How do i make instagram reels


A Simple Guide for Businesses

What are Instagram Reels?

How to make a Reel on Instagram in 5 steps

5 tips for making viral Reels as a business

Instagram Reels cheat sheet

By now, you already know that Instagram Reels are a gold mine for helping you grow your following. The short, entertaining videos have a special way of grabbing users’ attention, which can mean lots of engagement for your brand.

Since Reels debuted two years ago, they’ve become the platform’s fastest-growing feature. Creators like Justin Bieber, Lizzo, and Stanley Tucci helped transform the addictive feature from a TikTok wannabe to a full-blown competitor. And we’re not surprised.

But how do you use this tool to reach more people, get new followers, or spread the word about your products and services? In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know, from how to make a reel on Instagram to figuring out the best time to post it.

Bonus: Download the free 10-Day Reels Challenge, a daily workbook of creative prompts that will help you get started with Instagram Reels, track your growth, and see results across your entire Instagram profile.

What are Instagram Reels?

Instagram Reels are full-screen vertical videos that can be up to 90 seconds long. They come with many unique editing tools and an extensive library of audio tracks (featuring everything from trending songs to snippets of other users’ viral content). On top of sounds, Reels can include multiple video clips, filters, captions, interactive backgrounds, stickers, and more.

Reels are different from Instagram Stories. Unlike Stories, they don’t disappear after 24 hours. Once you post a Reel, it’s available on Instagram until you delete it.

The best part? Reels are currently favored by the Instagram algorithm, which is more likely to recommend them to people who don’t follow you than feed posts. That’s huge for social marketers.

Users can also discover Reels in a dedicated section of the Instagram app. A scrollable feed full of trending Reels (a.k.a. Instagram’s version of the TikTok For You page) can be accessed through the Reels icon at the bottom of the Instagram app’s home page.

An individual user’s Reels can be viewed in a dedicated tab that can be accessed above the account’s Feed.

Reels are also heavily featured in the Explore tab. If you’d like to set your Reels up for success with this powerful discovery tool, check out our guide to getting your content on the Instagram Explore page.

How to make a Reel on Instagram in 5 steps

If you’re familiar with Instagram and/or TikTok, you’ll find making Reels quite easy.

Are you a visual learner? Check out this video and learn how to make an Instagram Reel in under 7 minutes:

Otherwise, follow these simple step-by-step instructions.

Step 1: Tap the plus icon at the top of the page and select

Reel

To access Reels, simply open the Instagram app and head to your profile page. Click the plus sign button on the top right of the screen and select Reel.

You can also access the Reels editor by swiping left to the Instagram camera and selecting Reel from the bottom options.

Step 2: Record or upload your video clip

Instagram Reels gives you two options to create a Reel:

  1. Press and hold the record button to capture footage.
  2. Upload video footage from your camera roll.

Reels can be recorded in a series of clips (one at a time), or all at once.

If you set a timer early on, there’s a countdown before the hands-free recording starts.

During the recording, you can tap the record button to end a clip, and then tap it again to start a new clip.

Then, the Align button will appear, allowing you to line up objects from the previous clip before recording your next. This allows you to create seamless transitions for moments like changing outfits, adding new music, or adding new friends to your Reel.

If you want to watch, trim, or delete the previous clip you recorded, you can tap Edit Clips. Check out our Instagram Reels tutorial for more in-depth editing tips.

Step 3: Edit your Reel

Once you’re done with recording, you can add stickers, drawings, and text to edit your Reel using the icons on the top of the editor.

The Reels editor features built-in creative tools so you can do all your editing from one interface.

Here’s what each feature does:

  1. Audio (1) lets you select audio from the Instagram music library or import it from your device and add it to your video. You can even choose to add your favorite part only.
  2. Length (2) lets you change the length of your video. You can choose to make your video 15, 30, 60, or 90 seconds.
  3. Speed (3) lets you change the speed of your video. Slow it down by choosing .3x or .5x or speed it up by choosing 2x, 3x, or 4x.
  4. Layout (4) lets you adjust the layout and add more than one recording to the frame.
  5. Timer (5) lets you set a timer that will go off before you start recording and set a time limit for the next clip. This is useful if you want to record hands-free.
  6. Dual (6) lets you record videos using your front and rear cameras at the same time.
  7. Align (7) appears after you record your first clip. It allows you to line up objects from the previous clip.

After you’ve aligned your clips, you can tap the music note icon to add trending sounds or music, or record a voiceover.

You can also tap the download icon to download Instagram Reels to your device to view or edit later.

Check out our Instagram Reels tutorial for more in-depth editing tips.

Step 4: Adjust your Reel’s settings

When you’re ready, tap Next in the bottom right corner of your screen. You will be able to:

  • Edit your Reel cover. You can choose a frame from the video or add an image from your camera roll.
  • Add a caption.
  • Tag people in your Reel.
  • Add a location.
  • Enable Facebook recommendations. If you select this option, your Reel will be surfaced to Facebook users who are likely to enjoy your content (according to Meta’s algorithms). You don’t need a Facebook account to use this feature.
  • Rename your audio. If you add your own audio (e.g. a voice recording) to your Reel, you can give it a name that will show up in other users’ Reels if they decide to use the sound.
  • Enable or disable automatically generated captions.
  • Decide whether you want your Reel to be posted to your Instagram Feed (and not just the Reels tab on your account).

Step 5: Post your Reel

Once you adjust your settings, tap the Share button at the bottom of the screen.

Congrats! You’ve posted your first Reel. Now, let’s move on to some tactics that will help you make this format work for your brand.

Optional: Schedule your Reel

You’ve got your Reel ready to go, but maybe 11:30 pm on a Tuesday isn’t the best time to get maximum exposure. You might want to consider scheduling your Reel to post at a more ideal time.

Until recently, this feature was only available via Meta’s Creator Studio, or with a third-party tool like, you guessed it, Hootsuite!

In-app Reel scheduling is coming to both business and creator accounts, with Meta confirming that they “are testing the ability to schedule content with a percentage of our global community.”

While only available to lucky Android users at the moment (check your App, you might have it already!) the scheduling feature is expected to be available to everyone very soon.

At this time, regular posts and Reels can be scheduled in-app, but not Stories and no scheduling feature is available for desktop users.

5 tips for making viral Reels as a business

Instagram Reels can be a great way to get your business in front of the right audience. The feature can also help you grow your following and boost engagement rates. But this doesn’t happen automatically. You’ve got to know the hacks to go viral on Instagram Reels.

1. Know how the Instagram Reels algorithm works

The magic of Reels is in Instagram’s not-so-secret sauce — the algorithm. This is the all-knowing matchmaker the platform uses to determine which Reels it shows to which users. Understanding the way the Reels algorithm works can help you get more views from the Explore page and the Reels tab.

Adding trending sounds, using the right hashtags, and making your Reels visually appealing are all great ways to tell the algorithm, “Hey! Pay attention to me!”

2. Have fun with trending audio

If you scroll through Instagram Reels or TikTok on the regular, you’ll notice that many creators use the same sounds on top of their videos. Thousands of people have used The Home Depot Beat and the typing sound audio. That’s not a coincidence.

Instagram Reels sounds are snippets of songs or audio clips from other creators’ videos. When they gain popularity, they can help you get more views if you add them to your Reels. This is because users often search by sounds and because, quite frankly, the aforementioned algorithm seems to like it.

The best way to find trending audio on Instagram is to use the platform and take note of which sounds you’re seeing pop up more than others.

When you scroll through Reels, make note of any sounds that have an arrow next to the name of the sound. The arrow indicates that they’re trending. It can be tough to find sounds after you’ve already excited a Reel, so make sure to save them and use them later.

One last tip! Be sure to choose songs wisely and use them sparingly. We all know what happens when trending sounds get overused. (Oh no, oh no, oh no no no no no).

3. Don’t be too salesy

As much as you might want to sell, the reality is that users don’t open up social media apps hoping to see ads. They turn to Instagram to explore ideas, connect with others, and get a quick burst of entertainment during breaks in their day. That’s why you need to make sure your Reels help them do just that.

Be sure to create content (yup, this includes Reels) that’s actually entertaining to your target audience. Whether that means leaning into a trending dance or creating quick how-to Reels, aim to delight, inform, and entertain users rather than sell to them.

See: Away’s comedic approach to travel content, Barkbox’s clever use of trending sounds, and Delta’s brilliant attempt to gamify Reels.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t turn your Reels into ads, though. Boost those high-performing—but non-salesly!—Reels to get even more visibility.

4. Post consistently and don’t give up

You can use the same strategies to be successful with Reels that you used to boost content on Instagram Stories or in the original Feed. Consistently posting is one of the best things you can do to help improve your performance across the platform, including in Reels.

Bonus: Download the free 10-Day Reels Challenge, a daily workbook of creative prompts that will help you get started with Instagram Reels, track your growth, and see results across your entire Instagram profile.

Get the creative prompts now!

That’s because it helps increase your odds of going viral. Plus, the algorithm is kind of like your biggest fan—it loves when you post new stuff! In general, the Instagram gods prioritize showing recent videos over stale ones, so keep things fresh.

Posting often also helps you aggregate a ton of helpful insights that will guide you when you’re trying to figure out what works and why. The more you post, the more you’ll learn about your target audience—what they like, when they scroll, and more.

5. Collab with other creators

Last year, Instagram added a new feature called Collabs. This option lets you share credit with another creator and allows them to share the Reel from their page as if it was their own.

The Collab feature is a game-changer if you work with influencers, brand partners, and others. It lets you extend your reach to their entire following, which can mean tons more likes, shares, reach, and overall engagement.

Here’s how to use Collabs:

  1. When you’re ready to publish your Reel, select Tag people.
  2. Tap Invite collaborator.
  3. Select the user who you feature or mention in your video.

Once the user accepts your collab invitation, the Reel will show up in the Reels tab in their account.

Instagram Reels cheat sheet

Need quick answers to all your burning Reels questions? Skim our cheat sheet (and bookmark it for later).

How to schedule Instagram Reels

Scheduling social media posts is a must when you want to stay on your game without having to work overtime. Luckily, there’s an easy way to schedule Instagram Reels with Hootsuite.

Using Hootsuite, you can schedule your Reels to be auto-published at any time in the future.

To create and schedule a Reel using Hootsuite, follow these steps:

  1. Record your video and edit it (adding sounds, filters, and AR effects) in the Instagram app.
  2. Save the Reel to your device.
  3. In Hootsuite, tap the Create icon on the very top of the left-hand menu to open the Composer.
  4. Select the Instagram Business account you want to publish your Reel to.
  5. In the Content section, select Reels.

Start your free 30-day trial. You can cancel anytime.

  1. Upload the Reel you saved to your device. Videos must be between 5 seconds and 90 seconds long and have an aspect ratio of 9:16.
  2. Add a caption. You can include emojis and hashtags, and tag other accounts in your caption.
  3. Adjust additional settings. You can enable or disable comments, Stitches and Duets for each of your individual posts.
  4. Preview your Reel and click Post now to publish it immediately, or…
  5. …click Schedule for later to post your Reel at a different time. You can manually select a publication date or pick from three recommended custom best times to post for maximum engagement.

And that’s it! Your Reel will show up in the Planner, alongside all of your other scheduled social media posts. From there, you can edit, delete or duplicate your Reel, or move it to drafts.

Start your free 30-day trial. You can cancel anytime.

Once your Reel is published, it will appear in both your feed and the Reels tab on your account.

Note: You can currently only create and schedule Reels on desktop (but you will be able to see your scheduled Reels in the Planner in the Hootsuite mobile app).

In-App Scheduling

Note: At the time of writing this feature is in a limited testing phase but is expected to be released to all Instagram users soon.

    1. Record your video and edit it as usual in the Instagram app.
    2. Go to Advanced Settings and click Schedule this post.

 

  1. Select the date and time you’d like the post or Reel to be published and click Done.
  2. You can adjust your posting schedule by navigating to the new Scheduled content section in Settings.

 

How to download Instagram Reels

Whether you’re a creator or a consumer, downloading Instagram Reels is a useful tool to have up your sleeve.

When creating, it helps you save drafts directly to your device or share them with others before they go live. You’ll also want to download Reels you’ve created if you plan to share them on another platform.

When scrolling, downloading allows you to save other creators’ videos permanently, even if the creator takes them down. It also allows you to access them when you’re offline.

There are several ways to download Instagram Reels.

If you own the Reel, you can download it using the Download option from the Reels editing page. Once it’s published, you can download it from the Reel itself. Click on the three dots in the bottom right corner of the Reel and select Save to Camera Roll.

If you want to download someone else’s Reel, you’ll have to record your screen or use a third-party app, such as InstDown or InSaver.

Learn more in our guide to downloading Instagram Reels.

The best time to post Reels on Instagram

Knowing what time to post on Instagram Reels is an easy way to target your users when they’re the most active. Catching them when they scroll means more engagement and further reach for your brand.

The thing is, everyone’s ideal post time is different. For Hootsuite, the best time to post on Instagram is between 9 a.m. and noon, Monday through Thursday. But your audience may skew later, earlier, or scroll more on the weekends.

Don’t worry. There’s a quick way to figure out when to post. In Hootsuite, you can see the best time to publish Instagram content from the Analytics feature. Click “Best Time to Publish” to see when your users are the most likely to engage with the post. The heat map is a handy way to visualize the best times.

Start your free 30-day trial. You can cancel anytime.

Another way to find the best time to post Reels is to check what worked best for you in the past. To review the performance, of your existing head to Analytics in the Hootsuite dashboard. There, you’ll find detailed stats, including:

  • Reach
  • Plays
  • Likes
  • Comments
  • Shares
  • Saves
  • Engagement rate

Instagram Reels dimensions

Getting the sizing right is another great way to set your Reel up for success.

Using the wrong dimensions can make your post look—we won’t sugarcoat it—downright ugly. And that means an instant swipe-up from users. On top of that, the almighty algorithm doesn’t like it when your Reels look stretched or distorted. We don’t blame her.

So what’s the ideal Instagram Reel size? Make your Reel frames and cover 1080 pixels by 1920 pixels. If you choose to have your Reel show up on your regular Grid (probably a good idea, by the way), make sure your thumbnail fits the ideal size of 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels.

What about the Instagram Reels ratio? Users will have the best experience viewing Reels in full-screen mode, which features a ratio of 9:16. However, Instagram also shows Reels in the main feed, and crops them to a ratio of 4:5.

Just make sure to avoid putting any important information around the edges of the frame, because it could get cut off.

Read our full guide to Instagram Reels sizes.

How long are Instagram Reels?

Instagram Reels can be as long as 90 seconds.

When Instagram first debuted the Reels feature in 2019, users could only post Reels up to 15 seconds long. In 2022, users have a choice of four Instagram reel lengths up to 90 seconds each. That means you’ve got a full minute and a half to dazzle your audience.

But should you actually use all 90 seconds? Not always. It totally depends on the Reel itself. In general, aim for user-friendliness when you’re deciding how long to make an Instagram Reel.

Longer Instagram Reels come in handy for more time-consuming stories, how-to guides, tours, and more.

You certainly don’t want to draw things out, though. Remember that the point of Reels is to create small snippets of delightful content, so keep it short and sweet.

Bonus tip: Unless you’re looking for a quick way to enrage your audience, you should never post multi-part videos when you could do it in one. That’s what 90-second Reels are for!

How to search Reels on Instagram

One of the best things you can do as a savvy Reel creator is checking out what other people are doing on the platform. To get unique Instagram Reels ideas, you can search for content to help inspire you.

A quick way to search for Reels is to use the general search bar at the top of the app. Type in a search feature and explore content, users, and hashtags related to that term.

While Instagram’s standard search function is helpful, it doesn’t only show Reels. A good great way to search only Reels is to click on hashtags from other Reels. This will limit your results to Reels and filter out images.

For example, if you’re an avid consumer of puppy content, you can click on the #dogsofinstagram hashtag from a Reel’s caption to see more Reels of dogs being cute.

Easily schedule and manage Reels alongside all your other content from Hootsuite’s super simple dashboard. Schedule Reels to go live while you’re OOO, post at the best possible time (even if you’re fast asleep), and monitor your reach, likes, shares, and more.

Try it free

Save time and stress less with easy Reels scheduling and performance monitoring from Hootsuite. Trust us, it’s reely easy.

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Introducing Instagram Reels

Posted on August 5, 2020

Today we’re announcing Instagram Reels: a new way to create and discover short, entertaining videos on Instagram.

Reels invites you to create fun videos to share with your friends or anyone on Instagram. Record and edit 15-second multi-clip videos with audio, effects, and new creative tools. You can share reels with your followers on Feed, and, if you have a public account, make them available to the wider Instagram community through a new space in Explore. Reels in Explore offers anyone the chance to become a creator on Instagram and reach new audiences on a global stage.

How it Works

Creating Reels

Select Reels at the bottom of the Instagram camera. You’ll see a variety of creative editing tools on the left side of your screen to help create your reel, including:

  • Audio: Search for a song from the Instagram music library. You can also use your own original audio by simply recording a reel with it. When you share a reel with original audio, your audio will be attributed to you, and if you have a public account, people can create reels with your audio by selecting “Use Audio” from your reel.
  • AR Effects: Select one of the many effects in our effect gallery, created both by Instagram and creators all over the world, to record multiple clips with different effects.
  • Timer and Countdown: Set the timer to record any of your clips hands-free. Once you press record, you’ll see a 3-2-1 countdown, before recording begins for the amount of time you selected.
  • Align: Line up objects from your previous clip before recording your next to help create seamless transitions for moments like outfit changes or adding new friends into your reel.
  • Speed: Choose to speed up or slow down part of the video or audio you selected. This can help you stay on a beat or make slow motion videos.

Reels can be recorded in a series of clips (one at a time), all at once, or using video uploads from your gallery. Record the first clip by pressing and holding the capture button. You’ll see a progress indicator at the top of the screen as you record. Stop recording to end each clip.

Sharing Reels

With Reels, you can share with your followers and can be discovered by the huge, diverse Instagram community on Explore.

  • If you have a Public Account: You can share your reel to a dedicated space in Explore, where it has the chance to be seen and discovered by the wider Instagram community. You can also share your reel with your followers by posting it to your Feed. When you share reels featuring certain songs, hashtags, or effects, your reel may also appear on dedicated pages when someone clicks on that song, hashtag, or effect.
  • If you have a Private Account: Reels follows your privacy settings on Instagram. You can share to Feed so only your followers can see your reel. People will not be able to use original audio from your reels, and people cannot share your reels with others who don’t follow you.

Once your reel is ready, move to the share screen, where you can save a draft of your reel, change the cover image, add a caption and hashtags, and tag your friends. After you share your reel, it will live on a separate Reels tab on your profile, where people can find the reels you’ve shared. If you also share to your Feed, your reel will appear on your main profile grid, though you have the option to remove it.

Whether you have a public or private account, you can share your reel to your Story, close friends, or in a direct message. If you do so, your reel will behave like a regular Story — it will not be shared to Reels in Explore, it will not appear on your profile, and it will disappear after 24 hours.

Watching Reels

Reels in Explore showcases the best of trending culture on Instagram. Discover an entertaining selection of reels made by anyone on Instagram, in a vertical feed customized for you. If you love a reel, you can easily like, comment or share it with your friends.

You’ll also see some reels with a “Featured” label. If your reel is featured in Explore, you’ll receive a notification. Featured reels are a selection of public reels chosen by Instagram to help you discover original content we hope will entertain and inspire you.

Reels gives people new ways to express themselves, discover more of what they love on Instagram, and help anyone with the ambition of becoming a creator take center stage.

For more information on Reels, visit our Help Center.

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    Introducing New Ways to Collaborate and Create with Reels

How to record Reels video on Instagram?

Help Center

Instagram features

Sharing photos and videos

From July 2022, most videos will only be able to be shared using the Reels feature. These changes will not affect videos previously posted to the feed and posted to Instagram on the web.

The Reels feature is not yet available to everyone. Some account holders will be able to view Reels videos, but will not be able to shoot them.

Reels function allows you to shoot and edit 90 second Instagram videos. Reels videos can be overlaid with various effects and music, as well as use original audio tracks in them.

Video Recording Reels

Instagram app for Android

Tap the icon at the top of the screen or swipe right anywhere on the feed.

Scroll to the Reels option at the bottom of the screen.

Tap and hold to record a clip, or tap this icon to start recording and again to end. You can also click on the camera roll at the bottom left of the screen to add a video from it. nine0003

Press Preview.

Select Edit Clips to view, trim or delete your previous clip and click Done.

Tap the appropriate icon at the top of the screen to add stickers, pictures, and text to your Reels video. Click to download the video to your device. Use the slider at the bottom of the screen to choose when you want the text to appear on the video and click Next.

Click Edit Cover to edit the cover photo and add a caption. nine0003

Select Share or Share to Reels.

Instagram app for iPhone

Touch the icon at the top of the screen or swipe right anywhere on the feed.

Scroll to the Reels option at the bottom of the screen.

Tap and hold to record a clip, or tap this icon to start recording and again to end. You can also click on the camera roll at the bottom left of the screen to add a video from it. nine0003

Click Next in the lower right corner of the screen.

Select Edit Clips to view, trim or delete your previous clip.

Tap the appropriate icon at the top of the screen to add stickers, pictures, and text to your Reels video. Click to download the video to your device. Use the slider at the bottom of the screen to choose when you want the text to appear on the video and click Next.

Click Edit Cover to edit the cover photo and add a caption. nine0003

Select Share or Share to Reels.

Note. You can record one or more clips up to 60 seconds in total. The progress bar at the top of the screen will show the remaining recording time. If you post a Reels video in Explore, it will also be available in the Reels tab on your profile.

Interactive stickers such as "Poll", "Challenge", question sticker and others cannot be used in Reels videos. Learn more about saving and editing a Reels video draft. nine0003

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Reels on Instagram: what it is, how to use it and what to shoot to make your videos pop

In June 2021, Instagram launched the long-awaited short video format Reels in Russia. So the social network is trying to compete with TikTok, and at the same time keep users inside the application even longer. We're talking about the biggest update of the year and urging you to rent your first Reels right now.

Illustration: Ekaterina Urusova
  1. What is Reels on Instagram?
  2. How to add Reels to Instagram? Reels on Instagram

    Reels is one of the post formats on Instagram, these are short dynamic videos 15, 30 or 60 seconds long (the ability to create videos of 60 seconds is not yet available to all users). You can add music, effects, text to the videos. nine0003

    Short videos are the biggest trend of 2020-2021, and it's obvious to everyone that the developers of Instagram added the Reels feature to the app out of a desire to compete with TikTok.

    In early July 2021, the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, announced that the social network was changing its positioning and would now prioritize videos over photos. And this is noticeable, because now the “central” button of the application leads exactly to Reels, although earlier it could be used to upload a new post or story. nine0003

    In general, Reels is similar to TikTok in everything - the video feed can be swiped endlessly, and the selection of videos is formed according to the user's interests. Effects, editing options, filters - the same as in TikTok, but there are fewer functions so far, although this is probably just a matter of time.

    Under each video, the song playing in the video is indicated, and users indicate hashtags with keywords.

    How to add Reels to Instagram

    There are three ways to post a new video:

    1. click on the + button in the profile → video Reels;
    2. swipe left to record stories → scroll down to the Reels function;
    3. click the Reels button at the bottom of the screen → click the camera icon in the top right corner.

    Here you are in the section for creating Reels.

    Download right now: How to promote your business with the media for free book

    How to shoot Reels on Instagram

    First, read the detailed instructions from Instagram - it describes the basic rules for publishing Reels, video settings and the principles by which the social network shows videos other users. nine0003

    As with the stories feature, you can shoot a video directly in the app or download it from your smartphone.

    We shoot a new video right away in the application

    Go to Reels and set the desired settings.

    • Audio track - Select a track for video.
    • Duration - Adjusts the length of the clip (from 15 to 60 seconds).
    • Speed ​​ — playback parameter of the finished clip. Choose 3x and 5x to slow down, and 2x and 4x to speed up. Normal playback speed is 1x. nine0092
    • Effects - selection of masks and filters for the video.
    • Retouch is an option for automatic video retouching.
    • Video Collage - allows you to add up to 3 video fragments to one screen.
    • Timer - sets the time to start shooting. A handy feature when you need to shoot yourself on a tripod.
    Selecting music, effects and setting the timer

    You can also turn on the flash or select night mode while recording Reels. nine0003

    So, the settings have been chosen - start shooting. Press the center button to start recording.

    The finished clip consists either of one "frame" or of several segments of different videos. To capture multiple moments, you need to successively press and release the record button.

    Recording screen: at the top you can see the number of videos and cuts, and at the bottom you can see the "Preview" and "Back" buttons

    To edit or delete the captured clips, you need to click "Back". As soon as the planned "montage" has developed, click on "Preview". nine0003 “Preview” parameters

    What can be done next: add music (if you didn’t select a track right away), re-sound the video, add stickers, inscriptions, effects.

    Selecting a track, dubbing, adding stickers

    If you are inserting text or a sticker, then hold down the element and on the panel that appears, mark at what time it will appear in the video. Click Attach.

    Roller ready? Click "Next". Now add a description and a cover.

    The maximum length of a video description in Reels is 2108 characters. You can use hashtags, mentions, and emojis. nine0003

    Choose a cover - either mark any frame from the video, or upload another picture from the gallery. In addition, it is separately important to choose a square cover format that will be displayed in the general feed. This is done by clicking the "Crop profile photo" button.

    If necessary, tag people who are featured in your video.

    Do you want to get into the top media for free?

    Respond to journalists' requests - publish comments, articles and interviews in major media

    How it works

    Are you sure you did everything? Click on the share button and your video will appear in the Reels feed.

    Loading video from the gallery

    In general, the Reels creation scheme remains almost the same, but now you do not shoot frames at once, but sequentially load them from the smartphone gallery. In terms of editing, this is much more convenient than recording video on the go.

    When uploading, select a video fragment that will be included in the final video. If you didn’t do it right away, then you can always go back a step and trim a certain fragment. By the way, Reels do not have to be made from videos, cool videos can also be made from a selection of photos. nine0003

    The next steps are the same: add stickers, text, effects, overlay music or sound the video yourself, make a cover and description and put it in the feed.

    Where Reels appear after posting

    First, in a separate Reels tab on the profile page. Secondly, in the main feed with all the posts. The videos will be marked with a special icon.

    How to view video statistics

    Open the video, go to its settings and click on the "Statistics" section. nine0003

    Statistics show coverage, views, likes, comments, reposts.

    What to shoot for Reels brand or experts

    Are you already promoting your company or personal brand on TikTok? In this case, it will not be difficult to deal with Reels. The themes and presentation will be similar, but don't be surprised when some videos pop up on TikTok and others on Instagram. Still, the audience and algorithms of the two sites are different.

    Never post TikTok watermarked videos on Instagram Reels. The social network will deliberately underestimate the reach of such Reels. nine0003

    If you don't have a TikTok account yet and want to start your short video journey with Reels, here are 12 ideas to help you develop your content plan.

    Product Overview

    Shoot videos showing a brand's product from all angles or in action.

    For example, cosmetics brand Maybelline posts videos of girls applying lipstick in different shades:

    View this post on Instagram0003

    And FixPrice atmospherically removed the packaging of unusual black chips:

    View this post on Instagram

    A post from the Fix Price chain stores! (@fixprice.russia)

    All clothing brands immediately fell in love with Reels videos, because dress-up videos became popular on the social network even before the new feature appeared. Check out some cool videos Bershka makes:

    Ads no longer reach their target audience?

    Tell the media about your product for free

    How it works

    View this post on Instagram

    Posted by Bershka (@bershka)

    Instructional videos

    The format does not include long lectures, instead dynamic videos with one topic. It should be simple, understandable, interesting.

    For example, Skyeng makes videos with English phrases and idioms:

    View this post on Instagram

    Post by Skyeng (@skyeng_school)

    But the Russian language tutor briefly talks about punctuation in the presence of a common minor member in the sentence:

    See this post on Instagram

    the videos do not strain, but at the same time they really help to learn something new and remember it.

    Instructions

    Step by step instructions are the perfect format for Reels. Frame acceleration and editing allow you to fit all the stages into a 30-second video. nine0003

    This is how a health food store shows how to make borscht from a ready-made set:

    View this post on Instagram

    A post from Lifemart (@lifemart.ru) monochrome look for autumn:

    View this post on Instagram

    Posted by 12 STOREEZ (@12storeez)

    Tips

    A variety of instructional videos - videos with selections and recommendations. Short and to the point. nine0003

    SMM agency lists convenient tools for teamwork on a project:

    View this post on Instagram

    Publication from SMM AGENCY LAVA (@smm.lava)

    Educational and educational content

    talk about some phenomenon, process, phenomenon, offer ways to solve any problems. The format is suitable for any experts - psychologists, lawyers, investors, consultants.

    For example, a psychologist explains why conflicts happen out of the blue and how to avoid them:

    View this post on Instagram

    Posted by Psychologist Nastya | About Relationships (@suslova__a)

    A beautiful video with brand products

    It is not necessary to lay a special meaning or benefit for subscribers in a Reels video.

    Instagram is all about pretty pictures. Therefore, just shoot atmospheric, funny, cute, inspiring videos.

    Check out what commercials a confectionery from Yekaterinburg makes. The cake is simply cut with a knife to pleasant music. And how appetizing! I would like to come to the institution and be sure to try this dessert:

    Guide “How any company can start publishing in the media”

    How to choose media, make friends with journalists and what to check in the text before sending.

    Watch for free

    View this post on Instagram

    A post from BON BRUNEL confectionery (@bonbrunel.ru)

    An event that the brand participated in or organized

    A great idea for both B2C and B2B- companies. Are you attending a major event? Record a few videos in and edit a video to show how it all went. nine0003

    Cosmetics brand Clinique showed behind the scenes of the Cannes Film Festival and preparing the actors for the red carpet at Reels. Such a video kills two birds with one stone: firstly, people are curious to see how a star is assembled, and secondly, the audience sees that Clinique is a partner of one of the most significant festivals.

    View this post on Instagram

    Post from Clinique (@cliniquerussia)

    Product creation process

    Production is always interesting. Be it the creation of jewelry, and the manufacture of furniture, and even the assembly of cars.

    If you have something to show, be sure to show it. For example, how the jewelry brand Moonnlightjewelry does it:

    View this post on Instagram

    Post by Moonnlightjewelry (@moonnlightjewelry)

    Process of work

    Continuation of the previous topic: only the work is no longer shown, but the work by hand. Must-have for cosmetologists, make-up artists, massage therapists and other similar professionals. nine0003

    A variant of the video for a beautician:

    View this post on Instagram

    Post by Cosmetologist Ivanovo Dr.Simunina (@dr. simunina)

    An even more interesting example: a plastic surgeon shoots videos. Who doesn't want to pop into the operating room and see what's going on?

    View this post on Instagram

    Publication from Plastic Surgeon © SPB (@dr.arthur.khristenko)

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    Once again, we remind you that people come to Instagram for beauty and pictures of a perfect life. So show how good it is where they are not. So that viewers urgently want to find themselves in one place or another.

    The concept is best for restaurants:

    View this Instagram post

    Post from ITALIANS restaurant (@italians_ekb)

    Also for tour operators and other travel organizers:

    View this Instagram post

    Publication from ANEX Tour Russia (@anextour)

    Humor

    Obviously, humor comes to Instagram with a bang. Previously, bloggers filmed vines, now reels. But brands also know how to joke coolly: such content increases loyalty to the company.

    Humor champions everywhere — Aviasales. And of course, they don't miss the opportunity to put a funny video on Reels:

    View this post on Instagram

    Posted by Travel | Flights (@aviasales)

    The Golden Apple cosmetics and perfume shop is not inferior and laughs at a situation in which all girls who love perfume must have been at least once:

    View this post on Instagram

    Posted by Golden Apple (@goldapple)

    Cases

    If you try, you can pack a case into a short video. Here is an SMM agency showing what stories they make for their client:

    View this post on Instagram

    Publication from SMM AGENCY LAVA (@smm.lava)

    Ideas for Reels are limited only by your imagination and creativity - edit videos, experiment and analyze what gets the best response from your audience.

    Why you should go to Reels right now

    The main reason is that the Reels tool is only gaining momentum in Russia. Getting into the "Recommended" with regular posts or stories is difficult due to the high competition, but with Reels it is still possible to get organic reach and attract a new audience for free.


    Learn more