Top Tips For Instagram Reels

Sahail Ashraf posted on 7 October 2022

Instagram Reels are still relatively new but it’s proving to be a big weapon for brands in the social media wars. Follow these tips to make sure you’re getting the most out of it.

Instagram Reels are short form videos that have grown from strength to strength. With the power of Meta behind it, they continue to help creators reach audiences and build brands. With up to 60 seconds to play with, you can create a truly powerful piece of video that speaks directly to your audience. In this post we will offer some tips that will help you get ahead of the game on Reels and dominate the platform.

Use subtitles

A major part of short form video on social media, subtitles are now an absolute prerequisite to Reels success. Adding subtitles makes sense when you realise that a huge number of videos online are watched without sound.

You can create crisp, engaging subtitles that really help your audience get the most out of your videos. Just be sure to check that the audio has been transcribed correctly. Sometimes this is not the case. 

Another important tip for maximum engagement is to make sure your captions are in the centre of the screen. This will give them the maximum chance of being fully engaged with.

Be consistent

The thing with Reels is that you have to work hard.

Like most social media platforms, posting consistently is key to doing well. The majority of people who jump on Reels do not do this, and then they wonder why their presence isn’t growing. 

There are two distinct elements here. The first one involves you finding the niche area you are best suited to. Whatever your interest is, that is what you should be creating Reels around. With a strong niche you should then be focused on posting consistently. If you have a niche you should have no issues with this regular posting schedule. 

You do have to post on a regular basis. People on Reels are swiftly forgotten if they don’t have that constant, reliable presence.

Make good use of hashtags

Instagram has always pushed hashtags so that they become a big part of an account and the success it receives.

It really is a great way to notify the algorithm on Reels what your content is about. And using the right hashtags will ensure that you show up in other feeds. Hashtags cannot be emphasised enough. They get you noticed. And when you are noticed by the algorithm, you can then push yourself up the feeds through astute use of hashtags around trending topics.

Get the alignment right

One of the most important parts of being on Instagram Reels is producing high quality videos. Getting the alignment right is huge.

Reels actually has built-in alignment tools that do the job for you quickly and easily. Get into them and use them to make videos that are going to rise to the top.

Play with the speed

You need to look like you know exactly what you are doing on Reels, otherwise people won’t stick around. Play around with the speed settings on your videos to make a real impact.

There is a reason why TikTok is so full of sped up videos of songs. They are more dynamic and fun. You don’t have to do this exactly, but if you have a slightly slow part of your video that doesn’t add to the final impact (very common in how-to videos) then speed up parts of it to make it funny and easier for the audience to stick with.

Be on top of effects and filters

Reels just keeps adding effects and filters to the mix. If you didn’t know this, now you do.

The thing about effects and filters is that they are a big part of trends on Reels. Every time a new trend gains momentum, people will be contributing to the growth of that trend while using those effects. This means that if you are able to be a part of that visual push, you’ll be part of the trend.

It takes a while to get the right rhythm, but if you just keep an eye on effects and spot when new ones are added, you are literally able to be ‘on trend’. This can do wonders for your reach and engagement.

Finally, covers

Your Reels covers are perhaps the most important part of the whole equation. You need to work hard to make sure that you grab people on a platform where nearly everyone is an expert in grabbing people.

You can really go to town with covers and have an initial impact that looks professional and arresting. If you’re able to, run a few A/B tests to see which have the most impact, and then start to build a style with your covers that will stop people scrolling.

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