gamers on the sphere with the announcement,” says Assimos.
“This video did extraordinarily nicely as a result of the subject material is fascinating to our target market in Maine, and we broke the information inside 5 seconds. We now have 30k views on this video for a really new Instagram account which has been round lower than eight months — and it’s all been natural attain.”
2. Don’t be afraid to assume exterior the (business) field
Whereas your target market is probably going considering no matter your enterprise is promoting or representing, that doesn’t imply you’ll be able to’t attraction to their different pursuits.
Take into account creating Reels about subjects that don’t appear immediately associated to what you do, so long as it is sensible in your viewers. Reels are sometimes seen by individuals who don’t already observe you, so tapping into bigger conversations on the social media platform is an efficient solution to enhance your attain.
This tip will be notably useful for the extra “severe” model accounts — those in industries like monetary or skilled providers, schooling, healthcare, B2B, or the nonprofit sector.
Silvija Kemeraite, Social Media Supervisor at software program firm Omnisend suggests considering exterior of your business to have interaction your viewers.
“Don’t be scared to submit content material that’s indirectly associated to your enterprise,” says Kemeraite. “This doesn’t imply fully ditching your space of enterprise experience, however all the time take into consideration your viewers and what could be fascinating for them to look at.”
3. Embrace participating CTAs
In contrast to different submit sorts or advertising and marketing channels that encourage customers to take motion elsewhere (e.g., “go to our hyperlink in bio” or “subscribe to our electronic mail record”), your Reels CTA ought to concentrate on conserving your viewers engaged with the video.
Saves and shares are indicators that allow the algorithm know your content material is participating, so the extra shareable your content material is, the higher.
Your CTA will be so simple as “ship this to a buddy” or “depart a remark letting us know what you assume.”
Want inspiration? Listed here are some participating CTA concepts:
- “Save this for later”
- “Tag somebody who wants this”
- “Drop a remark when you agree”
- “Ship this to somebody who ought to see this”
Consider, not each Reel wants a CTA. For instance, when you’re utilizing a trending audio then that needs to be the main target.
CTAs are nice for academic or informative Reels that share precious data, spark a dialog, take customers by your course of, or showcase your merchandise.
4 inspiring examples of Instagram Reels advertising and marketing
Seeking to see Reel-life (get it?) inspiration? These inventive movies illustrate learn how to take advantage of out of your Instagram Reels advertising and marketing.
1. Kosas: Product tutorials
Magnificence model Kosas repeatedly shares Reels demonstrating how its merchandise work. These movies usually are not solely useful for anybody interested by attempting the model, however they’re additionally an effective way for Kosas to showcase new and signature merchandise.
Plus, the movies typically function Kosas’s founder, which helps personalize the model’s content material.
Professional tip: For those who don’t have a founder or spokesperson who’s comfy getting in entrance of the digital camera, take into account working with influencers or content material creators. You can too repost natural UGC movies that showcase your model or product nicely.
2. Penguin Random Home: Shareable content material
As we’ve talked about, the Instagram Reels algorithm takes shares and saves under consideration when rating your content material.
The important thing to creating shareable content material is to maintain it quick. Give attention to one key message and pair a brief video clip with a trending audio.
This Reel shared by e book writer Penguin Random Home is a superb instance of shareable content material. Not solely is it related to the writer’s book-loving viewers, however it additionally features a CTA within the caption, prompting folks to share the Reel with their mates.
3. Framebridge: Buyer interviews
Whereas short-form movies carry out greatest on Reels, that doesn’t imply you’ll be able to’t produce one thing extra substantial.
Framing firm, Framebridge used Reels to supply an interview collection for Mom’s Day to focus on the other ways mothers have framed their reminiscences and milestones.
This marketing campaign is a superb instance of learn how to incorporate your clients whereas showcasing your merchandise.
When you have the price range to create produced movies like this, make sure that to maintain the clips on the shorter facet so that they’re optimized for essentially the most engagement and attain.
4. Notion: Tiny mic moments
Love them or hate them, tiny mic interviews are a preferred format on Reels for a purpose.
Whether or not you’re interviewing workers or focusing on strangers on the street, a tiny mic second will be a fascinating solution to educate or entertain Instagram customers whereas additionally letting them know what your model does.
Within the case of software program firm, Notion, this Reel highlighted a scorching subject — the variety of unread emails in our inboxes — and positioned the corporate’s upcoming electronic mail software as an answer.
Instagram Reels FAQ
Are you able to see who watched your Reel?
When you can’t see which particular person customers watched your Reel, you’ll be able to see what number of views your Reel has acquired.
Are you able to obtain an Instagram Reel?
Sure, you’ll be able to obtain a Reel from public Instagram accounts if the account has enabled downloads. For those who don’t need customers to have the ability to obtain your Reels, you’ll be able to change your settings by toggling off the Enable folks to obtain your Reels choice.
What number of Reels ought to I submit?
The quantity of Reels you need to submit is dependent upon your model’s common engagement fee and the posting frequency inside your business and amongst rivals. Finest follow is to create a constant schedule and use a scheduling software to take care of your posting frequency.
When is the most effective time to submit an Instagram Reel?
The very best time to submit an Instagram Reel is Tuesday at 7AM, based on Hootsuite analysis.
How do I get extra views on my Instagram Reels?
To get extra views in your Instagram Reels, optimize your content material for the algorithm. Create Reels that align with the algorithm’s rating components by making them lower than three minutes lengthy, utilizing trending audio, not utilizing watermarks or logos, and posting constantly.
How do I delete or archive a Reel?
Go to Choices (the three dots) within the backside proper nook of your Reel. From right here you’ll be able to completely Delete the Reel or go to Handle then Archive.
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