Best Tips For Instagram Reels: 2024 Update
Are you looking to get the most out of your Instagram Reels? Explore how the Instagram Reels algorithm works and how this feeds into the content you create for your Reels. Discover actionable tips for your Instagram Reels to drive reach and boost performance.
Image credit: Instagram
Table of Contents
Since its launch in August 2020, Instagram Reels has become an important part of the Instagram algorithm and is seen by many as a way to boost your content’s visibility. Reels are an excellent video-based method to engage your audience and pique their interest in your product or service due to their visual nature. However, with Instagram bringing out the ability to share longer Reels and constantly competing against TikTok in terms of new features, we have broken down the top ways in which you can grow via Instagram Reels in 2024.
How The Instagram Algorithm Works
To first break this down we need to understand the Instagram algorithm. This algorithm isn’t just one overarching algorithm – its platform is based on separate algorithms for different areas of the app (i.e. Reels algorithm, explore page algorithm and feed algorithm etc). This was also referenced in a 2021 Instagram blog post by the Head of Instagram, Mosseri, who noted that “[Instagram uses] a variety of algorithms, classifiers, and processes, each with its own purpose. We want to make the most of your time, and we believe that using technology to personalize your experience is the best way to do that.”
This brings us onto algorithm signals. The algorithm (whether that be the Reel algorithm or Explore page algorithm etc) uses signals to rank everything that a user sees on their feed. These signals are defined as “How you interact with the app, and how other people interact with you.” Therefore, when we talk about algorithms, it’s important to keep engagement in mind (your own post engagement and how you engage with others).
It’s also important to keep Social SEO in mind, because how your content ranks can also be influenced by the keywords and hashtags you use in your content (and profile), therefore helping you appear more via Instagram search. As explained in a 2021 video by Mosseri, Instagram search signals are based on intent (so how relevant the content is to what you’re searching for), and does show the most relevant accounts (often with the higher following) first. *However, based on the 2024 small creator update, this could change slightly. You can read more about this algorithm update here.
Mosseri notes 3 considerations to help you show up in Instagram search; look at your handle and profile name (is it relevant to what you do and what keywords you’re looking to be searchable on), look at keywords and locations in your bio (this is also good for local SEO), and look at the keywords and hashtags that you use in your bio.
How The Instagram Reels Algorithm Works
Now that we have established how the overall Instagram algorithms work, it’s important to use those findings when creating content for your Reels. This includes ensuring your profile is optimised with the correct keywords, includes a location (where relevant) and you’re engaging with others on the platform. All of this alone will help support your ranking.
But to break this down more, you need to consider the Reels algorithm. This algorithm is broken up into two parts and can help you be discovered through the ‘Reels Discovery’ tab and 2. The ‘Explore’ feed (we have already touched on this one). According to Instagram themselves, Reels ranking is influenced by the following:
Instagram looks at things like which reels you’ve liked, commented on, and engaged with recently. These signals help to understand what content might be relevant to you.
What this means for brands: Just because you’re a brand page that doesn’t mean you can’t interact with other accounts. Engagement is rewarded and it’s important to engage with other accounts similar to yours – it also shows you’re active on the platform!
Like in Explore, it’s likely the video was made by someone you’ve never heard of, but if you have interacted with them that gives a sense of how interested you might be in what they shared.
What this means for brands: You’re more likely to show up on the Explore feeds of someone who has previously interacted with you. Basically, your lurker fans.
These are signals about the content within the video such as the audio track, video understanding based on pixels and whole frames, as well as popularity.
What this means for brands: Ensure the content within your Reel is optimised (buzzword, we know) to help you get discovered. This includes the music you’re using, relevant hashtags/keywords and ensuring you tag your content with the relevant topics that Reels allows.
Instagram considers popularity to help find compelling content from a wide array of people and give everyone a chance to find their audience.
What this means for brands: Continue to build up a relevant following who are highly engaged. The more popular your page is and the more engagement you get, the more likely you are to rank higher.
Please Note: Instagram’s 2024 small creator algorithm update does also mention that the Reel algorithm is changing slightly. It will push your content out to a small group of people, review how they engage, and if engagement is good, will feed out into a greater pool of people and so on. This works similar to the TikTok algorithm.
However, there may be some reasons that your Reels aren’t being shown as much as you would like them to. Instagram has noted that they avoid recommending reels for reasons such as low-resolution or watermarked reels, reels that are muted or contain borders, reels that are majority text, or reels that focus on political issues. Off the back of this, Instagram has also announced that the length of your Reel can affect its distribution. According to its content team, posting longer Reels can affect your reach. This is interesting considering they had made the move to allow Reels 90 seconds or longer. This was also backed up by a post on their ‘Creators’ account which states, “Any video over 90 seconds won’t be eligible to be recommended in Explore or Reels Tab.” So basically, if you want to be discovered, post Reels less than 90 seconds long. However, if your audience enjoys your Reels over 90 seconds, there’s no harm in continuing to post these. After all, it’s key to post for your audience rather than the algorithm.
Tips for Instagram Reels
Focus on Quality
This seems like an obvious one, but often it can be hard to generate quality content when you’re consumed with algorithms and trying to get your content seen. However, much like Google’s SEO algorithm, Instagram prioritises quality content and this is typically the type of content that gets the most engagement (see how we have brought it back to this keyword). According to Instagram’s ‘Creators’ account, it is key to post Reels that are “entertaining and fun” and “uses music from the Instagram music library and/or original content you create or find on Reels” (this is where trending sounds come in). However, your content can be deemed as ‘low-quality’ if you post in low-resolution, visibility recycled from other apps (cough stop posting TikTok’s with the watermark on Reels), is uploaded with a border and has the majority of the image covered by text.
Use Relevant Keywords & Hashtags
As we have discussed throughout this article, keywords and hashtags are a great way to show Instagram what your content is about and feed it out onto feeds of people who are interested in the topic or appear in Instagram search. Luckily, we have a FREE keyword and hashtag planner tool which can assist you with finding the right content for your posts (oh, and don’t forget to use it in your profile optimisation too!)
Review your analytics
We touched on this earlier, but reviewing your own analytics and making decisions based on how your content is performing is key. The biggest advice we can give is to create content for your audience rather than the algorithm. This will naturally drive you engagement as it will be content that is relatable to your audience, therefore boosting you in the algorithm without you realising. Review what’s working for you by delving into your analytics and optimise around this.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking to get the most out of Instagram Reels the most important aspect of this is knowing your audience. By knowing what your audience wants (and what they’re searching for), you’ll be able to tailor your Instagram Reel content around them and drive a larger, more engaged audience. As we have discussed throughout, Instagram Reel distribution is heavily based on engagement and relevancy so it’s important to create quality content that resonates with your audience. All algorithms aside, keeping these two in mind will help you increase your Reel views and be shown more on the Explore page as your content will be seen as relevant. Happy Reel creating!
