Are you new to Reels? The good news is almost everyone is. Creating viral Reels starts with creating bingeworthy content, but doesn't end there. Instagram Reels are a hot trend now. Chances are you've witnessed them in your newsfeed at some point or another. They're basically a quick, interesting clip made up of one or multiple photos and videos.
The best part? Anybody can create them, regardless of their editing experience. Here are 10 tips to help you ace Instagram Reels.
1. Remove Watermarks
To give your videos the best chances of performing well, we advise you to remove watermarks from the videos you want to upload. This could be watermarks of editing apps you're using or other platforms where you're making the videos.
Many Instagram users make the mistake of uploading videos with TikTok watermarks. Instagram's algorithm can detect TikTok's watermarks in videos. To increase the likelihood of your videos appearing in Instagram's Explore section, remove any watermarks.
2. Use Trending Music
When you're creating an Instagram Reel, look for songs that are popular and trending. If you know of a song that is trending and is likely to go viral online, use that song. If you can’t find a song like that, simply choose one that fits your theme.
Adding music to your Reels lets you keep up with trends, while making you more discoverable on the platform. You can also be a part of fun challenges that Instagram releases from time to time.
3. Ensure Your Video Is High-Quality
The most successful Instagram Reels tend to be the ones that are professionally edited. That's not always the case, but the most important difference between viral and non-viral Instagram Reels is the quality of the video.
A good quality video has two things: good lighting and high resolution. If you're using your phone, make sure you have sufficient light. If you're filming in an indoor setting, consider buying a ring light, which softens the shadows and makes for a better image.
Likewise, if you're shooting outdoors, try to film during times of the day when there is less sunlight, or at least avoid filming directly in the sun.
4. Don't Violate Community Guidelines
This one is a no-brainer. If you don't violate community guidelines through your posts, Reels, and stories, you have a better shot at going viral. Or else, you might face a temporary or permanent ban. Why risk getting into trouble?
Respect intellectual property rights, don't post anything related to nudity unless it's for medical purposes, and steer clear of terrorism, bigotry, organized crime, hate groups, or fake news. As a creator on Instagram, you should always be up-to-date with the Community Guidelines.
5. Include Closed Captions
Keep in mind that many Instagram users watch videos without sound, so providing captions or text will help them understand the content if there is no audio. This will also allow people who are hard of hearing to understand the video.
Influencers on Instagram can find it difficult to create captions that reflect the mood of the video or add necessary information; they may even omit captions altogether. However, when they make the extra effort, they make their Reels more discoverable while increasing engagement.
With video captions, users can search for keywords that appear in the captions, rather than being restricted to searching for hashtags or picture captions. This searchability helps make Reels go viral.
6. Optimize On-Screen Text Placement
While closed captions are great for helping viewers decipher what you're saying in an Instagram Reel, adding text to your videos can add another dimension. If you're sharing tips on photography, for example, you may want to put your tips into a text format so that you can use trending music instead of your voice for the sound.
However, you must be mindful of its on-screen placement. By this, we mean that you'll want to make sure your video fits within the 9:16 viewing aspect ratio, while also ensuring that any text you're adding to your Reels will fit within the 4:5 viewing aspect ratio. That way, when viewers are scrolling and come across your Reels, they'll be able to see any text you've added.
Because videos can be viewed from both the Reels tab and the In-Feed view, it's important to place your text in the middle of your video. By putting the text in this "safe zone", you can ensure that it won't get cut off.
7. Shoot Vertically and Add Your Own Reel Cover
Video files can be uploaded either in a vertical or horizontal format, but it's ideal to shoot and upload videos vertically since they will then take up the entire screen of the mobile device.
Creating a custom Reel cover image can also help your video stand out and pull users in to watch it. In addition to giving your Reels a distinct identity, custom covers can make your video more eye-catching when it is viewed as a thumbnail. Remember to create your cover in the same format that you're shooting the video in.
8. Do Fun Transitions
If you want to stand out on Instagram and make your Reels look more professional, learn how to master transitions. You can use a variety of transitions to spice up your video, including the snap and cut/jump ones. To create these, you need to master two simple tools: the timer and the align tool.
To make a jump cut, you must first record or select several video clips. Then, you need to piece together the segments and align the frames.
9. Target Peak Viewing Times
If you've been creating Instagram video Reels, then at some point, you've experienced the frustration of wanting to reach more people. It's crucial to track your audience's activity in order to discover the best times of day when you should upload new Instagram content.
If you upload Reels when your audience is most active on Instagram, there's a considerable chance that they'll go viral, provided your content is original, interactive, and fun.
10. Feature User-Generated Content
By drawing inspiration from other artists, you can mix it with your own objectives and come up with fresh ideas. If you've scrolled through Instagram Reels recently, you might have noticed a few songs that are getting a lot of plays. Using trends to your advantage is great, but taking risks can prove even more fruitful.
You can also do remixes of the Reels done by other Instagram users and influencers. That'll help you strike the right tune with the influencer community as well as your followers.
Making Viral Instagram Reels Isn't That Difficult
It's important to note that there is no magic formula for creating an Instagram Reel worth millions of views. Many things will collectively contribute to the reach a video gets.
The question remains—how do you actually go about making viral Instagram Reels? An elaborate caption to make people laugh, a unique angle to entice people's attentiveness, or even a trending topic to make people want to share; all these elements come together to create a video that's viral and original.