Instagram Reels: Complete Guide to Create & Grow Your Reach

Instagram Reels emerged as TikTok faced criticism for content issues, security breaches, and data privacy concerns. Following TikTok bans in countries like India and the US, Instagram launched ‘Reels’ as its own short video feature. Instagram users quickly adopted the format, uploading 15-second videos on their profiles.

So, in this article, we will explain the Instagram reels feature and how it can be used to maximize your social media presence.

What are Instagram Reels?

Instagram Reels allows users to create fun and interactive short video content. Instagram released this feature in more than 50 countries, replacing the explore page icon with the Reels section where users discover content. Alongside Reels, Instagram also offers analytics for Instagram Stories, giving creators insights into how their audience is engaging with their content in real-time.

Instagram users can record and edit 15 and 30 second video clips to share on stories, feed, and the reels tab on their profile. News feeds display reels only from accounts users follow, while the discover section shows popular reels from trending Instagram accounts.

There are so many similarities that you’ll see between TikTok and Instagram reels. While the algorithm for reels has not been decided yet, it kind of feels similar to that of TikTok. You’ll be shown content based on people you already know, the kind of content that you like, and your location. Again, like TikTok, if you see an audio clip that you like, you can use that audio in your content. You can also select music from a huge library or use your own audio.

Apart from the music selection options, many editing tools are available to explore. There is a video countdown timer, the option to adjust your video’s speed, and a library of video effects to choose from.

To create reels, you can shoot the video on the spot from the Instagram camera or choose a video from your storage device. Once you set the clip and audio, you can use the text and drawing tools, or add stickers to your reels, just like Instagram stories.

How to make reels on Instagram? – Instagram reels tutorial

Here’s a little step-by-step Instagram reels tutorial:

1. Instagram reels can be created straight from the Instagram stories menu. It is positioned either between the default Normal mode and Creates mode or on the bottom menu next to “Story”.
2. To use it, simply tap on the Instagram stories camera and click on the Reels option.
3. Record the video or select one from your camera roll. While recording the video, you can start and stop the recording multiple times by pressing and holding the record button.
4. Tap on the ‘Audio’ option – music icon to select the audio that you want to use in your reel.
5. You can adjust the speed of your video by clicking on the ‘Speed’ option – play icon.
6. You can choose how long your clips will be by tapping the ‘Timer’ option – the stopwatch icon. When you set a timer, there’s a countdown before the recording starts.
7. Select the ‘Effects’ option to add filters to your video clip. You can choose any previously saved filters and AR effects or you can scroll to the end and tap “Browse Effects”.
8. Once you have all these options, you can edit your Instagram reels. Use the draw and text options to customize your video even more. You can also use the stickers on Instagram, just like in stories.
9. After editing, choose the cover photo from the gallery or from the video itself. Add the caption and hashtags just like you do while posting on your feed.
10. Now is the time to share your reel! You can share the Reel to your Stories, Explore Feed, and the new Reels tab on your Instagram profile.

For an even more detailed guide on creating Instagram reels, check out our comprehensive Instagram reels tutorial.

Note:

When you are using a pre-recorded video for reels, you need to take care of the Instagram Reels size. The standard Instagram Reels size is 9:16. However, on the feed, they appear in a ratio of 4:5. [Check Instagram reel sizes]

How to post reels on Instagram

Reels can be shared with your followers as well as the entire Instagram community through the explore page. Your reels will be shown to specific people on the basis of whether you have a public or a private account. Additionally, you can post your reels using an Instagram post scheduler to save your time.

• When you have a public account: You can share your reel with a dedicated space on Explore where it has the opportunity to be viewed and explored by the broader Instagram community. You can also share the reel with your followers by uploading it to your feed. When you share reels with specific songs, hashtags, or effects, your reel can also appear on the dedicated pages whenever anyone clicks on that song, hashtag, or effect.
• When you have a private account: Reels follow the privacy settings that you have made for your Instagram account. You need to share the reels on your Instagram feed so that your followers can see them. Anyone will not be able to use the original audio from your reels and they will also not be able to share them with people who don’t follow you.

When your reel is ready, switch to the sharing screen where you can save your reel draft, change the cover picture, add the caption and hashtags, and tag your friends and followers. If you post the reels on your feed as well, it will appear on your main profile grid, even though you have the option to remove it.

It doesn’t matter whether you have a public or private account – you can share reels to your Instagram stories, close friends, or through direct messages. This will make it act like a regular story – it won’t show up on your reels tab and will disappear after 24 hours. You can also create Instagram Story content using multiple photos to make your posts more engaging and personalized.

Finding reels to watch on Instagram

To find reels to watch on Instagram, there are basically four ways. Let’s have a look at them.

• From your feed: To see your followers’ reels, you can scroll through your normal Instagram feed. A Reels icon appears as a small clapperboard in the left-bottom corner of all Instagram reels. It is there to differentiate reels from regular Instagram video posts.
• Explore page: Go to your Instagram explore page and see reels right on the top. Select that video to watch it, and then scroll to continue watching reels from other popular creators.
• Find reels that use particular audio or hashtag: Click on the name of the audio or hashtag at the end of the reel you’re watching, and you’ll see a list of other reels using the same audio or hashtags. If you like any audio track, you can select and use it to record your reel.
• Search for hashtags: In the search bar, search for a particular engagement hashtags and see the reels that have used that hashtag.

How to use Instagram Reels for Business

In 2016, when Instagram released the feature of Stories, it was mocked for being the clone of Snapchat. However, it was quickly adopted by Instagram users and surpassed Snapchat in the number of daily users. It has also become an effective feature for people to build their audience. 

Keeping that thing in mind, it will be an ideal option for brands to grab the opportunity and start creating Instagram reels. As reels have a place on the Explore page, your brand will have a huge chance to get exposed to new followers. So let’s see how you can use Instagram reels to build your brand on this platform.

1. Curate content that resonates with your audience

Instagram Reels are developed to be quick and enjoyable and stuffed full of special effects. That makes it very easy to create engrossing and authentic content. This is a great chance for businesses to show their human side and build genuine relations with the audience. Create raw and engaging content that your audience will love and get a chance to be featured on the explore page.

2. Reuse your old TikTok videos

If you were already using TikTok for creating videos, consider posting them as reels on Instagram too. By doing that, you’ll be able to show the same content to people who don’t follow you on TikTok, thus reaching new audiences.

3. Create educational content

These are the top favorite kind of videos that people actually watch. Create and share something that can provide value to your audience. Best 3 skincare routines, How to bake a cake in 5 steps, or 3 things to consider while buying a laptop. There are so many ways to create content that will help your followers in learning something new.

4. Upload BTS videos

Behind-the-scenes videos are something that people like to see too. They show the reality behind the picture-perfect feeds and lives portrayed on social media. People can connect with such videos instantly as they are personal. They’ll help in gaining trust and building personal relationships. You can share videos on selecting materials for your products, the day-to-day life at your workspace, the process of making products, and your brand’s unique story. Scheduling your BTS videos with tools that have a feature of social media bulk scheduling can help you upload your BTS videos whenever you want to upload by creating separate content libraries for each account.

5. Showcase your products or services

As said earlier, Instagram reels are located on the Explore page, and even people who don’t follow you can see them. This is huge for brands trying to make their products reach new people. Make creative videos showcasing your products or services and add a caption and hashtags to increase your reach. For example, The automotive industry can use this well by showcasing its latest models and car rides. It is a good addition to an automotive marketing strategy.

6. Make announcements

You can successfully use Instagram reels to make announcements about your upcoming products or services, discounts, sales, upcoming events, etc. This way, more people will become a part of your customer group instead of just being followers.

7. Share user-generated content

Sharing the content generated by your users works magically in improving engagement on your profile. It builds trust and makes people believe in what you share. Ask your audience to participate in certain giveaways or competitions and use your brand-specific hashtags. Before sharing their content, make sure to ask for their permission as well. 

For more insights and tools to enhance your Instagram marketing strategy, check out our detailed guide on Instagram Tools for Marketers.

How Instagram Reels Appear on Your Profile Grid

Instagram Reels display differently depending on where users view them. When Reels appear on your profile grid, they maintain a 4:5 ratio format rather than the full 9:16 vertical format shown in the dedicated Reels tab. Each Reel on your grid displays with a distinct Reels icon in the bottom-left corner, helping followers distinguish between your regular posts and Reels when browsing your profile.

The visual characteristics of Reels on your grid include:

• A small clapperboard icon in the bottom-left corner
• Standard square/rectangle format matching your regular posts
• Video preview thumbnail as cover (which you can customize)
• Video duration indicator

This visual integration allows Reels to blend with your overall profile aesthetic while still being identifiable as video content. For brands maintaining a cohesive visual grid, this distinction matters when planning content distribution strategies.

Should you post Reels on your feed?

Yes. Instagram posts need engagement (likes/comments) in the initial hours after posting to remain visible in the algorithm. When uploading a reel, toggle on ‘Share to feed’ to make your reel appear in your followers’ feeds and the Reels explore section, increasing engagement opportunities.

Without sharing to feed, followers won’t see your reel while scrolling their feeds. Your reel will only appear in the ‘Reels’ explore tab, reducing potential engagement.

For users concerned about feed aesthetics, share the reel to your feed when posting, then remove it after 2-3 days. The reel remains in your profile’s Reels section while maintaining your grid’s appearance.

Visual Differentiation Between Reels and Regular Posts

When a Reel appears in the main Instagram feed, it’s visually distinguished from regular posts in several ways:

• Identification marker: A small clapperboard icon appears in the bottom-left corner of all Reels
• Aspect ratio: Reels shared to feed maintain a 4:5 aspect ratio (the same as regular feed posts) rather than the full-screen 9:16 format they have in the Reels tab
• Video controls: Reels display a progress bar and video duration indicator
• Audio attribution: Reels show the audio source at the bottom of the post
• Interactive elements: Reels often contain interactive stickers, text overlays, and effects not available in standard video posts

These visual distinctions help users quickly identify Reels content while scrolling through their feed, encouraging different types of engagement compared to standard posts.

Instagram Reels Vs. TikTok

Given the massive success of TikTok, it can be said that Instagram also took the advantage of short video content to grow its popularity even more. Even though your Instagram audience might be different from your TikTok fan following, the basic editing tools and features of Instagram reels are similar to TikTok. 

Both Reels and TikTok let you start and stop recording videos at your own pace. However, the biggest difference is that you can upload 60 seconds of footage in a TikTok video as compared to only 15 or 30 seconds on Instagram reels.

There are slight and subtle differences in branding. They make Instagram look like a grown-up and more polished version of TikTok. Videos on Instagram reels feel more curated as compared to the raw videos on TikTok. Even while the format of both platforms is the same, the kind of content seen on both of them is entirely different. 

Many TikTok influencers have started creating content on reels and building an audience on Instagram too. 44% said they would repurpose their TikTok content by uploading them on reels. However, most of them said they’ll be focusing on both platforms and not just one of them.

Instagram Reels vs. Stories 

• Instagram reels are easy to share. In case of stories, you cannot share them unless you’re tagged in them. Also, you can’t share stories to your grid. So, being a creator or a brand, the reach of stories is limited to your followers itself as they cannot share your stories with others. Reels, on the other hand, can be easily shared by others on their stories.
• Just like an Instagram post, you can add up to 30 hashtags while uploading reels. This increases the visibility of your reels and they can also appear in some of the hashtags feeds.
• You cannot run ads and promote your reels yet. However, you can use reels to enhance your advertising on Facebook and Instagram. Unlike Stories, reels can be used to create video views custom audiences for retargeting, which is a game-changer if you’re using Facebook and Instagram ads as part of your social media marketing strategy.

Share to reel vs Share to feed

It’s important to consider your content’s goals and target audience when deciding between sharing to Reels or your main feed. Reels may help you reach a wider audience and gain new followers, while posting to your feed can engage your existing followers more directly. Keep in mind that Instagram’s features and interfaces might evolve over time, so it’s a good idea to check for any updates on the app for the most current information.

Share to Reels: When you choose “Share to Reels,” your content posts exclusively to the Reels tab and appears in the Reels section of your profile. These videos can be discovered by a broader audience through the Reels feed and Explore page.

Sharing content to Reels connects you with the broader Reels community, reaching viewers beyond your existing followers. This option showcases short videos and increases your exposure on the platform.

Share to Feed: When you select “Share to Feed” on Instagram, your photo or video posts directly to your main profile feed. This content becomes visible to all followers and appears in their feeds. Followers can like, comment, and share the post if your account is public.

This traditional sharing method serves as the default option when creating posts. Share to Feed engages your existing followers who interact with your content directly from their feeds.

Pros and Cons of Instagram reels

If you are using Instagram for growing your own brand, you need engagement on your content. And Instagram reels will provide you with the engagement that you need. Because of reels, the visibility of your posts will increase. It provides Instagram users more ways to engage with your content and lets you reuse video resources.

A major advantage of reels is that it grabs the attention of more people than just your followers or audience. Your Reel goes under your Reels tab, shows up in your main profile grid, in Feeds, and under the Explore button. Thus, it gives you an opportunity to attract a new audience. 

With the right hashtags, music, and effects, your reel can also appear on top pages in your niche. And as videos are the people’s favorite kind of content to see from brands on social media, reels have a huge potential of winning fans. Also, it is easy to repurpose long videos or user-generated content and convert them into short engaging videos.

The only drawback is that when you post them on stories, they don’t appear in the reels tab and disappear after a period of 24 hours. There are no other disadvantages of using Instagram reels for building a brand. And if you are already using IGTV or stories to upload videos, then getting started with reels will be a no-sweat thing.

How do Instagram reels work (the algorithm)

The exact algorithm behind Instagram latest update reels is still a mystery, but there are a few things we know for sure. Instagram is increasingly encouraging the use of reels and has kept it in the center of the platform now. Even in the explore tab, there is a large space occupied by reels. Thus, by making reels that the algorithm likes, you can surely expand your reach and followers quickly.

According to Instagram itself, it’ll display a Reel based on how likely a user is to:

• Watch it all the way through.
• Like it.
• Leave Instagram Reels comments on your content.
• Go to the audio page of the Reel to make your own version

This means that a user is more likely to see your reel if it aligns with their past activity, is popular, or when they have an engaging relationship with you. Also, your reels will not be recommended if they have a watermark, are of low resolution, or focus on political issues.

Here are some tips to make reels that the algorithm likes:

• Create entertaining and funny reels
• Make use of text options, filters, camera effects, and music
• Make reels that inspire people 
• Create tutorials or how-to videos
• Step out of the box and play around with new ideas or challenges

By following these tips, you’ll stand a better chance of hacking the Instagram algorithm and reaching new audiences. To get an additional boost, it is recommended to share reels to your feed along with the main reels tab. Also, include relevant Top Instagram hashtags and a caption to engage users.

How to find reel drafts on Instagram

To find your reel drafts on Instagram, follow the below steps:

1. Go to the Instagram app and tap your profile picture at the bottom right corner.
2. On your profile screen, tap the Reels tab in the center. Note that the Reels section only shows up when you share a reel or save it as a draft for the first time.
3. Click on ‘Drafts’.
4. The ‘Reels drafts’ screen will open where all the reels that you saved as a draft will show up. You can edit and publish your reels from here.

How can I watch Instagram reels without an account?

When you go to Instagram’s site from your desktop, all you can see is the login screen. Thus, it doesn’t matter whether you are using Chrome on a desktop or smartphone’s browser, you can’t use Instagram like actual users without logging in. However, there is one way around it. 

You can view any Instagram profile and check out the reels as long as you know the exact username and that account is public. Type the Instagram website URL in your browser followed by the account’s username, like www.instagram.com/[username]. Alternatively, you can search that account’s name directly in your browser, for example, ‘Beyonce Instagram account’.

This way, you’ll be able to see the profile details and a minimized feed of the particular account. You’ll not be able to perform any other actions like liking or commenting on posts, following the account, or viewing stories and highlights. And if you attempt to do any of the actions, a prompt will appear asking you to log in to your account.

Strategic Considerations for Businesses

For businesses using RecurPost to manage their Instagram content, understanding how Reels appear across different sections of Instagram impacts your content strategy:

• Grid aesthetics: If maintaining a visually cohesive grid is important for your brand, be selective about which Reels you share to your feed
• Content discovery: Reels shared only to the Reels tab may reach new audiences through the Explore page, but might be missed by your existing followers who primarily scroll their feed
• Content repurposing: When scheduling content through RecurPost, consider how your video assets will appear in different Instagram placements
• Analytics tracking: Engagement metrics differ between Reels shared to feed versus those only in the Reels tab

By understanding these nuances, businesses can make more strategic decisions about their Instagram Reels distribution strategy.

To sum up,

Apart from creating appealing content, you also need to take care of posting it at the right time. Your content should be uploaded when most of your audience is online and actively scrolling through their feeds. If you don’t know about the best and worst time to post on Instagram, don’t worry! We have a complete guide ready for you. Click here to read it and find your best and worst times. 

Also, you can manage your Instagram accounts and other social platforms using RecurPost. It is a social media management tool offering an Instagram scheduler.

Frequently Asked Questions

Dinesh Agarwal

Dr. Dinesh Agarwal, founder of RecurPost, transformed from academic researcher to social media technology innovator in 2013. With a doctorate in Cloud Computing, he applied scientific principles to develop a pioneering social media management tool that streamlined content scheduling processes for digital marketers, leading to its successful acquisition. Today, his RecurPost platform serves as an enterprise-grade social media automation solution helping over 100,000 businesses optimize their online presence. Dr. Agarwal actively contributes to the social media marketing ecosystem through educational content, including conference presentations, podcast interviews, and in-depth articles focusing on social media optimization techniques and algorithmic content distribution strategies.