Remember when Instagram stole the whole concept of Snapchat and added Instagram Stories to its platform? The brilliant minds behind the popular photo-sharing social network did it again, but this time they capitalized on TikTok’s rising popularity and added Reels to the app.
Steal, borrow, take, innovate—it doesn’t matter. Instagram Reels are here to stay, and they’re a powerful engagement tool when used correctly.
Whether you’re a Reels expert or just Slacked your best friend “What’s an Instagram Reel,” we have you covered. This article will walk you through everything you need to know to start creating Reels on Instagram that boost your account’s engagement and following.
First, let’s start with the fundamentals. What’s an Instagram Reel?
Table of Contents
How Do You Make a Reel on Instagram?
10 Instagram Reels Dos and Don’ts
How to Use Instagram Reels to Boost Engagement
What’s an Instagram Reel?
Instagram Reels are video clips (typically 15 – 90 seconds) that can be shared as Stories, posts, and even featured on a dedicated Reels tab on your profile.
You can find Instagram Reels by clicking the play-like button that’s dead center on your navigation bar. This page is a feed for all things Reels, though you’ll also find posted Reels on your home tab and the Explore page.
Businesses and casual users take advantage of Reels to feature products, make announcements, be creative, and have fun. Start scrolling through your Reels, and you’re bound to see everything from quirky dances to baby announcements and everything in between.
Like everything else on Instagram, the content on your Reels feed is determined by a nifty algorithm that users are always trying to figure out. While Instagram hasn’t blatantly stated why they feature some Reels over others, we have a pretty good guess (more on that soon).
Why Instagram Reels?
TikTok’s popularity continues to grow, and it’s still the most downloaded social app with over a billion users. However, TikTok serves a primarily younger demographic (for now), whereas Instagram serves a broader age range.
Noticing the opportunity, Instagram jumped on the scene to (again) give its users a one-stop social network for every piece of content they’d like to consume.
Instagram Reels’ popularity has grown so much that the platform has converted all its videos to Reels (so long, IGTV). So, now, every video you upload to Instagram instantly becomes a Reel.
When you combine that with the possibility that TikTok will get banned in the US, it’s easy to see why Instagram Reels will only continue to rise in popularity in the coming years.
How Do You Make a Reel on Instagram?
Ready to get started making your own Reels? You’re in luck—it’s easy.
Instagram lets you create Reels from the “Your Story,” “New Post,” and Reels tabs. You can follow the process for creating a Reel from any of these locations, but for the sake of simplicity, let’s start with the Reels tab.
Step 1: Upload a Video
If you’ve already recorded a video that you know will be perfect for Reels, upload it by clicking the square icon with the plus button at the bottom of your home screen. There, you can toggle between Post, Story, Reel, or Live. For our purposes, click the Reel tab, and you’ll be placed in Instagram’s Reels editor interface.
Reels also allow you to upload multiple videos (or photos) if your final video needs multiple clips. If you want to add a backdrop to your video, make sure you press the “Green Screen” toggle icon (and shoot your video on a green screen).
Pro tip: Instagram’s “Remix” feature is another way they’ve piggybacked TikTok. Go to the Explore Reels tab and click on the 3 dots next to a video to bring the content into your Reels editing view. Here, you can comment and “re-edit” native content. You can only do this with Reels made for the platform that allows the “Remix” feature.
Step 2: Choose Your Music (or Audio)
If you want to shoot your video in-app, you should start with your music. Music is the driving force of short-form trends, so choosing the perfect audio snippet is critical to racking up views. Find a song that best connects with the subject of your video or brand.
When you click on “music,” Instagram will automatically suggest popular options and trendy songs. You can also save songs that worked well on previous Reels or import your own “original audio.”
Pro tip: Add a voiceover to your Reel by tapping the arrow editing icon after you’ve added your music. By tapping the microphone at the top of your screen, you’ll open a voice recording window to add to your Reel.
Step 3: Choose an Effect
The stars icon opens up a variety of effect options, from subtle filters to wacky animations. This is where you can use your creativity to explore and test effects that will make your Reels stand out. Similar to music, you can save your favorite effects and browse trending effects on the platform. But don’t get stuck using the same filter because new effects are consistently added to the app.
Pro tip: If you notice a cool effect (or audio) on a reel, you can look it up by clicking the video, and it will be listed at the top.
Step 4: Choose Speed, Layout, and Time
You’re almost ready to record. The final steps to customize your Reel are the speed, layout, and timer.
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- Speed: You can choose the speed of your Reel (from .3x to 4x). This is perfect if you’re making a timelapse reel.
- Layout: Choose different layouts to showcase your video. Stitch together multiple videos to fit within your time frame. Watch our Reel below, where we use a simple layout (and captions) to showcase both subjects in a podcast interview.
- Timer: Choose the length of your Reel (15 seconds, 30 seconds, or 60 seconds). This is also where you can set a timer to record hands-free.
Step 5: Record and Share
Press the Reels icon button to start recording. Press it again to stop.
And that’s that.
Once finished, you’ll then be able to preview the video and make additional edits to music, add effects, overlay text, freehand draw, and more.
Add your finished Reel to and share Stories, publish it to your feed, or both.
Pro Tip: Use Gesture Control to start your recording with a wave or your hand, and use Dual to film with both the front and outward-facing cameras (similar to the BeReal social app).
10 Instagram Reels Dos and Don’ts
Making a Reel is relatively easy, but making a good (read: viral) Reel can be tricky. Here are a few dos and don’ts to set you in the right direction:
Dos:
- Use vertical video (this is a must)
- Create content with a strong hook in the first two seconds that users will watch from start to finish (skips will hurt your ranking)
- Experiment with creative tools like filters, effects, text, and music
- Include closed captions (many people watch without sound)
- Be original—find inspiration from others but create unique content
Don’ts:
- Publish Reels with watermarks from other sites (aka, TikTok)
- Upload blurry or low-resolution videos
- Cover your video with too much text
- Fail to meet Instagram’s Community Guidelines
- Do the same thing every time. Reels are supposed to be fun, creative, and fresh.
How to Use Instagram Reels to Boost Engagement
Whether you’re looking to boost awareness, generate sales, or build your following, Reels is another tool to engage your audience. While you don’t necessarily need to use every Instagram feature to be successful, Reels is a high-priority item for Instagram at the moment—they’re featuring it front and center as soon as every user opens the app.
While we can’t be sure of everything impacting Instagram’s algorithms, it’s safe to assume they’re giving preference and priority to Reels content. Publish high-quality, engaging Reels, and there’s a good chance Instagram will also show some love to your Stories, Feed, and even Instagram Shop.
That’s not a fact, but come on—it’s Instagram.
Plus, it’s easy for Reels to become more viral. Articles and videos can take minutes to consume, while Reels last only seconds. This makes it easy for users to watch more, like more, and share more.
Curious about how you can use Reels to boost Instagram engagement? Here are a few ways:
Build Your Instagram Following
Engaged followers lead to more engagement, engagement leads to reach, and strong reach can land you on the Explore tab. Get your Reels on the Explore tab, and you’ll expose your brand to thousands of brand-new users who may never have interacted with your brand before—for free.
Include keywords and hashtags in your Instagram Reels. People will stumble across your Reels when using Instagram’s search function, and these pieces of copy will help Instagram understand more about the video you’re publishing. Add a hashtag or 2 to help users find your content.
Remember, you need to first build an audience by creating interesting, educational, or engaging content. Here’s one we made just for fun that became a viral hit.
Spread Awareness with Subtle Branding Elements
Not everyone cares who the author of a Reel is—they just want to watch, laugh, and go on with their day. However, you can add subtle branding elements (logos, brand-associated colors, captions, text blocks, stickers) to boost brand awareness without being too in their face. This makes for a “double win” whenever someone consumes your Reels.
For example, the Reel below feels simple and organic, but notice how we shot it in our office. You can see our branding in the backdrop.
Drive Sales with Product Features
Experiment with announcing or featuring products in your Reels to generate hype and drive sales. Remember, Instagram Reels isn’t ecommerce focused—it’s still a consumer-first feature on a social networking platform.
However, it’s worthwhile to give it a try and see how your audience reacts. If engagement goes up and you see more sales coming from Instagram, it might be a tactic worth exploring further or replicating regularly. If engagement dips, scale it back a bit and revisit your strategy before trying again.
Add a Single Call to Action (CTA) to Your Reels
Sometimes, you’ll just want to entertain or inform your audience and send them on their way. Other times, you’ll want them to consume your content and do something about it.
Use stickers, GIFs, and text to tell your audience what to do. Ask them to click the link in your profile, follow your account, or check out another piece of content.
Focus on a single CTA. Don’t overwhelm your viewers. Provide them with a great piece of content, and then ask them to like, comment, share, visit, or engage. That’s all there is to it.
Pro Tip: Set up direct message automation so simple engagements turn into direct conversations with a potential customer.
For example, one of our most popular Reels lists the six best beauty brand products to make in an interesting and creative presentation.
Then, we follow up with a clear CTA to download a product ideas guide with 500 ideas. All the audience needs to do is comment, and they’ll receive a follow-up DM to download the guide.
Instagram Reels Features 2024
On April 30th, 2024, Instagram announced that it was planning to make a series of significant updates to its Reels algorithm, including a new ranking system designed to support smaller creators.
These updates include:
- A changed algorithm: Algorithm changes are designed to boost the reach of smaller creators, replacing reposted content with original content in the recommendations section and adding links to reposted content back to the original content.
- A ‘Blend’ feature: This feature allows users to blend your Reels algorithm, allowing you to create a private feed only you and your friends can see. This feature is currently in its trial phase.
Instagram Reels FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about using Reels for your business or personal brand. For more info, visit Instagram’s help page.
Should I make Reels and TikTok videos separately for my brand
Yes and no. Don't be lazy and upload a video to Reels that you edited on TikTok (vice versa). The platforms will penalize you for this. We suggest outlining your video and shooting it on a phone ahead of time. Then edit within the native platforms.
What type of music can I use on Reels?
You can only use licensed audio that's approved by Reels and attributed to the artist(s). The same goes for audio uploaded by creators.
Can I use other people's Reels?
Yes, if the creator has a public account, you can remix their video and audio in your own Reels. On the flip side, you can also allow other people to use your Reels. If you download a video, all licensed music and audio will be removed from the Reel.
Should I allow other people to remix my brand's Reels?
The old saying 'any press is good press' applies here. But remember, when you upload a Reel for your business or personal brand, it's fair game for Instagram creators to utilize.
Is Reels better than TikTok?
The jury is still out. TikTok is the pioneer of short-form video (sorry, Vine), but Instagram quickly caught up with Reels. Now, other platforms like YouTube and LinkedIn are adding 'shorts' to their repertoire. Like all social platforms, invest where your audience is. Short-form video is one of the best ways to grow an audience quickly, and the emerging buyer demographic (age 16 - 35) is spending more and more time on Reels and TikTok.
How do I make a Reel that gets views?
Reels might be inhaled quickly by viewers, but usually, the work behind it takes longer than 30 seconds. But the demand for content can be overwhelming, especially if your team is small (or just you). Here are a couple of suggestions to create engaging Reels that build your brand while entertaining scrollers. Think like an individual, not a brand. What makes you laugh on Reels? Test and learn. Reels are quickly consumed, so don't be afraid to try something crazy (to an extent). Use what you've got. Pull video clips from YouTube interviews or customer testimonials. Remix, edit, and add a fresh effect. Less is more. At foundr, we have a full video studio for our course creation, but this Reel was one of our most popular pieces of content ever.
Master Instagram and All Its Glory
Instagram can be a fantastic business tool, but it’s tricky to learn all the ins and outs and where you should be focusing your time.
We get it, we’ve been there, and we’ve been through that. However, now we’re sitting on an engaged account with over 3.2 million followers.
We didn’t get lucky, we weren’t early adopters, we didn’t buy fake followers, and it didn’t take us 10 years to build it. We figured out what works (and more importantly—what doesn’t), engagement formulas, and how to create irresistibly engaging content.
And you can learn it, too.
Take our Instagram Domination course on foundr+ to learn the step-by-step process we used to grow our following from 0 to 500K followers in just 12 short months. We’ll provide you with a replicable framework for developing a business-changing audience on one of today’s most popular platforms.
Join foundr+ for $1 to accelerate your way to Instagram success.
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This article was updated with support from Graeme Whiles.
