Picture this: You’re a small business owner and just opened your very own Instagram account. Followers are increasing but engagement is lagging… what should you do? People keep talking about these things called Reels but you have no idea what that is. Then you call IOI for help and we explain everything you need to know about Instagram Reels! 

Let’s get right into it, what is an Instagram Reel? Reels are videos up to 60 seconds where users can record and edit clips together, and dress them up with popular music, stickers, and other effects that are included on Instagram. Once you get your perfect Reel, you can share it to your feed, on a story, or on the Explore page.  What makes Reels so amazing is that it allows businesses to show off what their brand is about in a new, creative, and interactive way. It challenges the creator to come up with more exciting and new content to show users who they really are. 

According to Instagram itself, Reels are the most popular feature across 50 different countries! With that being said, here are the basics to making your first Reel. 

Step 1: Come up with a content plan, what are you trying to portray to your audience with this video.

Step 2: Begin shooting your video, you are able to patch together clips and delete ones that didn’t make the cut. 

Step 3: Add your music and effects to really make the Reel stand out. 

Step 4: Preview and share your new Reel!

When creating your first Reel, it is important to know these tips. For instance, you are able to make these videos on several different platforms but the algorithm will always favor Reels made directly on Instagram itself. The app wants to keep it in-house and doing so can help make your video viral. Also when considering audio and other effects, make sure you go to the Reels tab on Instagram and check out the trending audio, effects, and filters that other creators are using. This is going to make your video even more favorable to the algorithm. Hopping on the most up-to-date trend and applying it to your niche won’t hurt either! Remember to size the Reel to the right dimensions too; 1080 pixels by 1920 pixels for the best performance possible. 

Now just as the algorithm will favor specific aspects of your video, it can also penalize you for it. Instagram does not like blurry videos due to low resolution, videos with borders around them, or videos made on other platforms that have watermarks. It is important to stay up to date with the community guidelines or Instagram will remove your video as well. 

After taking in all of the information above and you’ve posted your Reel, of course, you want to know how well it is performing. The easiest way to do so is to go to the Insights tab on your profile (your Instagram should be a business account FYI). Or you can look at each Reel individually. The insights will show you the amount of likes, comments, shares, saves, amount of plays, and our favorite, interactions. Now you will know what is working and what you can improve on!

Are you ready to go viral and have your business known more than ever! Get moving and make your Reels! Video content is moving in and static photos are out. If you’re still unsure where to begin, let us help you. We have a team of social media specialists at your fingertips, connect with us now!