Over the late 2010s and early 2020s, Instagram has increasingly prioritized video content. As a result, many creators have delved into the possibility of using these alongside their still visuals.

Sharing video content on Instagram has multiple benefits. You can grow your audience on the platform, and it also allows you to potentially learn a new skill. However, many users make basic mistakes that hold them back.

If you want to share better videos on Instagram, you’re in the right place. We’ll identify the most common mistakes in this article before showing you how you can fix them.

What Are the Biggest Mistakes When Sharing Videos on Instagram?

Before we talk about the solutions, let’s look at the biggest errors you’re probably making. Below are four things you should consider cutting out of your strategy on the platform.

1. Not Cropping Correctly

Not cropping videos correctly is arguably the most common mistake people make on Instagram. If you’ve captured something from your smartphone and uploaded it straight to the platform, you’re probably okay if it’s a Reel, as the 9:16 format is what you should have chosen. However, things become more complicated when uploading as a regular post.

Knowing how to crop for Instagram is sometimes irritating, but your image quality will suffer if you don’t keep it in mind. And while your friends might not care so much, you will hinder your chances of attracting larger followership in the long run.

2. Posting Only to Go Viral

Despite its many benefits, using social media platforms like Instagram has downsides that you must consider when sharing content. Many people fall into the trap of comparing themselves to others and using the tool solely for validation, and one of the most common ways to attract attention is by trying to go viral.

If it happens organically, going viral on Instagram has several advantages. Perhaps the clearest one is that your content is pushed in front of more people, meaning that you can potentially increase your followership.

The key word there, however, is “organically”. You cannot force going viral, and others will see right through you if you do. Even if you manage to increase your likes, doing so without being authentic is an unsustainable long-term strategy.

3. Posting Content That Is Irrelevant to Your Audience

If you consume a lot of Instagram advice online, you’ll notice that many blog posts and YouTube videos tell you to publish consistently. And in their defense, they’re not entirely wrong. Sharing regularly can help bring more value to your audience, but only if it’s relevant to them.

Many Instagram users fall into the trap of posting stuff that is largely irrelevant to their followers, and you can see this especially with Reels. It might seem like videos are a quick hack to remain relevant, but you’ll do more harm than good if you post just for the sake of posting.

4. Posting Blurry and Out-of-Focus Videos

Ever since Instagram first burst onto the scene, people have published content that is either blurry, out-of-focus, or both. Your visuals may appear blurry for several reasons, and not cropping correctly is one contributor. And, of course, something might have gone wrong while you were shooting the footage—such as not keeping your camera stable.

Posting blurry and out-of-focus videos on Instagram can harm your brand. Your content will look rushed to your followers, making them less likely to engage with you. On top of that, let’s face it—blurry videos simply aren’t nice to look at.

Solutions to the Most Common Mistakes When Sharing Videos on Instagram

If you’re guilty of any of the mistakes listed above, don’t worry—we’re here to help you eliminate them. Below, you’ll find four easy ways to avoid posting off-brand content or lower-quality content than what you could produce.

1. Always Crop Beforehand

The easiest way to avoid problems with cropping on Instagram is to always make sure your videos are optimized beforehand. If you’re publishing Instagram Stories or Reels, you should ensure that you’ve cropped your visuals to 9:16.

For a regular Instagram post, you’ve got a little more flexibility. For vertical posts, use 4:5; square content is 1:1, and horizontal content is 16:9.

You can crop your videos in multiple ways. If you use video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro, you can tweak everything before exporting. While your smartphone camera roll provides extra options, we recommend using the former.

2. Improve Your Image Quality

You can improve your Instagram video quality in several ways. Your content is blurry because your smartphone camera is outdated; in that case, it might be time to upgrade your device. Alternatively, you can purchase a video camera, which—while expensive—offers a worthy return on investment if you plan to shoot video content in the long run.

However, you don’t need to purchase new equipment to improve your video quality. If shakiness is an issue, consider using a tripod and adjust your focus settings when you shoot.

3. Ask Yourself if the Video Content Is Relevant

Opening Instagram is impulsive for many people, and it’s understandable if you feel pressure to post—even if what you share is irrelevant. The best way to save yourself a significant amount of trouble is to stop and think before sharing your video.

Ask why you want to share the video, and question whether what you’re about to post is relevant to your audience. If you feel like you’re forcing things, you better close the app and save it to your drafts instead.

4. Tell a Story in Your Videos

If you look at any successful filmmaker and most online content creators, you’ll notice that they’re excellent storytellers. In your videos, you must tell a story worth watching on Instagram.

Telling a story requires advance planning, and we recommend sitting down with some paper to brainstorm what you want to say or show. You can also use several online note-taking apps; regardless of your choice, you’ll do a much better job if you outline before posting.

Sharing Videos on Instagram Will Only Benefit Your Brand if You’re Strategic

Videos will probably become even more prominent on Instagram for the foreseeable future, and we recommend that you begin teaching yourself how to capture and edit engaging content. Taking a couple of courses in social media marketing is also a good idea for understanding how people interact with your content.

Ultimately, the best Instagram videos are organic and authentic. Let the inspiration hit you, and you’ll engage more of the right people than if you aimlessly publish regularly.