If you are an Instagram content creator, you probably already know how insanely valuable reels are in your profile’s growth. But let us prove it to you with some data-backed evidence.
Facelift analyzed the top 20 Instagram profiles (Including and identified that Instagram reels receive 39.7% of the total engagement for all these profiles during a time frame, whereas images and carousels sit at just 27% of engagement. And by “engagement,” we mean both likes and comments.
Reels are the future out of all other content types on Instagram.
But here’s the thing: not all reels do well. While some Instagram reels go viral overnight, some reels barely get 100+ views despite having good content. What goes wrong?
Instagram reels don’t have a textbook framework for higher engagement. However, there are some proven best practices to adopt for maximum engagement.
If you are struggling to increase your Instagram reel views, settle in! This article will reveal all the secrets.
10 Tried and Tested Tips to Boost Your Instagram Reel Views
Here are the Instagram reel tips and best practices that will bring your account on the spot among a crowd of creators:
1. Use the Instagram polls in comments and reel clips to get an instant engagement boost
Interactive elements like polls and Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions have always been popular on Instagram. Adding polls to the comments and reel clips is the latest to join this bandwagon. The idea is to add a relevant poll within your reel clips or in the first comment soon after posting the reel. The poll should be relevant to the reel and build some interest from the users. This will encourage them to interact with your reel and watch and re-watch it to participate in the poll.
Watch how this creator posts a reel on her new hairstyle and adds a poll in the comments to know followers’ opinions:
💡Pro Tip: Use these polls to gather user feedback. Ask questions related to their thoughts on a reel and what else they would like to watch. Above all, these polls should be a direct mode of user feedback collection.
2. Fill a gap with your content, generic reels won’t cut it
Let’s discuss your content for a second.
How confident are you with the reels you are posting?
Are you sure they are adding some critical takeaways for your target audiences? Or are they simply another addition to the already crowded Instagram?
For your Instagram reels to get more views, it must fill the gap somehow.
Take the example of Tanya Khanijow for instance. There are tons of Indian travel bloggers on Instagram, but she makes her mark and is currently standing at 1M followers.
What makes her a unique travel blogger?
Her unique storytelling is reflected in each reel she posts. She also took significant initiatives towards sustainability and arranged Nigam Bodh Ghat cleaning initiatives. All are reasons why she can cut through the competition in the competitive Instagram travel blogging space and create a place of her own.
3. Engage with your post (as odd as it may sound, it works!)
While the ultimate goal of any creator is to get their followers to engage in their content, that takes time. More so if you are a new Instagram content creator, that’s why it’s standard practice to engage with your posts as soon as a reel is live.
Follow this checklist:
While many of you might find engaging with your own reel odd, it could be the starting point of initiating engagement on your reel. These activities would increase your reel’s visibility so your followers find it in their respective feeds.
Adding the reel to your story will capture followers or random visitors who might not follow you but view your story regularly. This would be an intelligent way to get them to click on the reel and increase its overall view.
4. Use original music with an occasional mix of trending music
If your original content is original, why use the same old music?
Using the same music repeatedly could affect your engagement. On the other hand, you cannot use any music of your choice, as that would increase the risks of copyright strikes.
A sweet spot is to use AI music generators to create original, royalty-free music. Creating music is as simple as possible with the right AI music generator.
All you have to do is provide a specific text prompt for the type of music you want, and the AI tool will provide you with choices. Pick your favorite, perform genre-specific editing, download it, and that’s all.
AI music generators like Beatoven.ai collaborate with musicians to source original music ethically, and you get a royalty-free music license with each piece of music. This means you won’t get copyright strikes, no matter how often you play this music online.
From time to time, also add trending music and audio to your reels. Once you create a reel and try to add music to it, Instagram already features the trending songs based on your past choices and content type:
If you want to explore further, scroll down to check the #DiscoveredOnReels section:
A perfect mix of original and trending music increases your chances of getting more Instagram reel views.
5. Structure your reels in the Hook-body-CTA format
This is applicable to any content you create—be it a write-up, a carousel, a video, or a reel. There should be a well-defined hook, information, and CTA.
The hook to capture users’ attention. It could be a number, text, or something that deeply resonates with their emotions. Here’s a crisp hook from Instagram coach Aleksa Spasic. We love how the hook communicates what to expect from this reel within three seconds. You can practice the same.
But make sure your hooks are not clickbait and are aligned with your content. That brings us to the next part of your reel, the body.
Keeping the reel as concise as possible is the key to getting more engagement. If your hook takes up to three seconds, the body should be informative and no longer than 15 seconds. Anything beyond that can bore your audiences.
Finally, make sure to add a CTA to your reel. Before concluding the reel, you must tell your audience exactly what action you want them to take after watching it.
It could be to save the reel, share the reel on their stories, visit a link, make a purchase, etc.
With a CTA, the users would get clarity, and you will gain engagement despite capturing their attention.
6. Your camera settings and editing skills matter
If Instagram content creation is your profession and you are serious about growing your follower base, you must improve the quality of your reels.
And by quality, we mean how you shoot these reels and how well you edit them. We know there are many advanced aspects to consider while shooting and editing your reels. But those apart, you can follow these essential tips to create high-quality reels:
Camera settings tips
1. Resolution – 1080p
2. FPS – 30
3. Shutter – 1/60
4. ISO – 967
5. WB – 3526K
6. Lens – Wide
Looking to buy a video camera? Here’re our recommendations.
Editing tips
And if you are too concerned about the aesthetics of your grid, make your covers well-defined so that when you look at your feed, your audiences know which reel to click on. Do A/B tests to figure out what works for your audiences
7. Do you have the right Instagram settings? Follow this checklist before uploading
Before uploading an Instagram reel, ensure your account has the right settings. Here’s a quick checklist:
8. Try out faceless reels, they work like magic
Faceless Instagram reels are doing the rounds, and if you are planning to try them out, here are a few hacks to get started:
9. Avoid deleting an Instagram reel
We know the frustration of a reel that doesn’t do as expected despite putting in much effort. And many creators often make the mistake of deleting these reels. But according to Instagram coach Brock Johnson, you shouldn’t delete a reel, and here’s why:
Above all, deleting a reel reduces the overall engagement of your profile.
10. Don’t rely on hashtags too much in 2024
Hashtags are no longer relevant in Instagram reels or any Instagram content. They in fact reduce your account’s reach. Ditch hashtags and focus on your Instagram SEO. Below are a few simple Instagram SEO hacks:
Conclusion
We hope that by now, you have an idea of how to get more views on reels. Your content always takes center stage—how it is shot, what message it conveys, how it is edited, and what music it features.
If you are looking for an original, royalty-free music source, we have just the right solution: try Beatoven.ai.
Sreyashi Chatterjee is a SaaS content marketing consultant. When she is not writing or thinking about writing, she is watching Netflix or reading a thriller novel while sipping coffee.