What Are Instagram Reels?

Reels are some of the most popular and engaging content on social media. But they can also be intimidating to learn how to create your own Reels. But there is no need to be intimidated! This article has everything you have ever wanted and needed to know about Reels. We will discuss the definition of an Instagram Reel, how to create a Reel, the best time to post Reels, how to save Reels, and Instagram Reel bonuses. By the end of this article, you’ll know how to use all of the Reels features and create the perfect strategy for Reels and Instagram. There are several reasons to use video marketing on Instagram, including Reels.

Table of Contents

What Is a Reel on Instagram?

An Instagram Reel is a full-screen vertical video that is up to 90 seconds long. You can record, edit, and clip photos and videos together, set them to music, and post them on your feed. Reels are also ideal for promoting your brand or company, engaging with your audience, and reaching more people. Reels were first introduced in August 2020. According to Hootsuite data, Reels can get up to 300% more engagement than regular Instagram videos. Unlike Stories, Reels live permanently on your Instagram feed and don’t disappear after 24 hours. Also unlike Stories, you can’t see who can watch your reels. The Instagram algorithm is also favoring reels right now, so it is important for social media marketers to know how to create reels. Reels are great for promoting products and services on Instagram.

How to Create Reels

These are the steps for how to create an Instagram Reel:

Find Reels

First, select “Reels” at the bottom of your Instagram camera. You can record your Reels as a series of clips (one at a time), all at once, or using video uploads from your phone’s gallery. As you record, you will see a progress indicator at the top of the screen. Simply stop recording to end each clip. There are a variety of editing tools on the left side of the screen to help you create a creative Reel.

Add Audio

Just like you can add songs to your Instagram Stories, you can add music or other audio to your Reel. You can use original audio by simply recording it along with your Reel. You can also search for a song from the Instagram music library. (Keep in mind that if you share a reel with original audio, the audio will be credited to you. If your account is public, others can create reels with your audio. By the same token, you can use audio from others’ Reels by selecting “Use Audio” from their reel.)

Add AR Effects

You can add AR effects to your reel from Instagram’s effect gallery. There are various effects created by Instagram and creators. There are clips available with various effects.

Use the Timer and Countdown

If you want to record your clips hands-free, you can set the timer. Press record and you will see a 3-2-1 countdown. Then, recording will start for however long you choose.

Make Sure to Align

If you want to create seamless transitions in your Reel, make sure to line up the objects from your previous clip before recording the next one. This is important for Reels featuring outfit changes, for example.

Play with Speed

You can choose to slow down or speed up part of the video or audio you select, if you want to make a slow-motion video.

Share Your Reel!

Once your Reel is ready to be shared, move to the share screen. This allows you to save a draft of your reel, change the cover image, add a caption, and tag other accounts. Once you hit share, your reel will appear and live in the separate Reels tab on your profile. You can also share your reel to your main grid on your profile, if you want to get more views.

Reels Template

If you still need help creating a reel, there are plenty of Reel templates available to help you.

Best Time to Post Reels

Now that you have created your Reel, it’s time to post it. But what are the best times to post Reels? The best time to post Reels on Instagram has been subject to much debate. The best time for one account to post might be different than another account.

However, according to data from Later, which analyzed more than 200,000 reels from various industries and sizes, the best time to post reels is 4 AM. (This is 4 AM in your own local time zone.) And the best day to post Reels is Monday.

How to Save Reels

There are a few different ways to download or save Reels from Instagram:

How to Download Reel From Instagram

Here are the steps to download your own Reel:

Open Instagram and log in.
Go to your profile.
Open the Reel or Reels you want to save to your camera roll.
Click the three-dots button at the lower right corner of the reel.
Choose “Save to camera roll” from the menu.

The reel will download automatically to your camera roll.

How to Save Someone Else’s Reel

Unfortunately, you can’t download another user’s reel on Instagram. However, you can save another user’s Reel. Here is how:

Open Instagram and tap the reel you want to save.
Open the Reel and click the three-dots button.
Tap Save.

Reel Bonus

Instagram Reels Play is an invite-only bonus program that allows creators to earn money on their Reels content. The program rewarded content creators when they hit certain goals for views on their videos. However, Meta announced in March that it was cutting the Reels Play bonus program. It is honoring existing Reels Play deals until they expire.

Get Instagram Help From SEO Design Chicago

SEO Design Chicago offers social media content creation services, including Instagram. Instagram and Reels are important for many different types of businesses. Our team of social media managers can help you create Reels and determine the best time for your individual account to post Reels to Instagram, based on analytics. Contact SEO Design Chicago for Instagram services today!