Discover Instagram Reels and learn how to integrate them into your marketing strategy: benefits, ideas, tips and tricks.
According to our Instagram benchmarks study, brands have started to prioritize Instagram Reels over single images. And why not? According to Meta, Reels account for over half of the time people spend on Instagram.
The reasons are many. Reels are attention-grabbing, fun, and powerful.
But how to take advantage of this social media content? How do you create a social media strategy where Reels drive conversions, not just engagement?
We will answer all of these questions and more in this Instagram Reels guide.
Whether you’re looking for best practices or an effective Reels strategy for Instagram marketing, we have got you covered.
Reels represent an Instagram feature where you can record, upload, edit, or combine pictures and videos and create short-form clips. These videos are generally 15, 30, 60, or a maximum of 90 seconds long. With Instagram Reels, you can even add voiceovers, effects, and trending music.
These Reels can be created using native Instagram video editing tools or third-party tools and apps.
They get a special place in your profile, and they are easily accessible to users through a separate tab on the home feed navigation bar.
The best part? Reels have a multi-purpose use. You can create funny Reels to engage your audience as well as educational Reels to get them to check out your product.
As per Adam Mosseri, Instagram's head, “Instagram doesn’t have a singular algorithm that oversees what people do and don’t see on the app. We use a variety of algorithms, classifiers, and processes, each with its own purpose.”
And so there’s a separate algorithm that governs why some Reels reach millions while others not so much. While we don’t claim to know it all, here are some findings from our research and Meta itself.
Instagram is one of the fastest-growing social platforms. Strategically created Reels can help you target the right people and draw people to your profile and website. Here are five benefits of Instagram Reels.
B2B audiences are generally busy and short on time. Reels allow you to deliver short, visually compelling content that’s perfect for this audience. You can simplify complex ideas, present information in a unique way, and demonstrate thought leadership.
For example, a B2B cybersecurity company could create an Instagram Reel post titled “How secure is your password?” followed by a checklist. You can prompt viewers to comment their password strength score or tag their team. This invites immediate engagement and amplifies audience interaction.
No wonder then that this format gets the highest number of comments, as per our latest Instagram benchmarks study.
As a B2B brand, your only goal is not just to get likes and comments. You want people to know more about your product, realize its benefits, and become loyal customers. With Instagram favoring Reels, your content can reach a broader audience organically.
You can use Reels to share quick industry tips, success stories, or behind-the-scenes clips—content that resonates and positions your brand as a thought leader.
B2B buyers are often looking for industry experts and thought leaders. Reels allow you to share quick, digestible insights, tips, or "how-to" videos demonstrating your authority. You can even feature influencers in your industry on your Reels. For example, invite them to talk about a current trend or how they use your product.
This builds trust, and your audience will start seeing you as a leader in your industry.
Creating Reels helps humanize your B2B brand by showcasing the people, culture, and stories behind your business in a relatable way. Instead of polished corporate content, Reels allow you to share authentic moments like team highlights, “day-in-the-life” clips, or problem-solving processes.
For example, a sustainable manufacturing company can make a Reel on Instagram featuring its operations and the sustainable processes they follow.
Reels are a great tool to promote B2B events and webinars by delivering short, engaging teasers that build excitement and drive registrations. You can share quick highlights: key speakers, event benefits, or sneak peeks of exclusive content. Add clear calls-to-action, like “Register now—link in bio!” or “Drop a comment to save your spot.”
You can even run an Instagram ad campaign featuring Reels that pique your audience's curiosity and encourage more registrations for the event.
You don’t want to shoot arrows in the dark when creating Reels on Instagram. Instead, you need an Instagram Reels strategy that ensures each Reel serves a higher purpose and gets you results.
Here’s how we build our Reels strategy at Socialinsider.
Most B2B businesses make the mistake of following the trend when it comes to posting Reels on Instagram. You don’t want to waste your audience’s time creating content on trending topics that serve them no value.
That’s why we recommend setting clear goals for your Reels strategy. Ask yourself, “What are we trying to achieve by creating and sharing Reels?” It could be an increase in brand awareness, boosting engagement, or getting more people to try your product.
For example, our research shows that Reels are great for awareness purposes. But carousels win the show when it comes to getting more engagement.
Once your goals are set, pick themes or content pillars you would want to target with Reels. For example, if you’re a design brand, a few content themes you could pick are designing tips, design predictions, industry news and trends, product tips and tutorials, etc.
Ensure these content themes align with your goals. For example, if your goal is to increase product awareness, you would want to target more product-specific themes while creating Instagram Reels.
You can even track how these content pillars are performing with Socialinsider. Based on the engagement rate, you can priortize content themes.
You don’t want to bombard your audience with a lot of Reels. At the same time, you can’t expect to publish one reel a month and expect your content to go viral. The key is to find a balance.
Our study shows accounts with less than 100K followers publish one Reel a week. As creating a quality reel takes time, this number is optimal for smaller teams.
Whatever posting frequency you decide on, stick to it. You can even create a bank of content ideas so you always have Reel ideas to work on.
Not all your Reels will perform great. But you can get an idea of the kind of Reels that your audience loves by viewing your analytics. You can use in-built Instagram analytics to see your top-performing content.
This will give you a preliminary idea. If you want to dig deeper, use Socialinsider to understand the patterns behind your top-performing content. We offer separate insights for Reels where you can view metrics like engagement, reach, impressions, and interactions.
For example, when looking at their engagement graph for Reels, SmartSweets can discover what type of Reels generate above-the-average engagement and replicate the recipe for future content.
Are you wondering why your Reels aren’t performing that well? Or have you run out of content ideas? Many similar problems can be solved by just running an audit of your competitor’s Reels.
This audit can answer questions like:
These insights can help guide and improvise your Instagram Reel strategy.
You need to know how to make Reels on Instagram that grow your social media and business. This could mean driving visitors to your website or making them click on shoppable links. Here are ten strategies that actually work.
Want to know how to make good Reels for Instagram that don’t bore your audience? Here are some inspiring Reel ideas that you can try:
When you are done trying out all these kinds of content types, find which ones resonate the most with your audience - for that you can try using tools like Socialinsider.
Whether you’re creating educational Reels, entertaining content, or inspirational stories, you need to ensure the end result adds value to the audience.
Here are four tips to follow while making an Instagram Reel.
Every business wants its Reel to be featured in the Explore feed. But it’s not as simple as creating a stellar video and calling it a day. You need to boost it using different strategies. One simple way is to ride on the back of trending audio and hashtags.
But how do you find trending music?
There are three ways we find them for our Reels:
Want some more ideas? Check out our Instagram trending audio guide.
When it comes to hashtags, we recommend using 3-5 hashtags to help the algorithm understand your content.
Wondering how to make great Instagram reels? Use stories.
Stories are 22 times more memorable than facts. Think about it. Which brand would you love to be associated with? One that only shares tutorials and tips. Or a brand that shows real stories about their journey and their customers’ journey? The latter one, right?
Effective storytelling can boost your Reel and increase the reach and visibility of your brand.
One great storytelling Reel idea is sharing some behind-the-scenes content, such as a story about why you are launching a new feature or adding a new section to the product.
You can even share customer or employee stories that hook the audience while creating a Reel on Instagram.
For example, Monday.com posts a Reel on Instagram featuring Ellie, who talks about managing work as a neurodivergent person. The story is emotional, relatable, and personal.
You don’t have to maintain a serious face just because you work for a B2B brand. The same goes for your social profile. Showcase the lighter side of your brand personality and improve engagement by mixing your professional Reels with funny content.
One brand that I love for its comedy content is ClickUp. And guess what? They even have a separate account, @clickupcomedy, where they share corporate comedy videos.
One reason ClickUp’s Reels work well? They base their humor on common industry pain points or everyday workplace struggles their audience can identify with. They also showcase real team members, making the content feel more authentic.
While incorporating humour, ensure you’re not hurting anyone’s sentiments.
💡Pro-tip: Add CTAs like “Tag a colleague who gets it!” or “Share if this has happened to you!” to encourage interaction while amplifying your reach.
You want to grab attention and keep viewers engaged when making Reels on Instagram. Here’s how to do that with dynamism.
You can even use professional video editing tools like InShot and CapCut with readymade templates and dynamic features to make Reels for Instagram.
As much as 69% of video is watched without sound. This clearly indicates that you need to use subtitles and on-screen text for your videos. This is especially true for videos where there’s no music, just a person discussing a topic.
Using subtitles also makes your content accessible to people with hearing difficulties.
To add video subtitles, here are the steps you can follow:
I don’t watch every Reel that comes up on my feed or Explore. And I am guessing neither do you. We make our decision in the first few seconds of watching the Reel.
That’s why Instagram’s algorithm places a lot of emphasis on the first three seconds of the Reel. If people are glued in this timeframe, your Reel will get better reach and visibility.
That’s why we recommend starting with a strong hook when creating an Instagram Reel. One Reddit user with over 22M views on their Reel says, “During the experimenting phase, I realized that the first 4 seconds of the Reel are crucial. If you want 70-90% audience retention on your Reels, you must add a hook or a context builder.”
The user also suggests building curiosity in the first few seconds– “Give them a reward for watching till the end. Adding a supertext like "Wait for the end" or something related to the ending at the beginning of the Reel also helps a lot. This makes the audience hooked to your video.”
Do you want your audience to like or comment on the Reel? Or do you want them to head over to the link in the bio? Whichever option you choose, adding a CTA is what makes it possible.
A call-to-action directs users to take a specific action. For example, you can add a text overlay at the end asking them to “Register for the event by leaving a comment.”
Here are some social media best practices while adding these CTAs:
Partnering with celebrities or influencers in your niche—industry experts, professionals, or speakers—can help your Reels reach a wider audience. And the best part? It does not have to be a costly affair.
According to HubSpot 2024 Social Media Marketing Report, 64% of marketers worked with micro-influencers (10K-100K followers), and 44% experienced the most success with them.
You can leverage Instagram’s search feature to find micro-influencers in your niche. For example, search for a niche-specific hashtag. This will help you find popular content and subsequent influencers.
An easier way is to use influencer discovery platforms like influencers.club or Modash.
Once you have a list of influencers, create a scope of work document outlining the number of Reels, content guidelines, campaign timeline, and KPIs.
Making a Reel on Instagram is possible in two ways: record and edit it using the native Instagram app or upload a ready-made one you created in another video editor.
Here’s how to post a Reel on Instagram:
The best ratio for creating a Reel on Instagram is vertical 9:16, with the ideal dimensions of 1080 pixels wide by 1920 pixels tall.
You can also use anything between 1.91:1 and 9:16, but that would cause empty canvas space around your video. I’d recommend aiming at 9:16 when possible.
As for the Instagram Reels cover, Instagram recommends the Reels photo size 420px by 654px (or 1:1.55 ratio). However, I usually use the same 9:16 (1080 x 1920) picture to ensure it looks good in the feed and the Reels tab.
The maximum length for IG reels is 90 seconds. However, there’s no universal ideal length of Instagram Reels recommended for brands and creators. Some stay on the short video side, and some try to leverage longer pieces of content.
Experiment with different lengths and watch your performance metrics, such as average watch time. If your audience retention drops at 7-10 seconds, this might be your ideal length.
Pro-tip: No matter how long your video is, ensure you have a powerful hook in the first 3 seconds of your Instagram Reel post.
Ever wonder how some brands create Instagram Reels that always reach the masses? No, it’s not just because they have a big following or a large social media team. They follow certain best practices that give their Reels a required boost. Here are seven of them.
Combine your content pillars with current trends to make the most of the Instagram Reels feature. Virality is not always the answer — but it certainly can help you get your content in front of the right people.
So, where do you find Instagram Reels trends for 2024?
Socialinsider keeps a close eye on what’s trending on Instagram.
Add the Instagram Reels article to your bookmarks and check it out whenever you need a new idea — it’s updated monthly.
Instagram's Explore page and the dedicated Reels tab are curated to showcase trending content and viral videos. Regularly checking these sections can give insights into what's currently popular.
Influencers and popular content creators often set trends. Keep a close eye on your industry-related trend-setters and generally popular creators — sometimes, you can reuse trends even if they come from different industries.
If you have a Business or Creator account, Instagram Insights can show you which of your Reels are performing well, offering clues about what types of content resonate with audiences.
PS: If you're seeking a more in-depth analysis of your Instagram Reels performance, consider using Socialinsider's Instagram analytics tool. The platform offers comprehensive insights beyond what Instagram's native analytics provide, making it especially handy for marketing agencies or social media managers conducting extensive content audits.
Organic reach is great. But sometimes, you may want a Reel or two to reach the audience of your dreams. Here are three ways to achieve that while sticking to your budget.
Instagram allows you to boost your Reels to a specific audience and get engagement. Here’s how you can transform your Reel into an Instagram ad.
The Reel will be submitted for review, and once it’s approved, you’ll receive a notification in your Activity feed, and your ad will start running.
To cross-promote Instagram Reels effectively, start by downloading your Reel (ensure music is copyright-free if reposting elsewhere).
Adapt your messaging for each platform to ensure relevance and maximize engagement.
This is perfect for educational/informational reels. These educational reels can bring life to static blogs by showcasing tutorials, product demos, or quick tips visually, which keeps readers engaged longer.
For example, if your blog covers “Top Marketing Trends,” embedding a Reel with insights adds credibility and saves readers time. Many people also end up visiting your Instagram profile and following you.
Additionally, video content improves your blog’s SEO by increasing dwell time—Google loves when users stay on your page longer.
Tracking your Instagram Reels performance metrics is crucial for your social media strategy. Keeping a close eye on your numbers through social media analytics is the most straightforward way to ensure you’re heading in the right direction.
The insights you get from the analytics help you stay on track and tweak your content if something’s falling behind.
Here’s how you can access that valuable data:
The first look at your Instagram Reels analytics is below the Reel. Navigate to the Reel you’d like to analyze and press “View Insights” to see how it performs.
This layer of analytics provides data such as:
One of the most valuable stats here is the average watch time. This metric shows how long your followers are watching your video. Use this data to adjust the length of the Reels you post and recompose your content within the video.
Another way to access Instagram Reels analytics is the general social media Insights tab within Instagram. Go to your account, press the hamburger menu on the top right corner, and choose “Insights.”
Here, you can find the performance metrics for all your content across the account for a period of up to 90 days.
Navigate to the “Content You Shared” part and choose “Reels.” You’ll get the list of all the Reels you’ve shared in the designated period. From there, you can filter your Instagram Reels by reach and engagement and access performance data for each Reel separately.
Socialinsider now offers a dedicated tab specifically for Reels insights, making it easier to analyze your Reels’ performance.
Here are the key Reels metrics you can access through Socialinsider:
As a competitor analysis tool, Socialinsider offers performance data on similar accounts within your industry.
If you're looking for Instagram benchmarks to gauge your performance, these customized metrics provide deeper insights than generic numbers available within the native app.
Instagram Reels have become popular among creators and B2C businesses. Even the big shots of the B2B world are putting a fun spin on Reels and garnering more eyes on their products.
While creating top-notch Reels may take time and effort, the result is well worth it.
But that’s not all. You also need to track your Reels and see how they are performing with your audience. To get a detailed analysis of your Reels strategy, activate your free trial of Socialinsider.
No, Instagram does not allow you to see exactly who has viewed your Reels. While you can see the total number of views and who has liked or commented on your Reel, individual viewers remain anonymous. However, if someone interacts with your Reel (e.g., likes, shares, or comments), you can identify them.
To create a Reel on Instagram with photos, start by opening the app and tapping the "+" icon, then select Reel. Tap the gallery icon in the bottom-left corner to access your photos. Select multiple images by tapping on each one, then arrange them in your preferred order and set the duration for each photo. Once you’re satisfied, preview the Reel to ensure everything flows smoothly, then post it or save it as a draft for later.
Reels can be displayed in multiple areas to maximize visibility and engagement. They can be featured prominently on the Reels tab of your profile, giving followers a dedicated space to explore your short videos. Also, they can appear on the main feed, allowing them to reach your existing audience while also being discoverable through hashtags and Instagram's Explore section.
To make your Reels more discoverable, use relevant hashtags, choose trending audio, add captions, and ensure your content aligns with your audience's interests.
While you can’t edit a published Reel, you can delete it and re-upload a new version if changes are needed.
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