How to Make an Instagram Reel in 5 Easy Steps
Instagram Reels have become one of the most creative and engaging ways to share content.
Learning how to make an Instagram reel is invaluable for growing your platform.
Users are finding that one successful reel can increase page engagement by up to 20 times.
This feature is Instagram’s response to the short-video trend and allows users to record, edit, and share 15 to 30-second video clips, complete with a wide array of effects and music.
As marketing experts, we’ll walk you through how to create Instagram Reels that drive engagement.
So, whether you’re promoting a brand, sharing your talents, or simply capturing life’s little moments, this guide will equip you with the skills to create reels that are sure to get noticed.
Let’s get started.
The Importance Of Learning How To Make An Instagram Reel
As a vital component of the Instagram app, reels are an engaging tool that can dramatically boost your brand’s visibility – whether you’re promoting a business or building your personal brand.
They offer a platform where brands can showcase their unique personality and engage viewers organically.
Here are some reasons why consistently posting Instagram Reels is a powerful strategy:
- 140 billion Reels watched daily
- Reach rate of 14%
- Maintains significant audience engagement
- Reaches a wider audience
But how do you make a reel on Instagram that actually resonates?
The key to success is authenticity and integrating current social trends into your Instagram Reels.
1. Setting the Stage For Your IG Reels
Planning your strategy before hand will keep you organized and ensure your workflow is smooth.
When you’re first learning how to make an Instagram reel, preparing strategically can help you significantly save time and effort.
Think about the aim of your video content: ensure the message is clear to the viewers, and decide on the format that best represents your brand’s ethos.
Maintaining consistency with your Instagram feed posts and Stories will reinforce your brand’s visual storytelling.
Leverage free, customizable reel templates from platforms such as Canva to simplify this process.
These templates can be tailored to fit your brand’s theme, style, or color preferences, providing a design framework for your Reels.
Don’t forget to pre-film your video clips to have more control over the final content, allowing for higher-quality production and storytelling.
Additionally, using a reel stand can help stabilize your footage for a more professional look.
Here are some additional tips for setting the stage before you begin:
- When creating informational reels, prepare a script outline. It will serve as a guide to ensure you cover all key points, even if you don’t stick to it verbatim.
- For visually-focused content like tutorials or sketches, plan your shots. List scenes, shots, and visual elements to include.
- Ensure good filming quality for lighting and audio. Quality stands out, so use a decent smartphone and microphone to improve production value.
2. Begin Crafting Your First Reel
With the stage set, you can now start creating your first Instagram Reel!
To start, follow these steps:
- Tap the ‘+’ on the Instagram home screen.
- Select ‘Reel’ from the bottom menu.
- And press record! We recommend you pre-film your clips and have them ready in your camera roll to make the creation process smoother.
Bear in mind, when creating a Reel:
- They vary between 15 and 90 seconds in length
- For better visibility, it’s recommended to shoot in a vertical video format (9:16)
- Use Instagram’s creative tools
- Incorporate music from Instagram’s library or your original audio
- Add current trends to create engaging content that stands out.
3. Adding Music and Sound Effects
Incorporating music and sound effects into short-form videos can remarkably boost your Reels’ appeal, making them more memorable and shareable.
To add music, tap the music note icon before you start recording, which gives you access to Instagram’s extensive music library. Alternatively, use audio from the clip editor for a customized touch.
If you prefer to use your original audio, you can record multiple clips for a Reel with the audio playing in the background or upload a clip with the music already in it.
Leveraging your original sound or selecting the perfect track from Instagram’s music library adds a personal and engaging touch.
Bonus Tip: Consider using audio tracks that are gaining popularity but haven’t quite hit trending status yet. This strategy can increase the chances of your Reel being suggested by the algorithm, as Instagram tends to promote emerging trends.
4. Building Your Video Clips Visual Impact
To captivate your audience’s attention, your Instagram reel should create a visual impact.
You can use Instagram’s in-app Reels editor to incorporate eye-catching effects, seamless transitions, and visual elements that enhance the visual appeal of your Reels.
Captions are a powerful tool—don’t overlook them!
Use the automatic captioning feature to make your content accessible to all viewers and ensure the video is at the highest resolution possible to boost audience retention.
The Reel editor is also equipped with Reel Templates and editing tools like video splicing, audio adjustments, and the ability to add music, which can help you create reels with multiple clips.
To create visually engaging content, focus on experimenting with different camera perspectives, angles, and dynamic transitions.
Color grading can transform the mood of your Instagram content. For example, lifestyle influencers might use warm, muted colors for a cozy vibe, while street photographers could choose bold contrasts to give a gritty feel.
This is definitely one of the more advanced editing options, however, still something worth thinking about.
5. The Final Touches: Cover Image and Captions
Before hitting the ‘post’ button, a few finishing touches are required.
A detailed cover image for your Instagram reel will help you maintain your Instagram aesthetic.
You can choose your cover photo from a video frame or upload one from your camera roll.
Next up are the captions. Craft your captions to be concise, informative, and entertaining, often containing a call to action to engage the audience and prompt interaction.
If you’d like to be even more savvy, use keywords in your caption that target your intended audience because these tags can help your content surface to those who are most likely to engage and enjoy your videos.
Once you’ve finished editing, don’t forget to tag relevant users in your Reel to increase its discoverability and acknowledge collaborators’ or creators’ contributions.
Advanced Reel Techniques to Elevate Your Content
Having mastered the basics, here are some advanced Reel techniques to spice up your content.
Vertical videos are the way to go for Instagram Reels, and using countdown timers can help you create seamless transitions that keep viewers hooked.
Here’s how you can take advantage of these features:
Instagram’s hands-free feature enables you to:
- Record videos without continuously holding the record button, allowing you to create dynamic clips hands-free.
- Capture engaging footage from varied angles and more complex scenes, making your storytelling more compelling.
- Add extra clips to your Reel by tapping the camera icon, providing viewers with additional context or contributing to a more layered and detailed story.
- Use countdown timers to prepare for your shot, ensuring you’re in the perfect position when the camera starts rolling.
- Incorporate AR effects to add a layer of creativity and fun to your clips, setting your content apart from the rest.
These are some great ways to streamline and simplify creating your reels.
Here are some additional tools and techniques to enhance your reels engagement.
Navigating the Instagram Reels Algorithm
Understanding the Instagram Reels algorithm can help you create content that aligns with what the platform promotes, leading to increased visibility and engagement for your brand.
The algorithm favors original, entertaining, engaging, and high-resolution videos. Short videos that are blurry, display watermarks from other apps, have borders, are mostly covered by text, or violate Community Guidelines are less likely to be promoted.
Avoid recycling content from other apps, particularly if it’s of low resolution, unoriginal, horizontal, or watermarked, as the algorithm tends to favor less of this content.
If there’s anything to be learned from social media it’s this: Consistency is KEY.
Brands that share numerous IG reels monthly can see a significant increase in their follower count of up to 50%.
The algorithm is designed to prioritize reach and relevancy, so crafting high-quality, engaging Reels is significant for brand exposure.
Sharing and Promoting Your Reels
After crafting your Reel, the next step is sharing it with the world!
A Reel can be shared in the following ways:
- On the Reels tab of your profile
- Automatically appear on the Explore Page
- Shared directly to your Home feed
- Shared to your story
- Shared through direct messages
For maximum engagement, the best time to post Instagram Reels is typically between 9 AM and 12 PM, from Monday to Thursday. This is when your main audience is most likely to be online.
Cross-posting your Reel on other social media platforms such as TikTok and YouTube Shorts can help you reach a broader audience and tap into different communities by posting reels.
Tailoring Reels to Your Target Audience
For making a significant impact, your Reels content should resonate with your target audience.
Identify the type of Instagram Reel content that captures your audience’s interest, whether it’s educational tutorials, sneak peeks behind the scenes, or immersive day-in-the-life videos.
Ensure you capture your audience’s attention within the first few seconds to convey authenticity and engage your viewers.
Weave storytelling elements or illustrate processes through captions and voiceovers to provide context within the Reel.
Collaborating with influencers who align with your brand’s values and have a significant following can lend credibility and increase the relevance of your Instagram Reels.
Encourage viewer interaction by prompting them to participate in the comments, and remember to engage authentically with your community, especially within the first week of posting.
Additionally, don’t forget to download Instagram Reels after posting to repurpose the content across other marketing channels or keep a record of your creative portfolio.
Measuring Success: Reels Insights and Analytics
To track your Instagram Reel’s performance, simply tap the ‘…’ on the reel, choose ‘View Insights,’ and review key metrics like likes, comments, shares, and watch time to refine your strategy.
Use these insights to understand what your audience likes. This helps you create better Reels that they will enjoy more.
Summary
Learning how to make an Instagram reel has huge potential for driving engagement and building followers.
Remember to always keep your audience in mind, create authentic and engaging content, and make good use of Instagram’s creative tools and features.
With consistent posting and strategic planning, Instagram Reels can significantly enhance your brand’s presence and reach.
Want to develop a social media strategy to enhance your brand’s visibility? Schedule a free consultation with Tabula today.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I start creating an Instagram Reel?
You can start creating an Instagram Reel by tapping the ‘+’ on the bottom of the Instagram home screen and selecting ‘Reel’ from the bottom menu. Give it a try today!
What advanced techniques can I use to elevate my Reel?
You can elevate your Reels by incorporating a countdown timer and using the hands-free feature, which enhances visual storytelling and allows the capture of more complex scenes. Give it a try and see the difference in your content!
How does the Instagram Reels algorithm work?
To get your Instagram Reels noticed by the algorithm, focus on creating original, high-quality, and entertaining videos while avoiding blurry or low-resolution content. The algorithm favors engaging content and is less likely to promote videos that violate Community Guidelines.
How can I promote my Instagram Reels?
To promote your Reel, share them on the Reels tab, Explore Page, Home feed, and your story. Cross-posting on other social media platforms can also help you reach a broader audience. Start boosting your visibility today!
How can I measure the success of my Instagram Reels?
After you learn how to make an Instagram reel, you want to measure the reel’s success. To do this, tap the ‘…’ icon on your reel and select ‘View Insights’ from the reels tab to access a comprehensive range of metrics that can refine your content strategy. Keep track of these insights to optimize your Reels and boost their impact on the reels tab.
Already mastered how to make an Instagram reel? Follow us on Linkedin for more guides to help drive your social media engagement!
