Instagram reels have become Instagram’s fastest growing feature in recent times. These short, entertaining 90 second videos have truly captured the audience's attention and have led to a boost in the engagement for brands. Reels are truly a revolutionary phenomena and have acquired a vast creator and viewer base. Today, reels can include video clips, captions, stickers, filters and interactive backgrounds. 

The Instagram algorithm now pushes reel to the forefront by giving you high engagement rates, increased number of followers and more traffic to your page but the trick is to be consistent with the reels you are posting as an individual or brand.

This article is your ultimate Instagram reel guide to get a lay down of how reels work and how to get the best traction from your reel and get an increased footfall for your Instagram handle.

What are instagram Reels?

Instagram reels are short form, vertical videos that can be upto 90 seconds long. This popular feature of Instagram is available in more than 50 countries. This feature comes with extensive editing tools and a music library, this helps the user to add visual aids in their videos. Social marketers are using reels to their full advantage and trying to strategize their brands in such a way that Instagram algorithms favour their reels and content. You can discover reels in the reel dedicated section on Instagram at the bottom of the homepage.

How to make a Reel on Instagram?

Here’s a simple step by step guide to make your perfect Instagram reel:

Step 1: Tap plus icon and select Reel 

Click on the plus sign on the top right corner of your Instagram page and select reel, reels can also be accessed directly through the Instagram camera.

Step 2: Shoot your Reel

Either you can shoot your footage by holding the camera button or you can simply upload video footage from your camera roll. You can shoot your reel by setting a timer and using hands free to record your footage. Instagram also gives you an option to align your clips, this tool comes in handy when you are trying to shoot seamless transitions. You can access, edit clips to then trim or delete the previously shot clip. 

Step 3: Edit your Reel

The built in editing tools for Instagram reels can help you edit from one interface. To access effects, you can tap the three star icons above the record button. You can choose the speed of your video and adjust the layout by adding more than one recording to the frame.

After aligning your clip you can tap the music icon and add trending songs and audios to your reel. 

Step 4: Preview your Reel 

Once you are content with your reel then you can tap the preview option, you can add a plethora of stickers, AR effects created by creators around the world. You can also add captions and draw or write texts, enable or disable automatically generated captions, add a location and tag people. 

Step 5: Share your Reel

After adjusting the settings, Tap ‘next’ and choose a cover photo or caption that captures the spirit of your creation. You can decide whether you want to share your reel to the Instagram feed, and then crop the cover image that will then be highlighted on your profile grid. Tap the ‘share’ button and voila your first ever reel is posted!

Few tips to make the best Reels

• Best way to make Reel is in the aspect ratio of 9:16 and with a size of 1080 pixels x 1920 pixels. The bottom of the reel is where the audio caption is displayed so it's best to avoid putting any visual elements at the bottom.

• Always use trending music or audios for better reach. You can use Instagram's music library or use your specific audios. When you are scrolling through reels, always watch out for the arrow sign next to the audios.These arrows indicate the popularity and the current trending graph so make sure to utilize those audios for your reels. 

• If you want Instagram to push your content and reels in its algorithm then you must be consistent with posting your Reels. Instagram prioritizes new trendy videos, so be fresh, creative and consistent! 

Brands have now started using reels in their marketing strategy, and are hiring influencers who can churn good quality content for them. The potential of reels is vast and they have been successfully able to hook users. After tracking current trends, topics and news that drive the most engagement and traffic you can make a trending reel with a maximum reach.

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