How to make your instagram reel viral
How to Go Viral With Instagram Reels
By Helena Alcoverro, on 21 January 2022
Instagram Reels allow users to consume content that they enjoy without leaving Instagram. This feature was launched to compete with TikTok, which has become one of the trendiest social networks for organic content and digital advertising.
But what exactly do Instagram Reels consist of?
What Is Instagram Reels and Why Should You Use It?
Instagram Reels is all about creating and consuming short videos, specifically those that are about 15 to 30 seconds long. You can grow your account quickly by using them, although to do so, your content should be original and engaging. It's also been said that Instagram has made changes to its algorithm to give greater visibility to accounts that are using Reels, so that's another reason to give this feature a try.
12 Tips for Going Viral With Your Instagram Reels Videos
Reels have been on Instagram for a couple of years now, so it's becoming harder to make them stand out because the competition is increasing. However, don't let that stop you from creating them. We'll provide you with some useful tips and tricks to create short videos and go viral on this network.
1. Focus on a Specific Niche or Topic
One of the ways to gain followers and go viral on Instagram is to find a theme or category on Instagram and post about it regularly.
Instagram's algorithm uses machine learning, so it will show your posts to an audience that is already interested in the topic you are posting about. This is why it is so important to choose a theme or niche and stick to it!
2. Include an Attention-Grabbing Hook
Currently, thousands of Reels are published daily, so to go viral, content must be really entertaining. In order to stand out, add a personal touch that makes it unique and original. The first few seconds of the video are key to capturing the audience's attention so it is important to make them stand out from the beginning.
3. Make Them the Right Size
The optimal video size is 1080 x 1920 pixels.
This allows viewers to see a video at the maximum resolution, with an aspect ratio of 9:16. This means your video should be recorded vertically.
4. Do Not Include TikTok Watermarks
There was a very clear objective when Instagram Reels was launched: to encourage users to choose Instagram over TikTok for video posts. Instagram's algorithm is able to detect TikTok's watermarks. To give your videos a chance of positioning well, it's necessary to remove those watermarks.
5. Include Text in Your Video
It is estimated that more than 80% of Instagram users watch videos without sound, whether they are Stories or Reels. So, it's a very good idea to add captions or text that can help viewers understand the content without audio. Text will also allow people with hearing difficulties to understand the video.
6. Center Text in the Middle So That It's Viewable in Grid Mode
Since Reels can be accessed and watched from the "Reels" tab or the In-Feed view, it is important to always make sure to place your text in the middle of your video, the "safe zone", so that it won't be cut off.
7. Include a Call to Action
A call-to-action should always be included to encourage the audience to interact with your videos. This is the best way to get to know your audience's impressions and opinions. You can then create content according to their preferences. This does not mean moving away from your chosen theme or idea, rather, thinking about how you can present it in a way that appeals to people.
8. Use Viral Elements
In order to give your content the best chance of going viral, you can use elements that are trending, such as songs or challenges. This means keeping up to date with trends and observing how the public is reacting to them in order to implement them (as long as they fit within your category or theme).
9. Use Hashtags to Promote Your Content
Hashtags are a key element of any kind of post on Instagram. This is because they help Instagram's algorithm understand the type of content in your video and then show it to users who may be interested.
Hashtags must be chosen very carefully. The most popular ones are not always the best since they have more competition.
10. Create a Custom Reel Cover
Creating a custom reel cover can help your video stand out from the very beginning. This is the image that the user will see before clicking on it.
The cover will add value to the content and will make it much more appealing and attractive. It will also give continuity to your profile.
11. Publish Your Reel at Peak Viewing Times
Not every hour is a good time to publish. Neither is every day. It's important to know the times when most of your target audience is connected and available.
Once you determine the best days and times that will generate the most views, schedule your posts accordingly. This way, you'll have a higher engagement rate.
12. Share Your Reels on Your Instagram Feed and Stories
To give your Reel greater visibility, share it on your Instagram feed and in your Stories.
The idea is for followers not to miss the post.
Going viral on Instagram Reels is possible, though the chances of it happening overnight are pretty low. The most important thing to focus on is regularly creating interesting, eye-catching content and using all the tricks we've mentioned in this article.
How to Create Viral Instagram Reels: 10 Tips
Are you new to Reels? The good news is almost everyone is. Creating viral Reels starts with creating bingeworthy content, but doesn't end there. Instagram Reels are a hot trend now. Chances are you've witnessed them in your newsfeed at some point or another. They're basically a quick, interesting clip made up of one or multiple photos and videos.
The best part? Anybody can create them, regardless of their editing experience. Here are 10 tips to help you ace Instagram Reels.
1. Remove Watermarks
To give your videos the best chances of performing well, we advise you to remove watermarks from the videos you want to upload.
This could be watermarks of editing apps you're using or other platforms where you're making the videos.
Many Instagram users make the mistake of uploading videos with TikTok watermarks. Instagram's algorithm can detect TikTok's watermarks in videos. To increase the likelihood of your videos appearing in Instagram's Explore section, remove any watermarks.
2. Use Trending Music
When you're creating an Instagram Reel, look for songs that are popular and trending. If you know of a song that is trending and is likely to go viral online, use that song. If you can’t find a song like that, simply choose one that fits your theme.
Adding music to your Reels lets you keep up with trends, while making you more discoverable on the platform. You can also be a part of fun challenges that Instagram releases from time to time.
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3.
Ensure Your Video Is High-Quality The most successful Instagram Reels tend to be the ones that are professionally edited. That's not always the case, but the most important difference between viral and non-viral Instagram Reels is the quality of the video.
A good quality video has two things: good lighting and high resolution. If you're using your phone, make sure you have sufficient light. If you're filming in an indoor setting, consider buying a ring light, which softens the shadows and makes for a better image.
Likewise, if you're shooting outdoors, try to film during times of the day when there is less sunlight, or at least avoid filming directly in the sun.
This one is a no-brainer. If you don't violate community guidelines through your posts, Reels, and stories, you have a better shot at going viral. Or else, you might face a temporary or permanent ban. Why risk getting into trouble?
Respect intellectual property rights, don't post anything related to nudity unless it's for medical purposes, and steer clear of terrorism, bigotry, organized crime, hate groups, or fake news.
As a creator on Instagram, you should always be up-to-date with the Community Guidelines.
5. Include Closed Captions
Keep in mind that many Instagram users watch videos without sound, so providing captions or text will help them understand the content if there is no audio. This will also allow people who are hard of hearing to understand the video.
Influencers on Instagram can find it difficult to create captions that reflect the mood of the video or add necessary information; they may even omit captions altogether. However, when they make the extra effort, they make their Reels more discoverable while increasing engagement.
With video captions, users can search for keywords that appear in the captions, rather than being restricted to searching for hashtags or picture captions. This searchability helps make Reels go viral.
6. Optimize On-Screen Text Placement
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While closed captions are great for helping viewers decipher what you're saying in an Instagram Reel, adding text to your videos can add another dimension. If you're sharing tips on photography, for example, you may want to put your tips into a text format so that you can use trending music instead of your voice for the sound.
However, you must be mindful of its on-screen placement. By this, we mean that you'll want to make sure your video fits within the 9:16 viewing aspect ratio, while also ensuring that any text you're adding to your Reels will fit within the 4:5 viewing aspect ratio. That way, when viewers are scrolling and come across your Reels, they'll be able to see any text you've added.
Because videos can be viewed from both the Reels tab and the In-Feed view, it's important to place your text in the middle of your video.
By putting the text in this "safe zone", you can ensure that it won't get cut off.
7. Shoot Vertically and Add Your Own Reel Cover
Video files can be uploaded either in a vertical or horizontal format, but it's ideal to shoot and upload videos vertically since they will then take up the entire screen of the mobile device.
Creating a custom Reel cover image can also help your video stand out and pull users in to watch it. In addition to giving your Reels a distinct identity, custom covers can make your video more eye-catching when it is viewed as a thumbnail. Remember to create your cover in the same format that you're shooting the video in.
8. Do Fun Transitions
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If you want to stand out on Instagram and make your Reels look more professional, learn how to master transitions.
You can use a variety of transitions to spice up your video, including the snap and cut/jump ones. To create these, you need to master two simple tools: the timer and the align tool.
To make a jump cut, you must first record or select several video clips. Then, you need to piece together the segments and align the frames.
9. Target Peak Viewing Times
If you've been creating Instagram video Reels, then at some point, you've experienced the frustration of wanting to reach more people. It's crucial to track your audience's activity in order to discover the best times of day when you should upload new Instagram content.
If you upload Reels when your audience is most active on Instagram, there's a considerable chance that they'll go viral, provided your content is original, interactive, and fun.
10. Feature User-Generated Content
By drawing inspiration from other artists, you can mix it with your own objectives and come up with fresh ideas.
If you've scrolled through Instagram Reels recently, you might have noticed a few songs that are getting a lot of plays. Using trends to your advantage is great, but taking risks can prove even more fruitful.
You can also do remixes of the Reels done by other Instagram users and influencers. That'll help you strike the right tune with the influencer community as well as your followers.
Related: These Tips Will Help You Get Noticed on Instagram
Making Viral Instagram Reels Isn't That Difficult
It's important to note that there is no magic formula for creating an Instagram Reel worth millions of views. Many things will collectively contribute to the reach a video gets.
The question remains—how do you actually go about making viral Instagram Reels? An elaborate caption to make people laugh, a unique angle to entice people's attentiveness, or even a trending topic to make people want to share; all these elements come together to create a video that's viral and original.
Viral content in social networks - how to create and use it correctly
Viral content, according to Wikipedia, is content that spreads almost exponentially thanks to the recipients themselves. This magic comes from its content, which captivates with a bright, creative, unusual presentation or a natural and trusting message.
It would seem that everything is simple - do it beautifully and get likes with reposts. But in practice, not everyone manages to promote social media regulars to organic reach. Therefore, we have a short guide for you.
Examples of viral content
There can be any content that has spread throughout the country and not only thousands and thousands of reposts. Positive - a funny meme on the topic of the day, or negative - a tragic event that shocked everyone.
I think it's not a secret that one of the most widespread "viruses" today is content about viruses. News, humor, banter.
When the world was just getting used to wearing masks, there were so many inventors, both online and in real life.
Similar pictures were scattered in batches on the Internet How did the business take advantage of this? He began to create masks with designs and popularize them on the Internet.
And to get more attention, they put masks on statues, paintings, animalsFunny pictures of animals often become discussed, sent, and also a source of inspiration for new memes. This tailed helper made a splash on Facebook* many years ago, and is still found on the Internet.
Car service employeeWhen serious failures occur in the operation of large sites or instant messengers, not only social networks, but also news publications are full of messages and pictures on this topic in the very first hours.
Messenger and social networks failure generates a lot of viral content There are photos, the meme with which is so perfect for different situations that the photos begin to be altered to fit their thoughts and needs, not only ordinary users, but also brands.
To get the results you want with content, we recommend reading the article Content Marketing Techniques: New and Old, but Effective.
Examples of viral content on Instagram*
Let's start with an experiment done by advertiser Chris Godfrey. He wanted to create the most popular post in the world.
Here it is:
With 5 million subscribers, 55 million likes. It is not difficult to imagine how many times subscribers reposted Chris acted on the principle: keep it simple and people will come to you.
And it worked! In the first 10 days alone, the post collected almost 20 million likes.
Of course, such virality is an exception and an experiment for the sake of an experiment.
Now on Instagram* they are actively spreading:
News and memes about viruses Pictures about how ambiguous the Russian language is Videos, vines and rils on topical topics or just entertainment easier to create. A dance or a sequence of certain actions to catchy music is instantly picked up by other users.Read more about the new format in the articles: "Instagram Reels: Everything you need to know about short video reels on Instagram*" and "Targeted ads on Instagram* Reels: a guide".
Psychology of viral content
Viral content always evokes some vivid emotions. This was also confirmed by Buzzsumo's Steve Rayson, who analyzed the viral content itself. A publication becomes unnaturally popular if it is:
- entertaining;
- amazing;
- touching;
- beautiful;
- inspiring;
- warning;
- shocking.
That is, news, post, picture or video should not leave a person indifferent. An Internet user should be eager to share this with others, and he will not be lazy, because the content is too emotional to keep it to himself or at least not speak out about it on his page.
Another psychological component that can increase the chance of content to go viral, Steve considers the relevance of the topic, which should evoke emotion.
Overpopulation of the Earth, shown in several photos touches the souls of people much more than text. Such materials are measured in hundreds of thousands of repostsWhere to get ideas for viral content
Method 1. Monitor competitors.
We are waiting for blunders and just some ambiguous statements, we come up with creatives for their creatives. Perhaps the easiest way for marketers. It is important to be clear and honest here, otherwise you can be too smart with creatives or cause a wave of indignation when Photoshop is revealed.
Attention, hint : try to negotiate with the advertising department of competitors and come up with a joint “war”, which will then be talked about in the media and social networks. Google to this day is teeming with examples of brand skirmishes, but, as always, foreign ones win. We believe and expect that domestic marketers will soon come up with something worthy too.
The eternal confrontation of automotive brands: each congratulates the other on the victory. And the signature is from the winner in other nominations and competitionsMethod 2. Monitor the news
There will always be such topics as nostalgia, human rights, humor, animals on the hype - this was bequeathed to us by the fathers of BuzzFeed viral advertising. But what if it doesn't work for your community?
First of all, check this very BuzzFeed more often. Who did not know, this is one of the top news portals abroad, which constantly covers current topics, comes up with the most readable headlines and tracks all trends, from cats to the degree of tolerance of Russia towards the LGBT community.
If you're thinking about creating cool viral content, don't be too lazy to go to Google Trends, well, at least a few times a week. And for those who lead highly specialized communities, it is useful to bookmark the same sharpened Telegram channels, forums, news sites, etc. or maybe a current poll or any other version of a viral post, immediately think about whether you would repost this content to yourself or not. After the answer is yes, try it right away - the longer you put off creating viral content, the less experience you will gain, and the later you will achieve recognition. Se la vie.
Method 3. Monitor hashtags
Thanks to Instagram* for inventing a subscription to hashtags - it means that now you can always be aware of cutting-edge news in any field. The main thing is to identify suitable hashtags.
Spend time collecting keywords in Wordstat to follow these hashtags on Instagram*. See what hashtags your direct competitors use, other companies in your industry, what bloggers and celebrities use, who could theoretically become your face.
Voila, your list is ready! Stay tuned for updates and catch the hype war.
Attention, hint: don't forget that hashtags can be not only direct, like #concrete, #buygucci, #dancenatt. But also emotional: #fail, #crazy, #lovely. But it is emotions that rule when creating viruses. Sympathy, empathy unites with clients. With your content, make them love and hate with you.
Method 4: Follow the influencers
Most likely, when creating a content plan for your community, you also made a rough list of influencers in your industry. And it is important not only to repost news from their pages, but also to respond with content to their statements, discussions, and even various challenges. This will also allow you to hype on reach.
An example of viral content on the pages of the creators of the advertising agency LBAHow to create viral content on Instagram*
coverage. But also, for example, to teach something, to entertain, to evoke emotions and thoughts.
Therefore, even before creating a post, it is important to think about the goal. If you publish, for example, a phrase on your narrowly focused blog, then it should express the point of view of the audience, so that readers think: “How they took it off their tongue,” and immediately began to repost to themselves.
The second step of is to work on the header. The most working schemes: polls, questions, numbers and negative. As for the negative, remember the headlines of the ads that flicker on sites with free movies. They intrigue with scandalous and often negative headlines that are usually quickly debunked in the article itself. But, one way or another, the majority follow the link and start reading...
The next step is writing the text. Even if it's not a meme, the text should still be as short as possible. People do not like to read and share canvases of text. Therefore, in this case, listen to the Glavred as much as possible - write and abbreviate.
So, if you want to use viral content as a method of promoting your Instagram account*, remember the following:
- content must be relevant today. Or "eternal", relevant at all times;
- content should be relevant to your target audience, especially if it's some kind of phrase or news;
- the post should have a catchy title;
- and, once again, evoke the brightest emotions.
Read more about current newsbreaks in the article “Situational content: advertising at the speed of Flash” in our blog. And also catch “Idea for a post. Cool news: the reason is one, the posts are different.
So, once you've come up with content and drawn/written it, publish it. It is better to do this during those hours when the activity in your account is the greatest. In order not to check the clock and not be nervous, use the SMMplanner deferred posting service.
- Create a video using any program on your computer.
- Open SMMplanner and start creating a new post.
- Upload the video, add a description, and set the time for the post to go online.
- Enjoy the comments!
What not to do when creating a virus.
You can't create content in a vacuum, that is, suck a news story out of your finger — well, unless you're a PR person. For example, if the media is actively discussing the topic of the end of the world, you can safely, like BuzzFeed, publish an article with the title “32 pictures you need to see before you die” and be sure of success. During the Olympics, these same geniuses published the article “Olympic Games or Gay Porn?”. Guess what is better to write about now? And, as you understand, it is not at all necessary to express your opinion or repost memes. It's enough just to get attached to the topic.
What can be done when creating a virus
Use topics that infuriate everyone - according to psychologists, common hatred unites.
For example, a recent interview that Ksenia Sobchak took from Elena Blinovskaya, the creator of the marathon, about how to bring any thing or event into life with the power of thought. It blew up Instagram*. Everyone who ran the marathon and who only heard about him spoke about him, because the expectation / reality did not match.
But no matter how they call Elena, she could not buy such a powerful advertisement for any moneyAdapt general topics to suit her. You must have come across headlines in the spirit of "Don't tell anyone: ..." in the style of "Fight Club"? Or posts in the style of “We had 2 bags of weed, 75 mescaline tablets, 5 brands of the most powerful acid, half a salt shaker of cocaine and a mountain of pathogens”, adapted to any topic.
Use interactive content. Remember how tests in the spirit of “My psychological age” went around the Internet and how many memes there were later.
Come up with cool headlines. But that's a completely different story.
To recap
First, in order for your content to be shared on social media, you need to make that content. The longer you invent it and bear it, the less chance you have of success.
Secondly, stir up emotions in subscribers. Any.
Third, create only content that you yourself would be happy to share. If it is embarrassing to post it on your wall, there are hardly many other people who want to share it.
Well, and fourthly, any virus needs a little kick at the start. Therefore, do not forget to share it with your friends, relatives and colleagues immediately after the publication of the post, throw it in free public. And maybe even a little push through advertising.
By the way, viral content can be seen not only on social networks, but also in real life.
Is it possible to pass this by without taking a picture and sharing it with friends? :-)What viral content of the past year have we not talked about? Share in the comments!
The article has been updated.
First published: July 18, 2018
Instagram virus: how to make a popular post
Since the whole world is sitting at home because of one virus, it's time to think about creating your own contagious element - viral content. People are spending more time on social media, so now is the best opportunity to create a post that everyone will share.
A real viral post is, most often, a series of accidents and a fortunate combination of circumstances that allowed the publication to disperse. And although it is impossible to control this, there are aspects that will help your material become quite popular:
Unfamiliar for the target audience
Your subscribers and target audience are used to about the same “tone” of content that everyone follows in a certain niche. Presentation, images, meanings - everything is about the same for everyone. But when clearly different content breaks into this conditional silence, it attracts attention.
Remember the same “Pushechnaya” from SETTERS, whose account was not run like a typical bakery. It is not necessary to wait for an occasion and a topic that should burst out all over the world. Getting coverage among your target audience is what is important for commercial social networks, and moving away from the usual foundations will already help to do this.
News agenda
You can take both public news and touch on a topic from your industry. Well-executed situational content always gets enough attention. This works because the news itself already has some traffic and interest, so it would be appropriate to enter this stream and get some of the coverage for yourself. The main thing to remember about three points:
- do not touch "black" topics (or be careful with them, as there is a high risk of running into negativity)
- respond quickly (no one will pay attention to the situation in the old way of information, so do not delay the implementation of such content) Battle with a competitor
This does not mean conflicts and unreasonable attacks on colleagues in the shop, but rather friendly jokes.
Everyone is familiar with the confrontation between car brands, fast food restaurants, mobile operators and others. Albeit not on such a scale, but this technique can be used on your own. The audience likes to follow the development of such stories. Therefore, conflicts between bloggers are so popular on the Internet, and most films are built on the struggle of two sides. In marketing, there are even known cases of artificial conflicts for the sake of PR. So the option works.
Post design
Since we are chasing reach, the publication should look attractive. No one will share a post with a worse design than WhatsApp congratulations. Here again we take into account the tastes of the target audience and decide whether we want to stand out with the presentation. If yes, then do not forget to explicitly indicate whose post this is. If you remember about the same “Pyshechnaya”, then the product itself was everywhere in the photo - donuts. If they are removed, then such content will not even be thought that it belongs to a bakery.
