Creating Instagram Reels for your brand or business can be one of the best ways to get more followers and engagement on Instagram — in fact, they’re a real growth hack right now!
From useful tips to our top editing tricks, we’re sharing our favourite Instagram Reels hacks that are guaranteed to make your videos stand out from the crowd.
Instagram Reels Hack #1: Create Creative Original Content
If you want to show up on the Instagram Reels tab, creating original content is key.
With thousands — maybe millions — of creators sharing to Instagram Reels daily, thinking of original ideas is one tall order.
Fortunately, you don’t have to totally reinvent the wheel when it comes to planning your Instagram Reels. The main thing is to create content that is educational or entertaining — with your own unique twist. By adding your own little spin or perspective, you can take an existing idea and create something fresh and engaging.
Instagram has confirmed it prioritizes videos that aren’t visibly recycled from third-party apps, so creating original content in the Reels editor could also help boost your visibility.
Creating original content may take a bit of time and effort, but it’s one of the best ways to hack the algorithm and set yourself apart in your niche.
Instagram Reels Hack #2: Include Closed Captions
There’s no secret that creating video content, whether for Instagram Stories or Instagram Reels, is one of the best ways to make your content more accessible.
We know 85% of video on Facebook is watched without sound, so adding subtitles to your videos is a no-brainer when it comes to reaching more users. Plus, not only are subtitles great for people who watch without sound, but they’re invaluable for those with hearing difficulties.
Instagram Reels Hack #3: Remove the TikTok Watermark
Instagram recently announced that they’re deprioritizing Reels that are visibly recycled from other apps — meaning they’re less likely to appear in the Instagram Explore Page and the Reels tab. So, if you’re looking to repurpose your TikTok videos for Instagram Reels, it’s a good idea to remove the TikTok watermark first.
How to remove a TikTok watermark:
Before uploading your final video to TikTok, screen record it. Then crop the screen recording in your photo album to remove the TikTok watermark.
Use a watermark removal tool like Snaptik App, MusicallyDown, or Apowersoft’s Online Watermark Removal.
Instagram Reels Hack #4: Hop on Trends Fast
Similar to TikTok, trends on Reels come and go quite quickly. To hop on a trend before it becomes old news, take a few minutes each morning to scroll through the Instagram Reels tab and other creators’ profiles to see what they’re sharing.
Is there anything that seems to consistently pop up — a particular song? An audio clip? A dance trend? If so, click on the music to see how many other creators have used the audio. Scroll through the videos to get an idea of what the trend is. For example, the “Watcha Say” trend was a big hit on Instagram Reels recently.
Instagram Reels Hack #5: Share Your Reels to Your Feed
In case you didn’t know, sharing Reels to your Instagram feed is one of the best ways to boost their views and increase their chances of going viral.
So with this in mind, make sure you opt to share your Reels directly to your Instagram feed. Otherwise, there’s a chance your Reel will go unseen by your community. If you’re worried about ruining your Instagram aesthetic, you can upload an Instagram Reel cover image so it fits in nicely with the rest of your content.
Instagram Reels Hack #6: Optimize On-screen Text Placement
Whether you’re adding closed captions or additional text, where you put the on-screen text is extremely important.
If your audience can’t easily see the text, they’re likely to scroll right past your video — which can be a major engagement blocker. When adding text, make sure it’s within 4:5 dimensions, especially if you’re sharing it to your feed. This way, when a user clicks on your Reel in-feed, the text will be visible.
While this doesn’t sound like a big deal, carefully curating your text placement makes it a much more enjoyable experience for your audience.
Creating Instagram Reels is one of the best tactics to grow your following right now.
With these top 6 tips, you’ll set yourself apart from the competition, build a niche, and reach new audiences.
Grab our FREE Reels Ideas Guide here: www.sociallysquared.com.au
Hi! It would be cool to see how you create and edit your video content. I would be interested to see how you do it, and in general, if you include educational content to your posts, it can attract more people to your profile. You can take a look here if you are editing videos on your computer for your social networks.