Instagram Reels: The Definitive How-To

Could Instagram’s Reels replace TikTok? Certainly it appears to be so! For a long time, people complained about the material individuals upload to TikTok, the security issues, and the way the company used users’ data. As a result, some large nations, notably India and the United States, have banned TikTok, and others are considering doing the same. When Instagram saw this, they couldn’t pass up the chance to create their own short video feature, so they introduced Reels right within the app. Instagram users suddenly started flooding the platform with 15-second clips.

Instagram reels: what are they?

With the introduction of Instagram Reels, users can now easily compile many Instagram Stories into one longer movie. Now, this Instagram function is available in over 50 countries. Users may now browse all available content by clicking the Reels tab instead of the explore page button.

Anybody with an Instagram account may shoot and edit short videos of up to 30 seconds in length to post in their Stories, Feed, or the recently added Reels section of their profile. Only videos posted by individuals you’re following will show up in your news feed. But, on the explore tab, you may access videos from Instagram’s most popular profiles.

When comparing TikTok videos to Instagram stories, you’ll notice a lot of parallels. We don’t know the exact method for reels just yet, but it seems to be inspired by TikTok. You will be served material depending on your location, your interests, and the people you already know. Similar to TikTok, you’re free to utilise any music you find in any video you make. Choose sounds from your computer or a large library.

There are a wide variety of editing features to experiment with in addition to the music library. Time your videos, change their speeds, and add special effects from a plethora of options.

You may use Instagram’s built-in camera or select an existing video from your library to include in a highlight reel. Clips and audio may be edited before you add text, drawings, and stickers, exactly like Instagram stories.

Instagram Reel Creator Guide

To help you make the most of your Instagram highlights, here’s a quick guide:

You can make a reel on Instagram right from the Stories tab. It may be found on the bottom menu next to “Story” or between Normal and Creates modes.

Tap the Instagram story camera, then select the Reels tab to begin using the feature.
Create a new video or pick one from your saved media. Holding down the record button allows for repeated starts and stops while you shoot your movie.
To add music or sound effects to your demo reel, pick the “Audio” icon.
The play button’s “Speed” option allows you to control the video’s playback speed.
By selecting the “Timer” option (represented by a timer), you may choose the duration of your videos. There is a countdown before the recording begins when you set a timer.
The ‘Effects’ menu is where you’ll go to modify your video with special effects. Choose from the filters and augmented reality effects you’ve stored in the past, or swipe all the way down to the bottom and hit “Explore Effects.”
Next, with these tools at your disposal, you may refine your Instagram clips as you see fit. Create a one-of-a-kind video with the help of the sketch and text tools. Instagram Stories stickers are also available for usage on the app itself.
Once you’re done editing, pick a still image or a scene from the video to use as the cover. Just like when you’re posting to your feed, add a caption and relevant hashtags.
Let’s see your demo reel right now! The Reel may be published to your Instagram Stories, Explore Feed, or the brand-new Reels page on your profile.

Guidelines for Instagram reels video posting

Explore on Instagram is a great place to show off your reel to your followers and the rest of the Instagram community. Depending on whether you have a public or private account, different individuals will be able to view your reels. To further save time, you may use an Instagram post scheduler to share your reels.

If you have a public Instagram account, your highlight reel will get its own section on Explore, giving it greater exposure and the possibility of being discovered by Instagram users. You may also publish the reel to your feed and share it with your followers that way. Sharing a reel with a certain song, hashtag, or effect will have your reel display on the dedicated sites whenever someone clicks on that music, hashtag, or effect.
The perks of having a personal profile are: Reels respect your Instagram account’s privacy settings. If you want your followers to see the reels, you’ll need to post them to Instagram. Original audio from your reels cannot be used by anybody or shared with those who do not follow you.
When you’ve finished editing your reel, you can share it with the world by clicking the “Share” button. Here you may choose a cover image, write a caption, add hashtags, and tag people. You will be able to hide the reels from your main profile grid, but if you publish them there they will display there by default.

It doesn’t matter if your Instagram account is public or private; you can still send reels to your followers via direct messages, Instagram stories, or friend requests. When you do this, the narrative behaves like any other, disappearing after 24 hours and without appearing on the reels tab.