A Guide to IG Reel Optimizations
What are Instagram Reels?
In August 2020, Instagram rolled out a new feature to combat the rising popularity of short-form video content on TikTok. While TikTok continues to be the dominant short-form video platform, Instagram and Facebook continue to make Reels a priority product. For an artist or marketing team, the short-form video race creates an opportunity to capture greater reach and engagement, as long as you follow certain algorithmic rules. In other words, follow Instagram and Facebook’s rules about Reels and they’ll reward you with higher post performance. Here are six basic rules to follow if you want to optimize your next Reel:
Record in The Proper Aspect Ratio
Record your videos in 1080 x 1920 vertical aspect ratio with the highest resolution possible below 4K (Reels do not currently support 4K). Reels optimized for this vertical format are the most mobile-friendly. To ensure more users stop on your video in their feed, try to focus the important parts of your video in the middle 4:5 area of the Reel. If you post your Reel to your Instagram Feed, your video will show up in this aspect ratio for users before they click into the full video.
Incorporate Quick Transitions
Every second counts when it comes to short-form videos like Reels. One easy way to ensure users won’t watch your entire video is sloppy transitions. Extra seconds in between speaking or slow cuts in the first ten seconds of a Reel can quickly bore a viewer and send them scrolling past your video. To make sure fans keep watching, incorporate quick transitions that won’t waste any of their time.
Add Closed Captioning
Not all Instagram users listen to Reels with their phone volume on high. By incorporating closed captioning or subtitling, users with their sound turned off can still follow along with your content.
Participate In Trending Sounds
Using a trending sound can increase the performance of your Reel because fans might already be familiar with or searching for videos that have used that sound. Instead of only trying to promote your own sounds, utilizing a popular sound increases potential discoverability.
Select Eye-Popping Thumbnails
Thumbnails are visual snapshots of the content contained in your video. When a user finds your profile and is scrolling through your feed, a proper thumbnail can grab their attention and drive them to click and watch. By adding a text thumbnail or selecting a portion of the video that is eye-popping, you can entice more viewers to click on your video when finding your profile for the first time.
Build A Hashtag Strategy
Hashtags are an important tool for attracting users that do not already follow you. Build a hashtag strategy by first searching for videos that your audience is most likely to consume. Once you’ve found the highest performing videos, note what hashtags those accounts are using. Another approach to building a strong hashtag strategy is to search for the hashtags related to your content until you’ve found a few that are both popular and closest to your video content. That way, users looking for #lovesongcovers can stumble upon your latest rendition of “Ain’t No Sunshine.”
Want To Know Why Your Reels Are Still Flopping?
Your Videos Are Missing Attention-Grabbing “Hooks”
Use visual hooks or verbal cues in the opening 1 to 3 seconds of your Reel to peak the viewer's interest. A simple call-to-action phrase - “Stop scrolling and watch how I…,” “Have this problem? I have the solution,” or “This is for anyone who’s trying to…” - can grab the right user’s attention so they stop scrolling. Take advantage of the ability to add text overlays to title your videos or reply to fan comments to clearly communicate what your video is about.
You Aren’t Adding Value To Your Followers
Creating content that provides some sort of value is one of the best ways to build engagement and fan loyalty. Adding value can be as simple as educating followers on a topic that you know well. It’s also a value add when you inspire them with a new or different perspective about the news, their lives, or an issue they might be experiencing. Making them laugh or cry can even be valuable! To ensure every post has value for your fans, think about what exactly you’re offering before you post. If you realize that your post is simply promotional or adds no value to your followers, adjust the content or caption until you are clearly offering something of worth.
You’re In The Wrong Lane
When building an online strategy, you should have a clear idea of what type of content your audience wants to consume. Once you understand what they’re looking for online, you can combine that information with what type of content you create best. Any misunderstanding about what is popular with your audience or how you can authentically deliver that content can waste your time posting content that your followers don’t want to see. To avoid this, spend a week every quarter diving in to the profiles of your followers and what content they are most engaging with or accounts they are following. Even if your content is valuable, you may be wrong about what your followers like to consume online. If you’re not clear on the type of content your fans most enjoy, you could be wasting valuable time and resources.
You’re Posting Inconsistently
By posting consistently, the overall reach and engagement of your profile will continue to rise each week. Instagram and Facebook’s algorithm rewards consistent posting, so by not posting often you’re missing out on easy awareness. If you’re having trouble coming up with enough content to fuel your socials, focus your content strategy on video concepts that are repeatable. After you have done research on the type of content your audience is most likely to consume, make a short list of video concepts that are repeatable. For example, do you love singing acapella while you cook? Make a list of recipes and songs and start filming!
You Forget To Engage With Your Audience
We know that the Facebook and Instagram algorithm prioritizes accounts who engage frequently with their audience. Shortly after you post your Reel, take a few minutes to respond to comments and engage with any fans in your DMs. The more activity an account receives, the more priority it receives in the algorithm, and the better your content will perform.
You Are Missing A Cohesive Content Strategy
Even if you have a large following on social media, platform algorithms make it difficult to reach every fan. In fact, you’ll often reach less than 10% of your Instagram followers on a single post. This means every post you make needs to be part of a larger storyline about you, your story, or what value you bring to your followers. Without a cohesive, proactive content strategy, your audience can lose the plot of your story. By mapping out three to five bullet points about who you are and what you offer, you can make sure you’re messaging each of these points consistently. If you’re coming up with your strategy as you go, you risk neglecting certain storylines and fans misunderstanding your narrative.
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