Angelina's Media

How do Instagram reels get views? Although similar to TikTok, the Instagram platform and interface makes Instagram reels the mystery of the year.

If you’re not posting reels yet, get on it! In 2022, it is one of the best ways to actually get on the explore page or simply get discovered on Instagram. As a social media manager, I create reel strategies and posts every single day for my clients. To help you grow from 600-1000 views to tens if not hundreds of thousands – I have developed a step-by-step method to increase views on your Instagram reels, grow your engagement, and bring more followers to your page.

Want to watch a video on this topic instead? Check out my YouTube video on How to INCREASE Instagram Reel Views in 2022 (from a social media manager)

Choose Your Reel Audio

Let’s talk about the sound or audio that you’re going to be using. Does it matter if you’re using an Instagram curated audio, or can you use an original sound? From posting both types of content, it doesn’t seem to matter at all.

My Instagram reels tend to do fairly well regardless of the type of audio. If you are using an Instagram sound, I suggest you choose one that has between 2,000 and 100,000 saves. However, if you are uploading an original, talking video (with no music or instrumental audio) – it’s probably not going to do very well on Instagram.

Instead, opt out for a TikTok repurpose (that has some sort of TikTok audio on it), or an audio you manually added in an editor (CapCut, FinalCut Pro, etc.). This allows Instagram to recognize that your video has music, and push it out to more people. It favors original sounds over simple talking audio because users have the opportunity to use your original music in their own reels.

Add Your On-Screen Text

You want to on-screen text to grab the attention of your audience. Text created directly through Instagram is also really good for SEO and discovery of your post. It helps Instagram place your video into the right category of interest for your viewers.

What if you’re repurposing content and don’t add text through the Instagram app? This shouldn’t be a problem! I don’t see any issues with reel performance – my videos still do well regardless. If your content is good, if it’s still grabbing your audience’s attention, the outcomes of in-app text vs. existing text won’t greatly differ.

Plan The Length of Your Reel

You really want to make sure that your video is short and catchy. Instagram isn’t in favor of videos over one minute in length. Most people on Instagram just scroll, scroll, scroll. They have very short attention spans. Definitely a lot shorter than on TikTok! So keep your videos between 15 – 60 seconds long.

Choose the Topic and Style of Your Content

The topic and style of your Instagram reel will also have an impact on the number of views it gets. Here are some examples of content favored by Instagram users:

• Introduce a controversial topic or an unpopular opinion
• Make a short, aesthetic highlight reel
• Create your own interpretation of a trend (customize to your industry, business, and/or interests)
• Show a transformation
• Create a piece of inspiring or motivational content
• Share a funny video or experience
• Overlay a long paragraph of text over an interactive video and add a trending/original audio (keep video 5-7 seconds long)

Write Your Instagram Caption

What do you put in the caption of an Instagram reel? Are long captions even necessary on anymore?

These are common questions clients ask me when it comes to crafting their captions. Honestly, both a short and long caption can work. The viewer only sees the first few lines of the caption, so if you choose to add a lengthier text, you will need to do so intentionally. In the very first line of your caption, you will need to call your audience to action – to read more. You can prompt, “CLICK ‘READ MORE’ FOR THE RECIPE” or “Do you experience any of these symptoms? Read more to learn.”

This is also a really great way to advertise your business and promote your product or service after prompting the viewer to read more of your caption.

This also makes your post SEO friendly, which is why I notice Instagram pushing out the reels with longer captions more intensely. It’s able to better identify what your post is about because of those extra keywords you’re adding in the caption.

Do You Need Hashtags?

In reality, hashtags are no longer necessary to get views, likes, or engagement, but I still like to use a few to help Instagram categorize my reels. I stick to 5 hashtags total. I choose two broad hashtags – broader on the topic that I’m talking about. Then 3 narrower, more specific hashtags directly relating to what is in the Instagram reel.

Okay – My Reel Is Live! How Often Should I Be Posting?

I have found that posting one reel day works wonderfully. In this aspect, Instagram differs from TikTok where you have to post three to five videos a day to do really well. But on Instagram, I noticed that if you post more than one reel a day – it actually hurts your views. Sometimes it takes 24 hours for your reel to get to its final number of views. Instagram will still be pushing out your content during this time. If you post another reel within those 24 hours, it tampers with the views and success rate of the video you just posted.

I hope this mini-Instagram guide served you well. If creating your reels seems easier than ever, but you’re struggling to post consistently, I have a Content Planning Package just for you. It contains the same content planning templates that I use to plan content for my clients. Save time and stress by curating your content calendar, posts, and copy in advance!

For any questions or business inquiries – please email angelinagaleyeva@gmail.com or give me a call at (425) 622-0028.