Instagram Reels has become a popular feature on the platform, providing a fun and engaging way to share short-form video content. If you’re overwhelmed by the new feature or want to improve your skills, an Instagram Reels tutorial can help. This blog post will provide a comprehensive guide to mastering Instagram Reels.

Getting Started with Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels have taken the internet world by storm; the social media giant rolled out this exciting and fun feature to share bite-sized videos with your followers.

The magic of Instagram Reels knows no bounds; it’s everything you need to learn to level up your Instagram game.

Understanding what Instagram Reels are

Instagram Reels is a popular feature that lets Instagrammers create and share interactive 90-second short videos with their followers. Users can add music, text, effects, and filters to make them engaging and entertaining.

You can also upload pre-recorded videos from your phone’s gallery and blend them with other Reels on the platform.

Unlike TikTok, Reels are a better option for reaching a large Instagram community because they are integrated with the app and can be shared on stories, in DMS, and explore pages.

In addition, Reels are unlike IGTV in that they are intended to be more imaginative, engaging, and discoverable.

Accessing Instagram Reels on the app

There are many ways to access the Instagram Reels’ features.

• From explore page: Switch to the Reels option by swiping anywhere in the app that will take you to the explore page. Reels will be one of the categories on the right at the top of the page.
• From the home screen: To access Reels from your home screen, tap the Reels option on the top screen, which will take you to the Reels tab, where you will find Reels of many creators you follow, as well as viral Reels based on your tracking.
• From the camera: On your screen, tap the Reels option. This will take you to a screen where you can record and edit Reels.

Step-by-Step Instagram Reels Tutorial

Now that you know how to access the Instagram Reels feature on your app, let’s immediately get into action and create your first Instagram Reel!

1. Recording your first Instagram Reel

Here are the simple steps to help you record your first Instagram Reel.

1. Open the Instagram app and go to your profile.
2. Tap the plus icon “+” in the top left corner of the screen.
3. Select “Reels” from the menu.
4. Choose the front or rear camera for recording.

5. Tap and hold the record button in the bottom centre of the screen to start recording.

6. You can also add music, effects, audio, and other creative tools to your Reel when filming the Reel.

7. Once you are done with editing, Tap “Share” to upload on your feed.

Using the editing tools in Instagram Reels

What makes Instagram Reels so popular are the editing tools that allow users to create entertaining Reels.

Here is how to use editing tools in Instagram Reels:

1. On the Reels camera screen, at the top left screen, you will find various editing tools. Use any of the editing tools you prefer on your Reel.

Let’s quickly go through each editing tool.

• Audio: Tap on the music note icon to access the library of Instagram’s music collection.
• Speed: The speedometer icon allows you to adjust the playback speed of your Reel.
• Effects: The smiley face icon opens the Effects gallery, where you can choose from various of Instagram’s augmented reality (AR) effects.
• Timer: The stopwatch icon lets you set a timer for your Reel.
• Align: The grid icon helps you maintain consistency and alignment across multiple clips in your Reel.
• Countdown: The countdown icon lets you add a timer before the recording starts.
• AR Filters: The face icon allows you to add face filters or augmented reality (AR) effects that alter your appearance.

While Recording your video, you can record multiple clips by releasing the record button and pressing it once more for each additional clip.

2. Here, you can edit and time the part of your video as of your clips as you like. Add text, stickers, and drawings, and adjust the volume of your audio.

3. Rearrange the clips by tapping and holding a hook, then dragging it to the position of the video you like.

4. Once you are done, you can share or save Reel as a draft,

Adding music to your Instagram Reel

Music sets the tone for everything; adding suitable music to your clips is integral to an intriguing Reel. A perfect soundtrack for your Reel conveys your message efficiently, sets a suitable theme, and attracts attention.

Here’s how you can add music to your Instagram Reel:

1. Tap the audio icon on the left bar on Reel’s creation on the left side of the screen. 2. Look up the soundtrack that suits your Reel or browse popular music and genres.

3. Once you have selected the music, review the Reel and adjust the length of the clip to fit your Reel.

4. You can choose a specific music segment for your Reel by dragging the slider.

Not to mention, when you share a Reel with your original audio, your audio will be attributed to you, and if you have a public account, when other Instagrammers can Reel with your audio by tapping on your top on the “Use Audio” from your Reel.

Using AR filters and effects

Instagram Reels gives you maximum control of all the creativity you can add to your content to spice it up.

Adding fascinating filters and unique animations can make your Reel virtually appealing. Many AR filters and products can make your Reels entertaining and valuable.

Here is how to use AR filters and effects for your Reels:

1. Before filming your Reel, tap the smiley face icon on the left side of your screen.

2. Browse through all the filters and effects, and choose the one that fulfils your purpose. You can also search for a specific one.

3. You can adjust the filter’s intensity by adjusting the slider.

4. Tap on the desired filter or effect, and the filter will apply to your reel.

Tips and Tricks to Make Your Instagram Reels Stand Out

The most popular Reels on the Discover page are full of incredible creativity; therefore, if you want to stand out on Instagram, you must prioritize creativity and produce visually stunning and engaging content.

1. Storytelling: Instagram Reels gives you all the freedom to express your creativity. All you need is to brainstorm content based on your Insta profile niche and instantly record Reels on the go. Edit them with a filter or effect that makes them more intriguing.
2. Showcase your talent, whether you are a fashion blogger or a tech influencer. Use Reels to your full potential and let your following delve into your world. Showcase your unique talent and personality to capture your followers.
3. Behind the scenes- Take your creativity to the next level by documenting your behind-the-scenes work, whether it’s a makeup tutorial, cooking recipe, or filming a scene. Doing this lets you add a personal touch to your content and let your followers get to know you better.

Leveraging trending music and hashtags

To maximize the reachability and engagement of your Instagram Reels, consider leveraging the most trending music tracks and hashtags. Look for the trending music and hashtags based on what most Influencers are using and which suits your content. You can follow similar content creators or hashtags to stay relevant or hot on the platform.

Incorporating all the trending and suitable hashtags and music based on your content in your Reels will help you target a large audience on the platform. To stay ahead of everyone, you can leverage SocialBu to help you find the most trending hashtags for your Reels.

Most of all, avoid spamming unnecessary hashtags; you risk getting shadowbanned if you use too many irrelevant hashtags.

Maximizing Engagement on Your Instagram Reels

Your Reels receive engagements in the form of likes, comments, shares, saves, and views. You can improve your status in the Instagram community, make connections, and make your mark on the platform by receiving many engagements.

In this section, we will cover everything you need to uplift your Reels which will help you significantly boost engagements on the social media platform.

Best practices for sharing and promoting your Reels

When you create Reels, you want to captivate the attention of others on the platform. However, there’s more to adding a creative blend to your Instagram Reels: optimising and promoting them to reach a broad audience.

One way to hook users to your Reels is by adding call-to-include actions. By using simple yet effective Calls to Action (CTAs) like “Leave a comment and let us know what you think” or “Save this Reel to watch it later,” you can encourage your followers to increase engagement.

You can promote your Reels by sharing them on your main Instagram feed and stories. And if you are running a brand, you can cross-promote the Reels on other social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, by saving the Reel.

Additionally, you can tag famous Instagram influencers or featured brands relevant to your Reels. They will be made aware of the Reels that have been tagged and may choose to share them on their stories; these Reels will also appear in their profiles in the tagged section of their home page.

Engaging with comments and shares on your Reels

Engagements don’t stop at just promoting your Reels; you should also interact with your followers by replying to all the comments posted on your Reel.

When your followers leave comments on Reels, respond to them immediately, and try to be as friendly and creative as possible. Use emojis or GIFS to spill some tea and engage in meaningful conversations.

Engage with other mutual creators and take your time to share, explore their pages, and appreciate them for sharing your content. You can also contact them to collaborate or feature you in their content. This will help you build a strong Instagram community and boost engagement.

Advanced Features in Instagram Reels

To make the most of the Reels, leverage advanced features and secret hacks to stand out from the crowd and bring out your creative juice with Instagram Reel’s advanced Features.

Some advanced Instagram features can help you level up your Instagram Reels game.

• Speed feature to change the speed of your Reels. The speed feature effectively creates high-paced creative videos, allowing you to speed up or down your videos.
• Split-screen feature to create Reels two-screen Reels. This feature makes it possible to create reels with two screens, which is ideal for creating Reels that compare two things or show various viewpoints.
• Duet screen to create duet Reels. The duet features allow you to create Reels with other content creators on the platform; this feature will help you collaborate to make interactive Reels.
• Timer feature to record hands-free Reels. You need to use this feature if you prefer to record videos without holding down the record button.

These are just a few examples of advanced features for Reels. You can explore many other features to expand your Instagram Reels’ creative potential.

How to remix an Instagram Reel

Remixing on Instagram is a great way to react to Reels, collaborate with other influencers, and add your own takes on topics.

Here are the steps to remix an Instagram Reel:

1. Search for the reel you want to remix and open it.
2. Tap on the three dots in the bottom right corner and select “Remix this Reel.”
3. You can record your version alongside the original Reel here by adding effects.
4. When you complete your remix, you can post it to your profile.

Understanding Insights for Instagram Reels

Mastering Instagram Reels requires you to keep track of how your Reels are performing; Insights for Reels are metrics that show how well your Reels are performing and contributing to the growth of your Instagram account. They help you measure your progress and engagement metrics and your account.

Nevertheless, if you manage a brand, insights can be beneficial because they allow you to plan your Instagram marketing strategy, and you can identify which of your products’ Instagram Reel is receiving the most engagement.

Here’s how to access your Instagram Reel insights:

1. On your profile page, tap the menu icon on the top right corner of the screen.

2. Tap on Insights.

3. Tap on “Content You Shared” to view your insights.

Conclusion

After reading this Instagram Reels tutorial, you should be well-equipped to create compelling content on this engaging platform. Remember, like any social media feature, the key to success with Instagram Reels is to express your creativity, engage with your audience, and, most importantly, have fun.