There are more than a billion reels on Instagram, which shows you just how popular they are. Reels are a powerful way to showcase creativity and connect with audiences. If you want to captivate your followers, then you need to learn how to make great reels on Instagram. In this guide, we’ll explain all you need to know about making reels on Instagram. We will also share the best practices to make your videos stand out!
Table of Contents
What are Instagram Reels?
Instagram reels are short-form videos perfect for sharing creative and entertaining content. They let you express ideas through music, effects, and visual storytelling. Reels are designed to captivate and connect with a wider audience. Users can understand trends, showcase talents, or promote brands with this dynamic feature. Reels can be about anything like dancing, educating, or inspiring others.
Advantages of Creating Reels on Instagram
You should make reels on Instagram to get the following benefits:
1. Boosts Content Visibility
Instagram prioritizes reels and pushes them to the Explore page and recommendations. This means more people can see your videos, including those who don’t follow you yet. Therefore, with reels, you have a chance to appear before a global audience. This increased visibility also helps you get more likes, which further boosts your content’s ranking.
2. Enhances Engagement Rates
The dynamic format of Reels makes viewers spend more time on your content, increasing watch time. So, reels encourage users to interact with your content and help you get more likes, comments, and shares. This way users engage with your reels more which helps improve your overall profile performance.
3. Attracts New Followers
Since there is a separate reel tab for Instagram users to explore, users outside your current audience can also see them. When viewers enjoy your Reels then they are more likely to visit your profile and hit the follow button. This helps you grow your follower base quickly and builds a loyal Instagram community.
4. Promotes Viral Growth
If your reels resonate with users, they can be shared widely which improves the potential to go viral. As more people share your reels, you also get better reach and influence on the platform. Therefore, great reels have a high potential for going viral, which can lead to massive growth for your Instagram account.
How to Create Reels on Instagram
Here are the different ways to make reels on Instagram across multiple devices:
i.) From Your Desktop (Computer / PC)
Step 1: Open Instagram’s website and “Log In” to your account.
Step 2: Click on the “+” icon located at the top right corner of the page.
Step 3: In the pop-up window, click on “Select From Computer” to choose the video file you wish to upload as a Reel.
Step 4: After selecting your video, you can trim it to fit the desired length for a Reel.
Step 5: Select a cover image for your Reel by choosing a frame from the video itself or uploading a custom image.
Step 6: Enter a caption, add a location, and tag any collaborators.
Step 7: Once you’re satisfied with the settings, click on “Share” to post your Reel.
Please note that while you can upload and share Reels from the desktop, the editing features available on the mobile app are not fully accessible on the web.
ii.) From Your Mobile Device
Step 1: Launch the updated app on your smartphone and “Log In” to your account.
Step 2: Tap the “+” icon at the bottom center of the screen and choose “Reel.”
Step 3: Press and hold the record button to make a new video. If you have a prerecorded video then tap the gallery icon.
Step 4: Use the available tools to add music, effects, text and stickers to your video.
Step 5: Set the desired speed, timer and align multiple clips as needed.
Step 6: Once you’re satisfied with your Reel, tap “Next” to add a caption, hashtags and choose a cover image.
Step 7: Then tap “Share” to post your Reel.
iii.) With Photos / Videos
Step 1: Open Instagram and swipe to the “Reels” option.
Step 2: Tap on the “Gallery Icon” in the bottom left corner to open the camera roll. From there, select the “Photos and Videos” you want to use.
Step 3: Tap on the “Timer Icon” to adjust the display time for each photo or video clip.
Step 4: Tap on the “Music Icon” to choose a song or sound effects to enhance your reel.
Step 5: Review your reel by tapping “Preview” and make any necessary adjustments.
Step 6: Tap “Next” to add a caption, hashtags and a cover image.
Step 7: Finally, “Share” your reel with your followers.
If you’d like to save the reel for later, you can easily download reels to your device. This way you can have your videos on hand even after they’ve been posted!
iv.) Make Highlight Reels
Step 1: Go to your profile and tap on the “Reels” icon at the top of your screen.
Step 2: Tap the “New” button to start a Highlight reel. Choose from existing Reels or create new content by selecting videos or photos.
Step 3: Arrange and trim clips to fit your reel, and you can also adjust the speed or add effects.
Step 4: Tap on the audio icon to choose a track from the music library for your Highlight reel.
Step 5: Tap “Next” to preview your reel and add a caption, hashtags, and a cover image.
Step 6: Finally, share it on your profile as a Highlight.
Top Techniques to Make Your Instagram Reels Effectively
Here are the top tips to make reels on Instagram perform better:
1. Plan Your Reel Concept
When you outline your concept, you’ll know what you’re trying to communicate and how best to engage viewers. This organized approach can help you reach the right audience and maintain a niche focus. That’s why you need to find your niche and narrow down your target audience.
Choose an idea that aligns with both your interests and the preferences of your viewers. Then, determine the ideal length of your reel and outline the key moments you want to highlight. Set a clear goal for your content, to help determine the outcome when posted. Here are some popular niches to consider:
- Food Reels
- Travel Reels
- Dance Reels
- Meme Reels
- Funny Reels
- Birthday Reels
- Cartoon Reels
- Animated Reels
- Transition Reels
- Photo Reels
2. Create a Catchy Hook
The first few seconds are key to deciding whether viewers will keep watching your reels or not. That’s why a catchy hook at the beginning of your reel is critical to grabbing your audience’s attention. The hook captivates viewers and encourages them to watch the whole reel.
To create a strong hook, start with something attention-grabbing that will spark curiosity or excitement. It should highlight your reel’s value and instantly communicate the unique content of your video. You can add a question or edit the cover with strong visual elements.
3. Capture High-Quality Clips
You should have professional reels with quality reels if you want more people to check them out. This is because high-quality videos are more visually appealing and can make your reels feel polished. Work on proper lighting, smooth shots, and clear visuals when recording your reels.
You can experiment with different angles and adjust your setup to find the best perspective. Avoid shadows and use a good camera to capture high resolutions and eye-catching moments. Finally, choose relatable background audio that complements and matches the mood of your reel.
4. Edit Your Reels Creatively
Creative editing can transform your Instagram Reels from average to captivating. By incorporating elements like smooth transitions, catchy effects, and text overlays, you can boost the appeal of your content and keep viewers engaged. To edit your Reels creatively, use photo transitions and effects that flow seamlessly, making your content feel dynamic.
Focus on clean edits to ensure smooth visual changes. Add on-screen text to highlight key messages and incorporate closed captions to cater to viewers watching without sound. Use professional creator tools to add filters, stickers, and polls for extra interaction.
5. Do Proper SEO
Optimizing your Instagram Reels with SEO strategies is crucial for increasing their visibility. Using relevant keywords in your captions, descriptions, and hashtags makes it easier for Instagram’s algorithm to push your content to the right audience.
To optimize your Reels, choose the right hashtags that reflect your content and target audience. Research trending keywords in your niche and add them to your captions or descriptions to improve searchability. Tags are also essential, as they connect your content with similar topics.
6. Leverage Current Trends
Incorporating popular trends into your Instagram Reels can significantly increase your content’s reach and chances of going viral. Trending audio, challenges, or popular formats are frequently searched by users, which boosts the chances of your Reels showing up in the feed.
To make trending reels, keep an eye on popular challenges and audio tracks circulating on Instagram. Use these elements in your content to attract users who are already interested in the trend. It’s important to stay creative while using these trends, adding your unique twist to make your Reels stand out.
7. Post Consistently at Optimal Times
Regularly posting your Instagram Reels at the right times can significantly boost your reach. When you share your content during peak hours, your audience would be more likely to engage with your reels, increasing their visibility. This helps your content reach a broader audience, as Instagram’s algorithm favors posts that get immediate interaction.
To schedule your reels effectively, use Instagram Insights to identify when your followers are most active. Aim to post during these high-traffic hours, which typically vary depending on your audience’s demographics. Consistently posting at these times will keep your content at the forefront of their feed, enhancing visibility.
8. Promote Your Reels
A good way to maximize your reel visibility is to promote your Instagram Reels across multiple platforms. Simply posting a reel on your profile isn’t enough to guarantee it reaches its full potential. By sharing it on your Instagram Stories, feeds, and highlights, you can increase its chances of being seen by a wider audience. Also, consider boosting your reels on Instagram to get more reach.
When promoting your reels, share them not just once but in different places and at different times. You can add your reel to your Instagram Story with a call-to-action (CTA) encouraging followers to check out the full video on your feed. For broader visibility, cross-promote your content on other social media platforms.
9. Track Progress and Reuse Content
Analyzing the performance of your Instagram Reels is crucial for understanding what works and what doesn’t. By using Instagram Insights, you can track metrics like views, likes, shares, and comments to see which content resonates most with your audience.
This data allows you to refine your strategy, test different formats, and improve your future reels for greater engagement. Repurposing older content is another effective way to keep your feed fresh without constantly coming up with new ideas.
Reels are a great way to give new life to past content. You can repurpose your most popular posts or blogs into a dynamic reel and repost your reels to save time and boost engagement. This strategic approach gives your audience a fresh perspective on older topics.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How to Make Instagram Reels Longer Than 90 Seconds?
To make Instagram longer reels more than 90 seconds, you need to update the Instagram app to the latest version where the platform has expanded the video length to up to 3 minutes.
2. How to Make Instagram Reels as WhatsApp Status?
To make Instagram Reels your WhatsApp status, tap the “Three Dots” on the bottom right corner of the reel, select the “Share” to option, and then choose the “WhatsApp” Option and proceed to the status.
3. How to Make Reels Full Screen on Instagram Story?
To make Reels full screen on Instagram Story, open the Reel and click on the paper airplane icon to share. Then, pinch to zoom in, adjust it to your full screen, and then share.
4. How to Create Instagram Reels Using AI?
Use tools like InShot, Lumen5, and some others that leverage AI for video editing. They have features that can help auto-generate effects, captions, and transitions to help you create reels with AI.
