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How to post reels on instagram from gallery


How to Post a Video on Instagram Feed, Stories, Reels, and IGTV

Instagram is one of the most popular and widely-used social media platforms. With the explosion of Instagram videos, users and brands are resorting to different video sharing formats from stories, reels to IGTV to reach wider audiences and engage them. In fact, we at InVideo, also create videos across formats for our Instagram channel that help our audience in the process of content creation. 

However, with all the different video formats available to choose from, it can be tricky to know the specifications of each format. That’s why we’ve put together this guide, where we’ll tell you everything about how to post a video on Instagram for all formats and some tips on how to post a long video on Instagram story and feed.

In addition to this, we will also show you how to create thumb-stopping videos in minutes using InVideo’s online editor. Don’t forget to check out InVideo’s Instagram channel for inspiration on how you can create effective videos for your business.

Let’s dive right in!

1. How to Post a Video on Instagram Feed?
2. How to Post a Video on Instagram Story?
3. How to Post a Video on IGTV?
4. How to Post a Video on Instagram Reels?
5. BONUS: How to create thumb-stopping videos for Instagram in minutes?

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1. How to Post a Video on Instagram Feed

Posting videos on Instagram feed is similar to how we upload photos. You can upload a video on Instagram from your gallery or camera roll or record a video within the app and post it immediately. 

Here’s how to post a video on Instagram feed from your gallery or camera roll

Step 1: Launch the Instagram app on your phone. Go to your profile page and click on the “Plus” sign on the upper right side of the profile.

Step 2: From the drop-down list of options, choose Post. 

Step 3: You’ll find an option “Recents” that shows all recent images and videos. Tap the drop-down menu, and you’ll see different media albums such as favorites, WhatsApp, and much more.   

Step 4: Go to the videos folder and choose the video you wish to upload.

Here, many users wonder why the video is getting cropped. This is because the video is not in square format. To avoid your video from getting cut, you can tap on the arrow icon to adjust the video frame. Then click on the “Next” option.

Step 5: Just like you get different filter options when posting a photo, you get to apply filters to your videos as well. 

Instagram offers options such as “Trim” and “Cover.” Trim allows you to trim the video, whereas, the Cover option enables you to choose the cover picture for your video, which appears on the feed.

Step 6: Write a compelling caption. You can also tag people and add a location. Also, don’t forget to add hashtags for better reach. 

If you have more than one account, for example, a personal account, and a business account, you can also upload the video posted on your account to your business account. Similarly, Instagram offers publishing videos on other platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr. 

Now let’s see how to post a video on Instagram feed by recording a video from within the app itself.

Step 1: Open the Instagram app and click on the “Plus” sign on the upper right-hand side of the feed’s page.

Step 2: You will see a “Camera” icon on the left-hand side of the screen. Tap on that icon.

Step 3: Press and hold the white circle at the bottom of the screen to record a video.

Step 4: Once you’re done recording, post your video.

Specifications for Posting a Video on Instagram Feed

Instagram lays down certain specifications on posting videos for each format. If you wish to upload a video on Instagram feed, 

- It needs to be a minimum of 3 seconds and a maximum of 60 seconds.
- The format should be MP4 or MOV.
- The aspect ratio should be 1:1 for square videos, 1.9:1 for horizontal videos, and 4:5 for vertical videos.
- The file size should be of a maximum of 4GB with a frame rate of a maximum of 30 FPS.
- Video resolution for a horizontal video should be 600 x 315 pixels, square video should be 600 x 600 pixels, and vertical video should be 600 x 750 pixels.

But what if you have to post a video, which is longer than a minute on your feed? There’s a workaround for this. Here’s how to post a video longer than 60 seconds on Instagram feed using the carousel feature. 

Step 1: Cut your long video into smaller clips that are upto 60 seconds. You can put up to 10 individual clips of one video as consecutive slides of the carousel. You can cut the video in your phone using the edit option. 

Note: If you're using an Android, follow these steps to trim your video into smaller clips.

Step 2: Open the Instagram app and click on the “Plus” sign on the upper right side of the profile page.

Step 3: From the drop-down list of options, choose Post. 

Step 4: You’ll find an option of “Recents” with recent images and videos. Tap the drop-down menu and go to the videos folder. 

Step 5: Tap on the “Square” icon to select multiple videos. Select all your clips in the order that you want to post them, and go “Next.”

Step 6: Once you’ve selected all your clips, you can add filters for each clip. 

Step 7: You can write a caption, tag people, add location and share the video on other social media platforms. 

PRO-TIP: If you want to create super-effective posts, here’s a guide for Instagram post ideas that you can leverage for your own brand. It comes with suggested templates that you can use right away to create engaging videos for your Instagram using InVideo’s online editor.

2. How to Post a Video on Instagram Story

Instagram stories last for 24 hours and they’re a fun way to engage with your followers. You can post a pre-recorded video or record a video within the app and upload it to the Instagram story.

How to post a video on Instagram story from your phone gallery

Step 1: Open the Instagram app and click on the “Your Story” icon on the upper left side of the home page. 

Step 2: Tap on the “Plus” icon on the lower left side of the screen to select a video from the gallery. To avoid scrolling, you can choose the “Videos” folder from the drop-down menu by selecting the arrow icon.

Step 3: Make your story interactive by adding creative elements like GIFs, stickers, text, and much more. You can do this by tapping on the “Smile” icon on the upper side of the screen. Select the “Aa” icon for text, and to scribble anything, select the “Scribble” icon besides the “Aa” icon. 

Step 4: You can now even add music. Click on the music icon, search and choose a song. 

Adjust which part of the song you want to add by scrolling the bar below on the screen. Choose how your music icon should look by tapping on the options and later move it freely to a desired location. 

Step 5: Once you’ve finished editing, tap on the arrow and share your story for everyone to view, or just share it with your close friends, or individually send it to anyone from the list.

How to Post a Video on Instagram story by recording a video within the app

Step 1: Open the Instagram app and click on the “Your Story” icon on the upper left side of the home page.

Step 2: You can use different features Instagram offers and record a video like Boomerang, Hands-free, Multi-capture. Select the drop-down menu arrow and choose the element you want. 

Step 3: Start recording a video by pressing on the white circle at the bottom of the screen.

Step 4: Once you’re done, add stickers, GIFs, etc. Then share your story.

Specifications for Posting a Video on Instagram Story

- Your video should be of a minimum of 2 seconds and a maximum of 15 seconds.
- The video file should be MP4 or MOV format.
- Video aspect ratio should be 16:9 for horizontal video and 9:16 for vertical video
- Video file size should be of a maximum of 4GB with a frame rate of a maximum of 30 FPS.
- Video resolution should be 600 x 1067 pixels. 

Note: Instagram offers a margin of 250 pixels for stories, both top, and bottom. So, make sure all your essential elements are within that margin.

Now let’s talk about how you can post long videos that are over 15 seconds on Instagram stories? Instagram will automatically trim down your long video into multiple 15-second clips. It becomes a series of clips that form a long video. 

You can edit and add creative elements to each clip/story and post it. 

PRO-TIP: If you wish to create unique Instagram stories, check out this article for different ideas and tips, and you can also leverage the 5000+ ready-to-use templates that take only minutes to edit on InVideo’s online editor.

3. How to Post a Video on IGTV?

IGTV (Instagram TV) is meant for in-feed videos longer than 60 seconds and can go up to 60 minutes. So, if you’re wondering how to post a video longer than 60 seconds on Instagram, you can do it through IGTV. 

Step 1: Open the Instagram app on your mobile phone and go to your profile page. Click on the “Plus” sign on the upper right side of the profile.

Step 2: From the drop-down list of options, choose IGTV video.

Step 3: Choose the video you wish to upload from your camera roll. You’ll only be able to select videos longer than 60 seconds.

Step 4: You’ll get a preview of the video to ensure you have selected the right video. Select the “Next” option to proceed.

Step 5: Tap and slide to choose your cover image. However, if you wish to have a different cover image, you can select the “Add from Camera Roll” option and choose a custom image. Then, tap “Next.”

Step 6: In this step, you need to add a title and a description. You can also add a preview of your IGTV video on your feed. 

Step 7: There are other settings such as “Edit Profile Cover”, which allows you to adjust your profile cover. 

You can increase the reach of your IGTV video by sharing it on Facebook through the “Make Visible on Facebook” option. You can then tap “Post to IGTV” to share your video. However, if you don’t wish to upload it immediately, you can also select the option of “Save as Draft” to publish later.

In advanced settings, you can add captions by turning on the “Auto-generated captions” button.

You can even post an IGTV from your computer.

Step 1: Open your Instagram account on a web browser. Go to your profile icon and select the profile option.

Step 2: Select the IGTV option below your bio. Click on “Upload” to post an IGTV video.

Step 3: Click on the “Plus” sign and add the video to the upload. 

Step 4: Select the cover image of your IGTV video by clicking on “Edit”. Give your video a Title and add a Description. If you wish to post a preview of your IGTV on feed and profile, click on “Post a Preview.” Similarly, if you want to add auto-generated captions, you click on the box of Auto-Generated Captions. 

Step 5: Click on “Post” to post your video now or “Save Draft” if you wish to post it later.

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Specifications for Posting a Video on IGTV

- Your video must be between 1 minute and 10 minutes long. Verified accounts can upload IGTV videos 60 minutes long. However, to upload a 60 minutes long video, you need to upload it from a computer/web browser.
- The video format has to be MP4.
- The video aspect ratio should be 16:9 for horizontal video and 9:16 for vertical video.
- Video file size should be a maximum of 650MB for videos between 1 minute and 10 minutes long, and a maximum of 3.6GB for video up to 60 minutes. 
- The frame rate should be a maximum of 30 FPS with a resolution of a minimum of 720 pixels. 
- For a cover photo, resolution should be 420px by 654px.

Pro-tip: Since you have the liberty to make videos up to 10 minutes long, you can use IGTV videos for creating richer and more impactful content. If you want to dig deeper on how you can leverage IGTV for your brand, check out this comprehensive guide where we cover everything you’ll need to know to hit the road running. We also show you how you can create engaging videos for Instagram using InVideo’s online editor.

4. How to Post a Video on Instagram Reels?

Instagram’s latest video format - Reels, was launched in August 2020. Initially launched as a 30-second video format, it now allows up to 60 seconds and is the most preferred format for creating content on Instagram today due to the massive organic reach creators are experiencing on it. Let’s jump into how you can post your videos on Reels in this section.

How to Post a Video on Instagram reels from within the app

Step 1: Open the Instagram app and click on the “Your Story” icon at the upper left side of the feeds page.

Step 2: At the end of the screen, click on the “Reels” option. 

Step 3: Tap the white button with a video icon to record your video. 

Step 4: You can edit the video from multiple editing options such as adding music, changing the speed, adding effects, using a timer. 

Note: Below the Music icon, you can see a circle icon with 15 written on it. That is the length of your video recording. Tap on it to make it 30 seconds, and tap twice to make it 60 seconds. 

Step 5: Once you start recording, you’ll see a progress bar on the upper left-hand side of the screen in red color. Once you have recorded and edited, proceed by selecting the “Preview” option. 

Step 6: You can add creative elements like stories in reels as well. Tap on the “Smiley” icon and select GIFs, stickers, etc. You can even add voiceover by selecting the “Microphone” option and recording your voice. Then click “Next.”

Step 7: You can now write a catchy caption, select the cover image of your video and tag people and then “Share” or “Save as Draft" if you wish to post it later. You can add hashtags in the caption to reach out to more people. 

How to post a video on Instagram reels from your phone gallery

Step 1: Open the Instagram app and click on the “Your Story Plus” icon at the upper left side of the feeds page.

Step 2: At the end of the screen, click on the “Reels” option. Click on the “Plus” sign on the left-hand side to add a video from the gallery. 

Step 3: Choose the video, select the “Add” option, and go ahead with “Preview.”

Step 4: Edit the reels using editing options and click “Next.” 

Step 5: You can now add music to your reels. Select the “Music” icon and choose the song you wish to add. Select which part of the song you want by scrolling the bar below on the screen.

Step 6: Add a caption, select the cover image, tag people, and then “Share” or “Save as Draft” if you wish to post it later.

Specifications for Posting a Video on Instagram Reels

- Video can be between 2-60 seconds.
- Video resolution should be 1080 x 1920p.
- Video aspect ratio for reels is only for vertical mode, 9:16 
- For the cover photo on profile, the video aspect ratio is 1:1, and the resolution is 1080 x 1080 pixels.
- Reels are visible on the feed as well. For that, the aspect ratio is 4:5, and the resolution is 1080 x 1350 pixels. 

Note: Make sure there are no text or essential elements on the top or bottom of the video, as it might get cropped when viewing reels on the feed.

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5. BONUS: How to Create Thumb-stopping Videos for Instagram in Minutes

InVideo has over 5000 templates that can help you create an eye-catching video in less than 5 minutes. Follow this step-by-step guide to create professional-quality videos even if you’ve never edited a video before. Or head over to this tutorial if you’d prefer a demonstration.

Step 1: Sign in to your InVideo account. If you don’t have one, you can easily create your free Invidee account. You can select from different categories of pre-made templates.   

Step 2: Once you select a template, you’ll be taken to the Invideo’s editing page where you can make creative videos. 

Step 3: You can try out different options from the panel located on the left-hand side such as adding music, image, uploading video, adding text, etc. 

Step 4: The center of the screen is the preview of the edits made to the video.

Below the preview screen is the video timeline. You can edit, add multiple videos, images, etc. 

Step 5: Once you’ve finished editing, you can save and export the video. After rendering, you can download it and share across social media channels.          

         

Wrapping Up

Now that you know the differences between all Instagram video features, you are all set to upload a video on Instagram.

Don’t forget to sign up for a free account on InVideo to access and try out the 5000+ templates that make it extremely easy to create videos for Instagram.

If you want to know how Instagram can be helpful for your business and how to leverage it, read our guide and if you have any more questions, you can join our community to know and learn from 25K other marketers and creators.

FAQs

1. How to Post a YouTube Video on Instagram?

You can repurpose Youtube videos and post them on Instagram stories, feed, or IGTV.  It’s important to understand that you cannot post Youtube videos directly on Instagram as the specification of each feature of Instagram is different. Don’t worry, we've put together this step-by-step guide for you to know how to post a video from YouTube on Instagram, along with some tips for each feature.

2. How to Post a Video Link on Instagram?

It is feasible to post a video link on Instagram stories only for users having verified profiles or more than 10K followers. Users can easily swipe up on your story by tapping on “See More” and get access to the link you post.  

For Instagram posts, you can add the link in your description. However, it is not clickable. Hence, people place the link in your bio and write in your caption “link in the bio.” You can change links in the bio as many times as you want. 

How to Create and Upload Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels is arguably the best way to propel your IG account into stardom. But how do you make Reels on Instagram and how can you effectively use them to get more customers and followers?

This article has everything you need to help you become an Instagram Reels wizard.

With VEED, you can master social media applications like Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram all in a day’s work. We’re all about making sure that your social media videos are the best they can be. You can even check our complete guide on Instagram’s video dimensions and formats.

Today, we’ll be going over:

  • What are Instagram Reels
  • Instagram vs TikTok: Why Instagram launched Reels
  • Everything about the Instagram Reels interface
  • Creating and uploading your professional Instagram Reel
  • How you can use Instagram Reels for your brand
  • Everything about Instagram Reels Algorithm
  • What are Instagram’s next plans for video

By the time you’re done with this article, you’ll be posting eye-catching Instagram Reels in no time.  

Instagram Reel Myths

Let’s start by debunking some of the most famous Instagram Reel myths. Social media is always full of false information and misconceptions that give new updates like Instagram Reels a bad name. Here are a few of the most prevalent ones that plague the internet.

Instagram Reels are Only for Entertainment

Instagram Reels are not exclusively for dancing, funny, and entertaining videos. Although its format highly encourages that, it also offers a lot of value for informational and educational content as well. Reels are for everyone on Instagram and are especially rewarding for trendsetters and videographers that have their own style.

It’s all about how you structure and present ideas that matter. That being said, this article will also go over the basics of publishing and making an Instagram Reel—so strap yourselves in. 

Instagram Reels are Hard to Make and Intimidating

This couldn’t be farther from the truth.  

Reels was made to be simple, easy to use, and accessible to everyone wanting to make professional videos in just a couple of taps (like stories). We’ll be going over how to navigate around the interface later on. 

Another point that’s often feared is that it’s intimidating to make an Instagram Reel. This fear is particularly rooted in the fact that Instagram Reels are shared on a public timeline for all Instagram users to see, so perfecting your videos can feel intimidating.

Thankfully, you can always avoid showing your face by doing voiceover work. Editing and publishing Reels with voiceovers is easy to do, and even easier to edit with VEED.

What are Instagram Reels

To start with the basics, Reels is Instagram’s answer to the TikTok competition and a way to provide more entertainment for Instagram’s regular users. It’s a video feature that lets you create longer videos with more effects, like built-in audio, voiceovers, cool video effects, and more.

Users can record up to 60 seconds of video clips and share them on their Story and IG Feed at the same time. This is a game changer for advertising your content, because Reels play on your Story while staying on your Feed forever. You can even save these Reels as highlights if you want.

What makes this special from the random videos you post on Instagram is that Reels has its own IG page. You can browse through the Reels of other IG users, search by song, category, hashtag, and more. This publicizes your videos and lets other users watch your Reels even if they don’t follow or know about you in the slightest. Plus, it’s an absolute joy to scroll down these Reels and be entertained for hours.

Just by using a popular song, being related to a famous video, or riding on a trending hashtag, you can find your Reels on the front page of Instagram as well. Making sure your Reels are seen has a lot to do with the Instagram algorithm. We’ll go over everything we know about the Reels algorithm later on, so stick to the end!

Instagram VS TikTok: Why Did IG Launch Reels?

If you haven’t heard already, TikTok is quickly becoming a huge competitor for Instagram.  

Due to Instagram's previous focus on photos instead of videos, it became a challenge for IG to offer more ways to entertain its users. Even Instagram’s Head, Adam Mosseri, released a Twitter video explaining how Instagram had to change and adapt to the rising competition.

It’s no surprise that Instagram is feeling threatened by other entertainment apps like TikTok and YouTube. Due to the rapid changes and move to the digitization of everyday life, the online market is constantly full of users throughout the day.

This isn’t the first time Instagram has copied a feature from other apps, like Snapchat and Stories. And with how much Instagram Stories succeeded, we’re excited to see what Instagram does with Reels.

How to Use Instagram Reels

You can use Instagram Reels to advertise products for your business.

Whether you’re launching your own shop at home or are in charge of leading a social media campaign for your company, Reels is an absolute beast at advertising. By giving users a platform to create professional-quality and authentic content, IG accounts can quickly hook potential customers with just a Reel.

Another popular use for Reels is to jump on trends for free publicity. A quick video using a trending song can increase the chance of your video going viral. Although this sometimes requires you to dance and be on camera, that's part of the fun!

Reels are the perfect way to show the human side of your business without the pressure of having to “look professional” on camera. On social media anything from sharing memes in sweatpants to sharing market trends can be considered professional.

Navigating the Instagram Reels Interface

Easily access Instagram Reels by swiping left, the same way you would access your Instagram Story. When you’re there, simply swipe right to the REELS tab at the bottom side of your phone. It should be down there, grouped together with POST, LIVE and STORY. 

Here’s where you can edit, film and upload Instagram Reels directly. Yes, that’s right. You can edit videos with the Reels feature, but the experience might feel lackluster and weak. That’s why we recommend VEED’s Instagram Video Editor for a more powerful experience. You can even export the video file in a preset that was designed for Instagram, which preserves your video’s quality.

Instagram Reels has seven major options that you can use to edit your videos. Here’s a short list of the features available:

  • Add music
  • Recording length
  • Video speed
  • Effects
  • Touch up
  • Timer
  • Add text

Now these features are fairly straightforward, but there’s a time and situation when each of them shines. 

Add Music

This is the most important feature when it comes to increasing the chances of your Reels going viral. 

Instagram has a glossary of songs that you can easily add to your Reels as background music. A lot of these songs will likely be trendy and users can search for other videos that are using the same songs as yours. Finding popular songs that are trending on Instagram Reels is a great way to increase the chances of your Reels going viral.

Record Length

Since your Reels can also be posted as a Story, it’s important to know that a Story is 15 seconds long at most. 

Instagram lets you record Reels exactly 15, 30, 45, or 60 seconds long through the Record Length feature. This helps make your stories more compact, without having to worry about an extra one or three seconds that make your Instagram Story feel unplanned.

Record Speed

Yes, you can record slow-mo or sped-up video.  

Slow-mo shots are perfect for goofy situations, a slower and more detailed video, or for beautiful scenery. If you have a business that often uses fast machines, a slow-mo video of that process would make for an awesome Reel. On the other hand, sped-up videos are great for time-lapses like packing a product, decorating an entire room, or preparing the shop for service.

Effects

This option lets you add visual effects to your videos in multiple ways. 

There are a ton of options here and Instagram loves to change them every so often, so experiment a lot and see what works best for your audience and brand. Don’t be afraid to let loose here, Reels are meant to be entertaining so do your best to capture the attention of your viewers.If you aren’t finding the effects you want to use, you can always check the effect’s library. You can access that by tapping on the title or name of the effect you’re currently using, and then navigating to Browse Effects.

Touch Up

Having baby-smooth skin is a great way to substitute makeup and hide scars on your face. 

The Touch Up feature simply smoothes out your face to clear up any blemishes, blackheads, and other acne-related areas. The feature is straightforward but can be resource-intensive, so having it enabled might cause your videos to lag. If your recording does lag, we recommend lowering the level of the Touch Up feature until your camera records in silky smooth 60 FPS. 

That being said, just because your phone can handle the full Touch Up effect doesn’t mean you should use it often. It can look fake and unnatural to have a very smooth face, so aim for a texture that looks attractive but not weird.

Timer

Finally, we have the Timer feature as the last button. 

This option lets you choose a timer that counts down when you press the record button. When the timer is finished, your Reel will begin recording. This is a useful feature if you need to record yourself away from the phone and need time to position yourself correctly.

Add Text

This option lets you type up text to overlay on your video. There is also a caption text option where you can choose from a small variety of fonts to caption your videos.

How to Create and Upload Your First Instagram Reel

Stumped on what to create? Here are some ways you can validate your ideas.

  • Instagram Story Poll Stickers: talk about the topic on stories and use poll stickers to gauge if people have an interest in it
  • Instagram Story Question Stickers: Host an AMA (ask me anything) session and use the questions as inspiration for a reel
  • Look at your comment sections and competitor's comment sections to see what questions are a recurring theme you could cover
  • Observe what's trending on TikTok's sound library. If the content around a trending sound is relevant to you, consider covering it in a reel.

Validating your ideas is a smart way to decide if something is worth your time or not. Give this a shot next time you make anything!
‍

Ways to Upload Reels

You can upload an Instagram Reel in two ways. You can either record it on the spot or upload a video from your gallery.

Now that you know how the Instagram Reel interface works, it’s time to put them to work. If you’re posting your first Instagram Reel, we recommend doing a short introduction to your business or a teaser. You’ll have to brainstorm ideas for your first Reel to make sure it stands out and sets the standards for future videos.

Recording your Reels on the spot can be a powerful and simple way to capture fun memories, a rare moment, or a spontaneous video for your audience. That being said, it can be extremely hard to get it right on the first try. That’s where uploading a video from your gallery becomes the better option.

Uploading a video lets you:

  • Edit a video to your needs
  • Cut and replace bits of the video to add coherency, make it faster-paced, and feel much more professional
  • Add video effects outside of Instagram Reels to give your Reels an edge over the competition. 
How to Upload an Instagram Reel from your Gallery

From the front page of Instagram, just swipe right to access your Instagram Story. From there, tap on Reels at the bottom-most area of your screen to go to Instagram Reels.  

Another method that you can do is accessing it through your profile page. Simply tap on your profile icon at the bottom-right corner of your screen. When you’re there, press the plus icon (+) at the top-left corner on the opposite side. 

When you’re at the Instagram Reels interface, simply tap on the gallery icon at the bottom-left corner of your screen. Your gallery of videos will be brought up, where you can upload them as a Reel.

Instagram Business: How to Leverage Reels for Your Brand

Now that you know how to create and upload Instagram Reels, it’s time for you to leverage those videos to promote your business.

Reels have their own page on Instagram and are quickly becoming one of the main features of the social media app. Instagram has mentioned multiple times how Reels is going to be prioritized more over traditional content, like videos you post on your Feed with hashtags. 

Leverage Reels for your brand by:

  • Hopping on trends that are contextually relevant to your brand
  • Creating tutorials and other educational content
  • Sharing the behind the scenes of your day to day
  • Look at what competitors are doing and do your own improved take on their winning topics

Just by using popular songs as background music, you can let Instagram put your Reels on the front page. There are hundreds of thousands of users on Instagram who are continually scrolling through IG Reels to pass the time. That means there’s a large market of consumers who would love to see what you’re all about, starting with an Instagram Reel.

To guide you more on this, we’ll talk about the best practices for Instagram Reels in the next method.

Instagram Reels Best Practices for Shooting & Editing Content

There are a lot of Dos and Don'ts when it comes to Instagram Reels. Although it’s a platform that encourages new talent, learning a few tried and tested video strategies will help you market your Reels better.

Remove Watermarks From Other Apps

Promoting your brand on both TikTok and Instagram is fair game and a great business decision. However, Instagram doesn’t appreciate the TikTok watermark on your videos. According to several credible articles and influencers, Instagram’s algorithm will be on the lookout for watermarks to other applications, like TikTok.

If you want to boost your chances of getting picked up by the algorithm and onto the front page of Instagram, remove your watermarks. You can easily remove TikTok’s watermarks through several online tools on the internet. Taking that extra step can mean the difference between going viral or not.

Solve Problems or Educate

Instagram Reels that educate or solve problems have a better chance of being shared to friends with the same problem. Whether it’s a fun fact, a random trivia, or a life hack that’s relevant to your business, a video that solves a problem will be a goldmine of happy resolutions.

Educating is also a popular method that you should also try and implement. There are hundreds of misconceptions out there and having a leading voice that debunks those myths can make you a go-to for reliability and factual products. For example, if you’re in the fitness industry, then debunking weight loss pills or fad diets in simple, bite-sized Instagram Reels can be sensational for views. Trust us, it's not all about dancing trends!

Create a Hook and Add Suspense 

This sounds much simpler than it is, but learning about it is the first step to a better video.

Creating a hook means finding a way to get your viewers “hooked” to your video. You can do this by talking about something exciting, shocking, or interesting right at the start. Forget about introducing yourself or where you’re from, talk about why you’re important. Something like “Here’s how I…” is a great and classic hook, but let your creativity come up with other unique ways to catch attention.

Finally, don’t forget to add suspense in your videos so that your viewers are always waiting for the punchline. Even if people tap and like your Instagram Reels, making sure that your video is being watched all the way to the end is also something you have to consider. YouTube is very particular about watch time with their videos and we think that Instagram is no different.  

Adding suspense to your Instagram Reels makes viewers watch your videos longer and feel satisfied when they reach the punchline. Just make sure it isn’t cheesy or tackily done, and you’ll find that this recipe is a great way to get views and become viral.

Understand Instagram’s Video Dimensions and Formats

We’ve already linked a guide to this above, but understanding Instagram’s video specs is a crucial part of being on top of your game.

IG video dimensions change depending on how it’s being viewed, so learning about the aspect ratios help you frame your Reels for the better. In fact, Instagram’s specs are so important that simply uploading the wrong video format can cost you in video and sound quality. If you haven’t yet, check out our complete guide on the best Instagram video dimensions.

Know Your Audience

Lastly, knowing your audience will play a huge part in the success of your Reels. Create opportunities to get to know your audience so you never have to guess what they want and who they truly are.

If you’re selling a tech product, doing TikTok dances on your Instagram Reels isn’t going to get you more customers. Instead, you should try talking about your product, the real-life situations it can be used in, and film those events instead.

What’s Next For Instagram’s Future with Video?

Instagram has been taking a larger focus on video and ramping up its entertainment factor.

With the rise of video-sharing platforms like YouTube and TikTok, it’s not hard to see why Instagram is adapting to the competition. Video appears to be the future of Instagram, with IGTV and Reels leading the way. With the internet becoming much faster for everyone, loading videos is no longer a heavy task that Instagram users scroll past through.

Posting and sharing your brand through videos definitely seems like the way to go and Reels is the best way to do it right now.

How to upload a video to Instagram in 2021: 5 ways

Video is not a photo, it is more difficult to work with it. In the early days of Instagram*, many third-party services provided the ability to upload videos to the social network. 2020 "cleaned up" the ranks of volunteers.

Let's look at how to add videos to Instagram* from a computer, and for beginners, we will repeat the process of uploading videos in the application from a phone.

From Smartphone

The easiest way to upload videos to your Instagram page* is to upload directly through the app on your smartphone.

You can add a video to Instagram Feed* in the following way:

Enter the app and click the create post icon You can add a finished video from your phone's Gallery or take a video directly from the app. Time limit 60 seconds. Then you will be prompted to apply a filter or select a cover

If your video from the Gallery is longer than a minute, then before posting you will be offered two options:

  • 0022
  • upload it to IGTV.

If you select shorten to a minute, you can do it right in the application. The video will be published in the feed. But if the original video you want to share is longer than 20 minutes, the program will warn you that the video file is too long.

What to do? Trim it with third-party programs.

For example, using VideoShow

If you choose the second option - put the video on IGTV, then you will be given a time limit of 15 minutes. There will be only a short announcement about it in the Feed. And if you don't want to, then you won't.

For more information on other video specifications, see The Truth About Instagram Videos*.

Uploading videos in Stories is done by clicking on your main profile picture.

You can click both on the Feed view page and in the Profile

Video length is limited to 15 seconds, but if necessary, one long video can be split into several short ones before uploading. Here you can also shoot immediately or add from the Gallery. There are many different filters, effects and more available.

Read more about this in the article How to Use Instagram Stories*.

From a computer

Posting a video on Instagram* is more difficult here. Simply by opening your page in the browser, you cannot post new content to the Feed and Stories. The exception is IGTV. Otherwise, in 2021, there are only three ways to upload a video to Instagram * from a computer.

Through the delayed posting service

The easiest way to solve the problem is with the help of SMMplanner. You can add photos and videos to your Feed, Stories, and IGTV. Yes, the service is paid, but for minimal money you will get the highest pleasure from the process of downloading videos. Suitable for those who post content on Instagram* on a regular basis.

Read more about working with the service in the article “How to upload a video to Instagram* from a computer”.

Via Facebook Creator Studio

Official service from Facebook*. To link an Instagram* account, click on its icon and follow the instructions

To use it, after logging into the service, link your Instagram* and Facebook* accounts to each other, and you must also have a business account or an Author account on Instagram*.

Switching to the Author's account is not difficult.

Go to Instagram settings* on your smartphone, select "Account" and then "Switch to professional account". Choose the post category that best suits your content. Select "Author".

You can then upload the video to your Stream. But you can’t make a carousel or add a video to Stories through the service. Alas.

Through the emulator

Another way to publish from a computer is to use an Android application emulator. By installing it on your computer, you will work with applications on the monitor, as if you were sitting on your phone.

Consider BlueStacks.

After installing the application, log in to your Google Play account In the search, enter the word "Instagram*" and install the application You can enter Instagram* by clicking on the Notifications icon. .. ... it in the section My games

To upload videos to Instagram*, you first need to add these videos to the emulator library.

Log in to Media Manager, yellow icon in My Games Click "Import from Windows" and select the videos you want You will see them in the imported files here Now go to the Instagram* emulator and upload the videos in the same way as you would on your phone: plus sign at the bottom in the center of the screen , and the Gallery will already have the necessary videos

Now the moment about the performance of your computer. If you have 4 GB. RAM and less, then each process in the emulator will take you 5 minutes or more; In other words, everything will slow down.

Through a browser

By opening your page through any computer browser, you can only post videos to the IGTV section.

Go to the IGTV section in your profile and click "Download"

When working through a browser, you can download a video longer than on a smartphone, namely up to 1 hour.

If you want to track statistics on Instagram**, we recommend DataFan. You only need to connect your account once and select the type of report - the service will collect the data into a visual dashboard, and they will be updated automatically.

Conclusion

If you are an ordinary user of a social network and publish video from your computer once or twice a year, then transfer it to your phone's memory and publish it in the usual way. Or use an emulator.

If you regularly post videos to Instagram* that are stored and processed on your computer, delayed posting services and the official Facebook service* will help you. But be aware of the limitations: the service on Facebook* is fairly recent, and Stories, carousel, and some other things are not available there.

How to add video to Instagram from a computer, phone or VK

You can post not only photos, but also video files to social networks. There are several ways to add a video to Instagram: use the standard uploader, through a computer, IGTV, posting in Stories. For each section and method, the requirements are different.

Contents

  • Adding videos to Instagram the easy way
    • from the computer
    • from the phone
  • Add in the history of Instagram
  • Method to download a long video
  • Add several rollers at once
  • Import from VKontakte

Add Video on Instagram in a simple method 9000

use a smartphone. By opening the " Create Post " section, the user can add photos and videos that are in the Gallery. Shooting is also available, followed by a filter overlay and a time limit.

Download methods that suit everyone:

  • download using a smartphone;
  • placement in Stories and Relevant. Adding materials that are already in the Gallery;
  • import from other social networks;
  • IGTV downloader for PC and mobile.

Publications have requirements regarding file size, resolution and quality. For example, you can't post videos longer than one minute to the Feed. But you can upload it to your IGTV channel.

Only 15-second videos can be downloaded in Stories, but if necessary, one long video can be divided into several parts.

How long can a video be uploaded to Instagram?

IGTV : up to an hour for large and verified communities, up to 15 minutes for ordinary users.

Maximum file size - no more than 500 MB, for IGTV - up to 3 GB with downloading via computer.

Extension - only mp4, resolution - standard, square. It can be enlarged by clicking on the "Full Format" button when publishing. Thus, the roller is extended horizontally or vertically. As well as an option, you can make an accelerated video.

From a computer

To add from a computer, users are offered the option to download via Bluestacks. Suitable for owners of powerful devices, where you can simultaneously start downloading and running the emulator.

Instructions on how to upload a video to Instagram through a computer:

  1. Run the Bluestacks emulator - download the Instagram application to your computer and log in.
  2. Press the button " Create publication " - in the section " Gallery " select "Other".
  3. Internal storage will open - scroll sidebar to "Download from Windows".
  4. Select file on computer - edit and publish.

The procedure for adding a video to Instagram from a PC is the same as on mobile devices. Bluestacks repeats Android, so working with a social network is also simple.

You can't add videos from the web version (log in with a browser - View code), only photos. Even if you specify "All files" in the search settings, mp4 will not be downloaded.

By adding with the help of Bluestacks, the user can apply filters, adjust the time period: start and end.

From your phone

To post a video to Instagram from your phone, you need to install the latest version of the app from Play Market or AppStore. When adding, just select a file or several by pressing the button " Post .”

iOS devices load faster than Android devices.

The user can mark a video longer than one minute, but only a segment no longer than 59 seconds will be published. You can shorten it using the timeline, add a filter and a caption.

Instructions on how to add a video to Instagram from your phone:

  1. Log in to the Instagram mobile application.
  2. Press « Add publication " - Gallery .
  3. Select the latest clip or use internal storage search.
  4. Continue - edit and publish.

But even with the time limit and trimming, you won't be able to add a video longer than 20 minutes. A warning will appear on the screen: the video file is too long. It can be shortened using the programs: Magisto, Video Show.

Also, to add videos to Instagram, you can use applications and automatic publication. For example, after shooting a video using the Party Time editor, the user needs to check “Publish to Instagram Feed”. The app will automatically switch to the social network. As with standard placement, editing will be available, adding a description.

You can adjust the position using the grid. If the format is horizontal and most of what is happening does not fit, holding your finger on the video, you can move it around the screen. The tool " Full format " can be added in the resolution in which it was taken.

Adding to Instagram stories

Stories - a section with short videos and photos that are deleted after a day. To leave memories or pin an entry in your profile, you need to go to the "Actual" section.

In History, you can add a video equal in time to 15 seconds. If you upload a larger file, the system will automatically divide it into several parts.

In Stories, each video continues the next. The profile owner can add any number of media files, gradually uploading or splitting one large video into small ones.

Requirements for videos in Stories:

Vertical size with aspect ratio : 9:16

format : mov or mp4

Maximum file size : 4 GB.

Resolution : from 600x1027 px to 1080x1920

Subject to compliance, the video will be of high quality, without pixelation. To download the maximum size, the data transfer rate must be 8 Mbps. If the media file does not load for more than 10 minutes: reconnect to the network. A notification will appear on the screen: Publish after connecting to the Internet.

With the latest updates in Stories, you can download videos that were taken a week or a month ago. But on such publications there will be a sticker with the date. Also, you can upload a video you just shot to Stories using the standard shooting modes on Instagram: Boomerang, Reverse shooting, Hands-free and others.

To upload a video to Stories:

  1. Go to the Feed from your personal profile section.
  2. Click on the icon " Camera " at the top.
  3. Select: Normal mode - hold your finger on the "Start" button.
  4. Make a video - Share.

The video can be sent to " Best friends ", in Private messages or published in the Feed. Filters and masks are available: the first ones are added after shooting, the second ones change the appearance of a person through the front camera.

You won’t be able to add a video to Stories from a computer, but you can upload a file from the Gallery:

  1. Go to the “ Stories ” section - click on the Gallery icon in the upper right corner.
  2. Select file - add filters, stickers or text.
  3. Publish by any means.

You cannot apply masks or shooting modes to videos posted from the Gallery. But it can be adjusted and changed through other applications. The duration is also no more than 15 seconds.

How to upload a long video

IGTV function is available for uploading files longer than one minute. To use, the page owner must create a channel in the appropriate section.

The maximum length for a personal profile is 15 minutes. You can add a media file larger than 5 GB only from the computer version.

To create an IGTV channel and upload large videos to Instagram:

  1. Click on the TV icon in your profile - click on the small icon of your profile picture.
  2. Download video - select a file from the Gallery.
  3. Add description and title - wait for download to complete.

When adding a long video to Instagram, the user must check the speed and Internet connection. There is an error in which the download stops at 50, 80 or 95%.

If the video file does not load:

  • check for app updates in Play Market or AppStore;
  • remove and install Instagram again;
  • clear the cache and application data using the standard function "Smartphone Settings" - Applications.

The video format for IGTV is the same as for standard posting: mov or mp4. GIFs cannot be uploaded to a social network, so they must be converted to the appropriate format before publication.

Another way to add a video longer than a minute to Instagram is to use the "Carousel", that is, the simultaneous publication of several videos at once.

Adding multiple videos at once

Like photos, videos can be posted to the Carousel. The number for publications is 10 pieces, but the time of each should not be more than one minute.

To post multiple videos at the same time:

  1. Go to " Create Post " - Gallery.
  2. Mark fragments of one or more clips in order.
  3. Continue - Add a filter for each if necessary.
  4. Place in Feed.

For Stories, the posting procedure is simpler: upload more than 15 seconds and mark the fragments that you want to post. When placed, the system will independently divide the media files into separate pieces of 15 seconds.

Page visitors or followers must swipe left or right to view all videos in the Carousel. Under the publication, dots indicate the number of added files.

The main disadvantage of simultaneous placement is that the description for all videos will be the same, as well as the number of "I like it". Owners of business pages will see statistics not for each individual video, but for publications in general.

Import from VKontakte to Instagram

There is no official connection between Instagram and Vkontakte. If a user connects an Instagram profile on the VK page, an album with pictures and latest videos is created. To add a video from VK to Instagram, the user will have to download it at the beginning.

After - published via the standard method. The problem is that there is no button for connecting a Vkontakte account in the official Instagram application, so reverse import is not possible.

The only social network where you can send videos for Instagram is Facebook. In other cases, transfer is available using the "Share" button.

To download and add a video from a Contact to Instagram:

  1. Open your VK profile using the web version.
  2. In the address bar, put the English letter “m” and a dot before “vk.com”.
  3. Mobile view will open - right click on the video.
  4. Save as - specify free space on the computer.

Now you can post a video to Instagram using Bluestaks or transfer the file via USB to your smartphone. To save the title, you can use the GetVideo or SaveFrom services. The services offer a choice of the format and quality of the video that will be downloaded to the PC.

Ways to add videos to Instagram will help you quickly publish both short and long materials.

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