How to make a reel on instagram with music

Everything You Need To Know About Adding Music To Your Reels

Struggling to find, save and add trending music to your Reels? Here’s your step-by-step-guide.

Struggling to find, save and add music to your Instagram Reels?

You’re in the right place.

Instagram recently rolled out new features that make it 100x easier to create a Reel to the music or sound you want.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect song to dance to or you’re in the mood to lip sync to an iconic Kardashian quote — this guide will help  you find and add the perfect soundtrack to your Reels.

Update: New hack to access more Reels music as a business account

Still don’t have access to the full catalog of music for Reels, because you have a business account? There’s a hack for that! Turns out, changing your account to the ‘entrepreneur’ catalog is a workaround for getting access to all of the available music.

Here’s how to do it:

• Select ‘Edit profile’
• Scroll down to your account type, and select ‘Category’
• Type in ‘entrepreneur’ and click the green check mark to save
• If you’d prefer not to have it displayed on your profile, you can also go back into category settings and select ‘turn off display category label’
• Head back to your profile and check you’re happy with everything
• Voila! Start creating a Reel, and have fun checking out the more extensive catalog of music you have available to add!

Watch Jenn’s walk-through here

Instagram Reels is the newest way to create video content on Instagram. Similar to its rival TikTok, you can record and edit 15-30 second video clips to music and text and effects to your creations.

Once your Reel is live, you can share it on your Stories, publish it to your Reels tab on your profile and allow Instagram to push it out to the Explore Feed.

While the algorithm for Reels is still up for debate, it looks like the Explore Feed curates a mix of trending content as selected by their content creators and content based on who you follow, the content you like and where you’re located.

Think of Reels like permanent high-quality (but still informal) Instagram Stories. It’s a way for you to show off your personality, make your followers laugh and deliver educational content in bite-sized pieces.

As with any new feature Instagram rolls out, the algorithm rewards early adopters. Plus, with the Reels Explore feed, it’s super easy to reach new followers and boost your engagement WITHOUT buying ads.

And if that’s not enough to get you Reeling with excitement, Instagram announced that they’re working on a shopping integration. Much like users can shop IG Stories, Feed Posts and IGTV, brands and influencers will soon be able to tag products in Reels and make it easier than ever for followers to shop in-app.

But what makes Reels stand out from all the other features on Instagram is the fact its algorithm shows you Reels based on your interest. As a brand or influencer, this is incredibly powerful as your content is getting in front of potential leads who are most likely to buy, follow and interact.

Read More: New Instagram Reels: How to Make It Work for Your Brand

Where to Find Trending Music For Your Instagram Reels

Adding music to your Reels is not only a great way to make it more engaging, but it can actually be a huge help for when you’re stuck on ideas! Because, you can actually build the theme of your Reel around the song! For example, there are many trending songs on Reels that are accompanied with certain dances or content themes (think, the ‘International Superspy’ trend, or ‘The Magic Bomb dance. ’) By jumping some of these trends early, you can explode the reach and virality potential of your video. But, where do you go to find trending music to use in your Reels? Here are some ideas:

6 places to find trending music for Reels

Peruse the explore page: The good ol’ explore tab can be a goldmine for Instagram trends on the rise, and Reels are no exception. While this section shares real estate with grid posts (so, not everything you see will be Reels), it’s an awesome starting point to find trending sounds in your niche.

Scroll through Reels: For even more video inspiration, head straight to the dedicated Reels section on the Instagram app. This is the video icon that sits in between the search button and Instagram shopping. Here, you can swipe through Reels to your heart content, and see what songs are popular right now.

Look for the arrow symbol: Okay, so how do you actually know which Reels songs are on the rise, and which ones are yesterday’s news? Well, there’s now a handy icon that shows up on trending music if you’re watching Reels on mobile. If it’s a song on the rise, you’ll see a little arrow pointing up and to the right, next to the song name.

Browse Instagram’s music catalog: When you’re creating your Reels, you’ll see a section to add audio. Here, you’ll see some music recommended for you! While these are based partially off the songs you’ve used in your previous Reels if you’ve made them before, you can also find trending music in here sometimes, too.

Snoop around on TikTok: With the effortlessly cool Gen Z kids using TikTok more than any other platform, this is often where trending songs are born! Songs will quite often hit it big on TikTok before heading over to Reels. TikTok also has a handy trending page that will sometimes pop up in your notifications if you have a business account. So, it’s worth being on TikTok if for no other reason than to lurk the trends!

Check out trending Reels and TikTok playlists on Spotify: Another hack for finding trending music on Reels that you might not have thought to? Head to Spotify! They have dedicated playlists just for songs that are popular on Reels and TikTok. These aren’t always updated regularly, but can be a good source of inspo if you’re feeling particularly stuck

When Instagram first launched Reels, there was a lot of confusion around adding music. Some people had it, and others did not. Some of the sounds people loved on TikTok were nowhere to be found, and the ability to save music to use later was non-existent.

Since then, Instagram has rolled out a bunch of new features to clear up the confusion and help them compete with TikTok.

You can now:

‣  Save audio clips to a folder and use it for a future Reel.

‣  Share audio pages via DMs.

‣  Search the audio browser to find sounds and music for your clips.

Not sure how to do it? Keep reading.

We’re breaking down the entire process to have you Reeling like a pro in no time.

‣  Tap on the Instagram Stories icon in the top left corner of the screen

‣  At the bottom of the screen slide to the right to select ‘Reels’

‣  When the Reels screen loads, you’ll see a bunch of new icons on the left hand side of the screen. Tap on the music note to choose music or a sound for your Reel

‣  Tap the ‘Saved’ icon to view sounds you’ve added to your collection

‣  Browse songs that are trending on Instagram

‣  View songs Instagram thinks you will like in the ‘For You’ section

‣  Or tap on the ‘Search Music’ bar at the bottom screen to look for a particular song or artist

‣ Once you’ve found a song clip you like, tap on it

‣ The song page will open, and you can slide the bar at the bottom of the screen to find the part of the song you want to use

‣ A pink dot indicates the most popular segment of the song

‣ The lyrics will also show on the screen to make it easier for you to select the perfect snippet

‣ When you’re happy, tap on the ‘Done’ button in the top right-hand side of the screen and you’ve successfully added music to your Reel!

‣ You can now film your Reel, add effects, text and everything else

‣ When you’re done creating your masterpiece, add your caption, hashtags and share it with the world!

So you have ZERO music in your “Saved” folder?

Whelp. Let’s fix that stat!

‣ Go to the Explore Page (or any Reel you love)

‣ Swipe around until you find a Reel with music or a sound you want to use

‣ Tap on the audio file at the bottom of the screen

‣ The audio page will load, and you can save it to your folder by tapping on the save icon in the top right hand side of the screen

Top tip: You can also choose to DM the sound to a friend by tapping on the paper plane icon. Your friend will receive a link to the audio page and can save it to their folder and see all the other Reels using the sound.

Reel in Your Followers

At a loss when it comes WHAT to post on Instagram? We’ve got you!

Sign up for a free Plann account and you can use our new content prompts *tailored to more than 50 different industries* to help you stay consistent and on-brand.

Remember, you can use Reels to expand on the content you’re creating elsewhere. Use this as a guideline to brainstorm ideas for your videos that will reel in your audience and keep them coming back for more!

Note: If you are a Business Account you don’t currently have access to Audio on your Reels which is a massive bummer, but you can use original audio from other people’s Reels – or, if you don’t want to try this trick consider switching your Business Account to a Creator Account and continue enjoying all the Plann perks like Analytics and Audio on Reels!

Start planning, scheduling and auto-posting with Plann. Go on, redeem your 7-day free trial of Plann Plus. If you don’t like it, keep using Plann for free!

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11 Editing Tips You Should Know

Everyone is talking about how the Instagram algorithm loves Reels, and that using the format can improve engagement and reach.

But getting started with such a creative medium can be intimidating. We’re here to help with an Instagram Reels tutorial that will help you master 11 essential editing tools and skills needed to create engaging content.

Keep reading to find out how to edit your videos for best results and kickstart your growth. Or, if you prefer, watch the video version right here:

1. Add music to Reels

2. Add text to the beat

3. Make multi-scene how-to Reels

4. Record Reels hands-free

5. Find your favorite Reels filter

6. Use the Align tool

7. Make timelapse Reels

8. Add voiceover to Reels

9. Use the Remix feature

10. Use the green screen effect

11. Use Reels templates

Bonus: 14 Time-Saving Hacks for Instagram Power Users. Get the list of secret shortcuts Hootsuite’s own social media team uses to create thumb-stopping content.

When browsing the Reels tab on Instagram, you’ll notice that most videos have audio clips — most often songs or voiceover — playing over them. Adding music to Reels is one of the basic editing skills you should know if you want to create engaging content.

1. Go to Instagram, then navigate to Reels and tap the photo icon in the top right corner to start creating content.
2. Tap the music note icon on the left-hand side. Select your song.
3. Once you’ve picked your song, you’ll find yourself back on the recording screen.
4. To select a specific segment of the song, tap the thumbnail of the album cover in the left-hand menu, then choose the section of the song you’d like to play during your Reel.
5. Got your song locked in? Time to make your vid. Hold the record button (the big one at the bottom with the Reels logo!) to start recording, and the music clip will start playing. When you let go of the record button, the recording will stop.
6. When you’re ready to share, tap Share To. You can share the recording as a Reel only (it will show up in the Reels tab in your account), or as an Instagram post as well.
7. Now you’re on the editing screen! Here, you can adjust the audio mix (turn the volume up or down), or add stickers, drawings, or text.
8. When you’re done, tap the arrow icon to proceed.

Adding captions to your video content serves multiple purposes:

• It can add more context to what’s shared in the audio.
• It clarifies your message, even for people who aren’t watching with sound or may have hearing impairments.
• It can be a cool visual stylistic flourish.

One common move on Reels is to have text appear and disappear on the beat — follow the step-by-step instruction below to make it happen!

1. Open the Reels maker.
2. Choose your song, and hold the record button (the big one at the bottom with the Reels logo!) to start recording.
3. Hit the backward arrow icon to review your recording, and trim or delete if necessary. Tap Done to return to the recording screen.
4. When you’re done, tap the arrow icon to proceed.
5. Now you’re on the editing screen! In the top right corner, tap the Aa icon to add text over of your video.
6. Type out your message.
7. Use the style tools along the top of the screen to adjust the alignment or color, or add stylistic flourishes.
8. Select a font from your options along the bottom of the screen.
9. Tap Done.
10. Now, you’ll see your text on a preview, but there also will be a little icon of your text on the bottom left. Tap that to adjust when in the video clip your text will appear, as well as the duration.
11. If you’d like to add additional text, tap the Aa icon again and repeat the text editing process.
12. When you’re happy with your video, tap Share To.

The beauty of Reels is that you can quickly stitch together clips to create a mini movie. You can use your Instagram camera to record fresh content or start with pre-recorded video clips.

Combining multiple clips will allow you to create engaging how-to videos and share some of your expertise with your Instagram audience.

1. Open the Reels editor.
2. Select any effects or songs you’d like to use, and then hit the record button (the big one at the bottom with the Reels logo!) to start recording.
3. When you’re done, repeat the process to add another clip to your recording.
4. To add a pre-recorded video clip that’s already in your camera roll, swipe up and select the clip. Drag the sliders at the beginning and end of the clip to select the segment of the video you’d like, and tap Add in the top right corner.
5. To further edit or delete any clips, hit the backward arrow icon to review your composition.
6. Some things to note about your multi-clip masterpiece: unfortunately, there is no way to rearrange your clips at this point, and no way to add multiple songs.
7. When you’re done, tap the arrow icon to proceed to the editing screen. Add text as needed, and tap Share To when you’re ready to post.

No need to hold down the record button for the duration of your recording. The hands-free function allows for you to capture a moment from further than an arms-length away.

If you’ve got a fashion brand and want to show off your latest outfits in a full-body shot, or offer a mural-painting service and want to capture a moment of your production process, give hands-free recording a whirl!

Bonus: 14 Time-Saving Hacks for Instagram Power Users. Get the list of secret shortcuts Hootsuite’s own social media team uses to create thumb-stopping content.

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1. Open the Reels maker.
2. On the left-hand side, tap the stopwatch icon.
3. Drag the slider to choose how long your clip (between 5.2 se-conds and 30 seconds) will be.
4. You can also tap the number beside the word Countdown to adjust the length of the pre-recording countdown (toggle between 3 or 10 seconds).
5. Hit Set Timer.
6. Tap the record button (at the bottom of the screen with the Reels logo) and the countdown to recording will begin.
7. When you’re done, tap the arrow icon to proceed to the editing screen. Tap Share To when you’re ready to post.

One of Instagram’s coolest features is its huge library of filters and AR effects. And with Reels, you’ve got access to them all.

When creating Reels, don’t be afraid to get a little silly and use effects that capture the spirit of your brand, whether that’s an over-the-top beauty filter or an avant-garde blur effect.

1. Open the Reels maker.
2. On the left-hand side, tap the smiley face icon.
3. A selection of filters will now be available along the bottom of your screen; scroll left and right to review your options.
4. To search or browse more AR filters and effects, scroll all the way to the right and tap the sparkling magnifying glass (Browse Effects). See one you like? Tap Try It to test it out right away. Want to save it for future use? Tap the down arrow icon (save to camera) to add it to your filter rolodex.
5. To record with a filter, hold down the filter icon (like you would with the record button). Alternatively, use the timer feature to record hands-free!
6. When you’re done, tap the arrow icon to proceed to the editing screen. Tap Share To when you’re ready to post.

The Align tool will allow you to add (or remove!) an object or person between scenes of your Real to create a fun appearing (or disappearing!) effect.

By starting a scene exactly where the previous scene ended, it’ll appear as if your outfit change (or begrudging boyfriend or statement hat) has magically popped into frame.

1. Open the Reels maker.
2. Select any effects or songs you’d like to use, and then hit the record button (the big one at the bottom with the Reels logo!) to start recording.
3. When you’re done, you’ll notice there’s a new icon on the left-hand side: two squares overlaid (Align). Tap this and you’ll see a translucent version of the final image of the last thing you recorded.
4. Add a fun prop, outfit change, or friend into the scene. Align yourself with that translucent image and hit record again (the timer function is helpful for a seamless transition here). When your two clips play together, any additional items will appear to have magically popped into frame.
5. When you’re done, tap the arrow icon to proceed to the editing screen. Tap Share To when you’re ready to post.

Have something longer than 60 seconds to share? With timelapse recordings, you can squeeze more into your Reels.

Use timelapse videos to demonstrate a process, whether it’s pulling together an easy smoothie recipe or sharing your oh-so-Marie-Kondo folding technique.

1. Open the Reels maker.
2. Tap the 1x icon on the left-hand side.
3. Select the speed at which you’d like to record. To do a speedy time-lapse, choose the 4x speed… but this tool gives you the option to do slo-mo recordings, too, with a total range of 0.3x to 4x speed.
4. Hold the record button to start recording. (Hot tip: If you’ve added music, it’ll play super-slow or super-fast so you can stay on beat!)
5. When you’re done, tap the arrow icon to proceed to the editing screen. Tap Share To when you’re ready to post.

The voiceover feature allows you to record voice overtop of a fully recorded video — a nice way to add an overarching narrative to a compilation of clips.

Maybe you’re explaining some more background info about a new makeup line you just launched, or sharing details about a sale overtop of cute shots of your boutique: if you’ve got something to say, this is your time to shine!

1. Open the Reels maker. Record your visual content using all your newly acquired filter, music, or speed-manipulation skills and tap the arrow icon to proceed to the editing screen.
2. Tap the microphone icon at the top.
3. Tap the point in your video timeline where you’d like your voiceover to be heard, and then tap or hold the red button to record a voiceover. (If you have music in your video already, your voice will overlay on top of that track. )
4. Tap Done when you’re finished to return to the editing screen.
5. Tap Share To when you’re ready to post.

Instagram recently added a Remix feature to Reels… so now’s your chance to record a video side-by-side with another Reel. Browse other Reels to find something that inspires you to comment, contribute or react, and start your beautiful duet.

1. Head to the Reels explore tab on Instagram and find a Reel that inspires you.
2. Tap the three dots on the bottom right-hand side.
3. Select Remix This Reel.
4. You’ll be taken to the Reels maker, where you’ll see the original Reel on the left-hand side of your screen. You’ll be making the content that appears on the right. Use effects or change the speed, and record a clip (or multiple clips) as usual. You can also add a different song on top if you’d prefer to replace the Reel’s original audio.
5. On the edit screen, tap the Mix Audio icon at the top to adjust the balance of your audio and that of the original clip.
6. When you’re ready, hit Share To.

The green screen effect in Reels is a game-changer. Get playful with the background of your choosing — video or photo! — to add a fun, faraway locale or a branded graphic behind you.

1. Open the Reels maker.
2. You can access the Green Screen filter in two different ways
   • Option 1: Swipe up to view your camera roll: on the top left, tap Green Screen. Then, select the background media you’d like to use. It can be a video or photo.
   • Option 2: Tap the smiley face icon on the left-hand side of the screen, scroll through filter options until you reach the magnifying glass, and tap. Search for the Green Screen camera effect in the AR filters library and tap Try It or add it to your camera. Tap Add Media to select a video or photo to use as your backdrop.
3. Pinch or expand your image on the screen to make yourself bigger or smaller against the backdrop. (You can do this during your recording, too, if you’re really feeling wacky.)
4. Hold down the Green Screen icon to record (or use the timer function to record hands-free) over your backdrop.
5. When you’re done, tap the arrow icon to proceed to the editing screen. Tap Share To when you’re ready to post.

Instagram Reels templates allow you to create a Reel using pre-set music and clip durations from existing Reels. You can use templates from any Reels that have music and at least three clips. Reels templates mean you can jump on trends faster than ever — no more wasting time editing clips or selecting music to match!

1. Find the template you want to use (more on this in our blog on Instagram Reels templates)
2. Add clips to your chosen template
3. Adjust the selected portion of your clips. You can’t change the length of the clip, but you can change which portion is shown.
4. Add any filters, stickers, or text to your Reel, then publish as usual.

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.

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Music in Stories, short videos and replies with songs: Instagram will launch new features in Russia

June 22, 2021

• Technologies

• Marina Dulneva Author
• Anastasia Skrynnikova Editorial Forbes

Instagram has announced the launch of new features in Russia. Users will have access to a TikTok-like Reels video service and a music sticker in Stories. With it, you can add music to your stories and answer questions with songs. Russian Facebook users will be able to pin it in the profile header so that it plays when the page is opened nine0019