Instagram Reels is a content format that allows y'all to create and share short engaging videos that — unlike Instagram Stories — don't disappear subsequently 24 hours.

Despite originally being criticized equally a "TikTok copycat," Instagram Reels has gained positive responses from influencers, brands and users. Many creators embraced Reels while also growing their presence on TikTok. Brands like Sephora, Walmart, and Beardbrand are already using Reels.

And so, what is Instagram Reels? How does information technology work? How can y'all, as a make, use information technology in your marketing strategy? We have the answers to all of your questions beneath.

Bonus: Download the free 10-Day Reels Challenge , a daily workbook of creative prompts that will help you get started with Instagram Reels, rails your growth, and run into results across your unabridged Instagram profile.

What are Instagram Reels?

Instagram Reels are videos that can exist up to sixty seconds long.

Similar to TikTok, Reels offer a set of editing tools that let users to create engaging and fun video footage. Reels can include multiple video clips, filters, captions, interactive backgrounds, stickers and more.

A scrollable tab full of trending Reels (a.m.a. Instagram's version of the TikTok For Y'all folio) can be accessed through the Reels icon at the bottom of the Instagram app'southward home folio:

Instagram Reels icon at the bottom of the app's home page

An individual user's Reels can be viewed in a defended tab that tin exist accessed above the account'southward Feed:

Accessing a user's Reels in the tab on their profile page

Reels are as well heavily featured in Explore. If you lot'd like to set your Reels up for success with this powerful discovery tool, bank check out our guide to getting your content on the Instagram Explore page.

Instagram Reels vs. TikTok

Since Instagram Reels is TikTok's rival, it's worth discussing how they're similar, and how they are different.

The essence of Instagram Reels and TikTok is the aforementioned: providing users with a creative space to create and share short videos with others. They come up with creative options, assuasive users to make their all-time possible clips.

Instagram Reels and TikTok comparison

However, they also have significant differences, as shown below:

Instagram Reels TikTok
A characteristic inside the Instagram ecosystem A platform
Video time limit upwards to 60s Video time limit up to iii minutes
Reels shared to Stories will disappear later 24 hours All videos stay on TikTok

Instagram Reels vs. Instagram Stories

Don't go confused between Instagram Reels and Instagram Stories. Even though they audio a lot like each other, they have some key differences:

  • Reels offers several creative tools, including AR effects, speed controls, and the option to align multi-prune videos for cleaner transitions.
  • Reels tin can be featured in Explore and shared to Stories. When you upload a Reel, you lot can also choose to post it to your Feed. All the Reels you create will also announced in a dedicated section of your profile, similar to IGTV posts.
  • If y'all include original audio, the audio clip will be attributed to you, and other users volition be able to utilize it to create new Reels.

At present that you sympathise what Instagram Reels are, let's motility on to how to utilize them in your marketing strategy.

How to make a Reel on Instagram

If you lot're familiar with Instagram and/or TikTok, you'll find information technology easy to create videos with Reels.

How to log in to Reels

To access Reels, merely open the Instagram photographic camera and choose REELS.

Instagram Reels button

You'll work with this push to create a Reel.

How to create an Instagram Reel

Instagram Reels gives you ii options to create a Reel:

  1. Press and hold the record button to capture footage.
  2. Upload video footage from your photographic camera ringlet.

Reels can exist recorded in a series of clips (i at a time), or all at once.

Follow these six steps to create your showtime Reel:

Stride ane: Whorl to REELS at the bottom of the screen and tap it.

Footstep 2: Use tools to prepare for your recording. Tap Sound (ane) to select audio from the Instagram music library and add together information technology to your video. You can even choose to add your favorite part simply.

Instagram Reels Audio

Tap Speed (two) to modify the speed of your video, tap Effects (3) to apply special effects, and tap Timer (4) to determine how long your video will exist.

Instagram Reels Speed Effects and Timer features

Step 3: When you lot're ready, tap, and hold the record button to record a prune. If you set a timer early on, there's a countdown before the hands-gratis recording starts.

Instagram Reels recording

During the recording, you tin tap the record button to end a clip, and and so tap it again to first a new clip. Then, the Marshal button (5) will appear, allowing you lot to line up objects from the previous clip before recording your next. This is useful to create seamless transitions for moments similar irresolute outfits, adding new music, or adding new friends into your Reel.

If you want to watch, trim, or delete the previous clip you recorded, yous can tap the clip (6) and edit it.

Instagram Reels watch trim or delete clip

Stride 4: One time y'all're done with recording, you lot can add stickers, drawings, and text to edit your Reel.

Add stickers and drawings to clip

For a crash class in Reel's creative editing features, download our free 10-day Reels challenge:

Bonus: Download the free 10-Twenty-four hour period Reels Challenge , a daily workbook of creative prompts that volition assist you get started with Instagram Reels, track your growth, and come across results beyond your entire Instagram profile.

Washed! You've known how to create a video with Instagram Reels. Permit'south motion on to observe out how you can share it with your followers.

How to share a Reel

In one case you're satisfied with your clip, you lot can tap the Next button (7) to access the Share folio. And so, tap Embrace (eight) to edit the comprehend photo with a video thumbnail or add a cover from your camera scroll. You tin can write a caption, too. If you don't want to publish the clip right away, you can save information technology every bit a draft.

Instagram Reels share page Instagram Reels allows y'all to:

  • Share the prune to the Reels tab only. Your Instagram audience will be able to access information technology in the Reels tab in your account. The Instagram algorithm may also selection it upwards and suggest it to users browsing the app's main discovery Reels tab.
  • Share the clip to your Feed likewise. If you choose this pick, the Reel will show up in your profile grid along with your other posts.

When you're done with sharing, you'll run across your Reel like these:

Instagram Reels completed

How long can Instagram Reels be?

Equally of August 2021, all Instagram users tin can create Reels up to 60 seconds long.

Instagram Reel sizes

If y'all're creating Reels on the go and recording your video footage using the Reels camera, you lot don't have to worry about file size. Notwithstanding, if your Reels include uploaded footage, brand sure your files are the right size and dimension to avert a blurry and awkwardly cropped end production.

Bonus: Download the free 10-Mean solar day Reels Challenge , a daily workbook of creative prompts that will help you lot get started with Instagram Reels, track your growth, and run into results across your unabridged Instagram profile.

Get the creative prompts at present!

Like Stories, Reels are a mobile-kickoff format, designed to take up a full vertical screen. The recommended aspect ratio for Reels is nine:xvi and the recommended size is 1080 x 1920 pixels.

How to rail Instagram Reels analytics

To understand if your Reels are hitting the marking and engaging your audience, yous should keep runway of their functioning. Instagram makes this like shooting fish in a barrel — Concern and Creator accounts can access Reels analytics in Instagram Insights.

Reels-specific performance metrics include:

  • Accounts Reached. This metric tells you how many unique Instagram users saw your Reel at least once.
  • Plays. This is the number of times your Reel has been played. It could be higher than the number of accounts reached, since some users may watch your Reel more than than once.
  • Likes. This metric tells yous how many users liked your Reel.
  • Comments. The number of comments on an individual Reel.
  • Saves. The number of times your Reel was bookmarked.
  • Shares. The number of times Instagram users shared your Reel to their story or sent it to another user.

In Insights, you tin can look upwards the performance of private Reels equally well as meet how the format is contributing to the overall performance of your business relationship.

Reels analytics

Source: Instagram

To learn more about Reels analytics and how to use them to create ameliorate content, check out our complete guide to Reels Insights.

v means to employ Instagram Reels for business

When Instagram Stories was offset launched in 2016, it was called a Snapchat clone. But Stories quickly surpassed Snapchat in daily users and have become an constructive channel for brands to build their audience.

With that in mind, brands should grab the opportunity to engage new audiences with Reels—people who prefer quick-and-easily-digestible content. Reels are likewise a great platform for collaboration with creative talent.

And, one more thing: successful Reels are likely to be featured on the Explore page—a place that more than than fifty% of Instagram accounts use for discovery every calendar month. If your Reel is shown on this page, you have a huge chance to betrayal your brand to new followers.

If big names similar Maybelline, Sephora, or Louis Vuitton have been using Reels from day one, and if you're already using Instagram for your business, why not requite Reels a endeavour?

Convinced? Then, here are v means you can use Instagram Reels in your social media marketing strategy:

1. Share educational content

Creating educational content is a great way to start on Reels. Top v skincare routines, a secret to brand delicious pancakes in 10 minutes, or five tips for styling a skirt—in that location are so many things to share with your followers that tin can help them learn a new skill.

Rena Awada, the owner of Healthy Fitness Meals (@healthyfitnessmeals), used Reels to share delicious, healthy, family-friendly recipes made with real food.

Healthy Fitness Meals educational content

Her video was short, simple, and easy to follow, which explains why it gained in popularity. She also included several relevant hashtags similar #healthy, #snack, and #lowcarb.

2. Showcase your products

I've said it before, but permit me repeat information technology once again: users can detect Reels in the dedicated Reels tab and on the Explore page, meaning Instagram users who don't follow you volition come across your content—this is gold!

To assistance the algorithm empathise what your content is about and serve it to the right audiences, use hashtags, text overlay, and descriptive captions. Below is a skilful case from @elfcosmetics. Notice how the brand focused on the benefits of their Luminous Putty Primer and used emojis to show them conspicuously.

Elf Cosmetics showcase products

Another example is from Deborah Ruiz. She used her personal Instagram business relationship to postal service a Reel demonstrating how she wore lashes from her small business organisation @deborahcosmestics.

Deborah Cosmetics lashes demonstration

Besides, you can interact with Instagram influencers to promote your production, as FLOWER Beauty and Revlon did:

FLOWER Beauty and Revlon Instagram collaboration

3. Share backside-the-scenes content

Backside-the-scenes content helps your Instagram followers empathize who you are and why y'all're selling whatever it is that you're selling. Information technology's personable, it gains trust, and it builds relationships.

Take a await at two examples below. Fast and Food shared a moment of their staff preparing food for guests during the COVID-nineteen pandemic, and Do good Cosmetics The states created a Reel to show how a mean solar day in the life of their graphic designer.

Fast and Food and Benefit Cosmetics US Instagram Reels

Some behind-the-scenes ideas you can try:

  • Share how you choose materials for your product
  • Share the process of making products
  • Share the day-to-day life of your team
  • Share your brand story—how you came upwards with your business idea and what you've been through.

4. Denote your sales and share offers

How about using Reels to denote your sales and exclusive deals? IT Cosmetics US and Tarte Cosmetics applied this tip successfully, every bit they gained a lot of date from Instagram users.

IT Cosmetics US and Tarte Cosmetics sales announcement

Bonus tip: Stay 18-carat, and don't make your content also explicitly salesy!

Call back this way: many brands accept been successful on TikTok because they bear witness their human side and give up being perfect all the time, which is exactly what TikTok users desire to see.

So, endeavor to maintain the aforementioned level of authenticity in your Reels. Focus on originality and fun, rather than the quality of your videos. It could be highlighting staff individuality or bringing an ordinary attribute of your brand to life through music and move. Doing this will lead to high appointment for your Reels videos.

5. Utilize Instagram Reels ads

As of June 2021, Instagram advertisers can choose Reels every bit a placement for their Instagram ads. The placement supports 6 advert objectives:

  1. Brand sensation
  2. Reach
  3. Traffic
  4. App installs
  5. Video views
  6. Conversions

Reels ads offer brands a new way to reach targeted audiences when they are scrolling through Reels in the mindset to engage with content. Information technology's no wonder that many brands are already experimenting with the advert placement. Here'south an example from Canadian supermarket chain Superstore:

Real Canadian Superstore Instagram Stories ad

To learn more about how to fix up your offset entrada on Reels and how to make your creatives stand out, check out our guide to Instagram Reels ads.

Manage your Instagram presence alongside your other social channels and salvage time using Hootsuite. From a single dashboard, yous can schedule and publish posts, engage the audience, and measure out performance. Endeavor information technology free today.

Become Started

Hands create, analyze, and schedule Instagram posts and Stories with Hootsuite. Save time and get results.

Try it for Free