7 Simple Hacks To Improve Your Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels is the perfect place to post creative video content and engage with your audience on Instagram at the same time. If you’re looking for tips and tricks to help improve the performance of your Reels, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll reveal some of the most basic hacks to help you grow your engagement in no time…

7 Simple Hacks To Improve Your Instagram Reels

Original Content is King

Instagram has said again and again that its algorithm favors original content. And with millions of people using the platform every day, you want to stand out. As someone looking to break through the noise, that means you need to create engaging videos that will grab the attention of your audience and hold on tight.

We’ve talked about it before, but we’ll say it again. Find your niche. Master it. Going in with everyone in the world in mind is a losing game. Especially as an artist, your niche gives you power. Stick to it and rise up among the ranks. Whether that means posting videos on making synth wave beats, how you hand paint all your guitars, or a sneak peak into how you write lyrics, use your unique skills to your advantage.

Can’t think of anything? Check out, “Instagram Reel Ideas To Engage Your Fans Right Now”.

Lose The TikTok Watermark

Because Instagram prefers original content, anything created on another app and transferred over with a watermark isn’t going to cut it. They even announced publicly that, “content that is visibly recycled from other apps (i.e. contains logos or watermarks) makes the Reels experience less satisfying. So, we’re making this content less discoverable…”.

Here are two ways to easily remove a TikTok watermark:

• Before uploading your final video to TikTok, make sure to screen record it. Then, you can crop the screen recording in your photo album to remove the TikTok watermark.
• Download and use a watermark removal tool like Snaptik or Apowersoft.

Include Closed Captions

It’s no secret that many of us skim videos on social media on silent. In fact, it’s been proven that 85% Facebook users watch videos with the sound off. If you want to reach as many people as possible, you want to be inclusive of all your viewers watching habits and add in subtitles. Although this obviously helps those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, it also just increases engagement overall.

Luckily, it’s also super easy to do. All you have to do is type your audio into text boxes and show them on-screen throughout your video.

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Expand your mind…

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Utilize Instagram’s Creative Tools

Instagram continues to update their creative tools for creators as the app evolves and updates with time. Utilizing tools like the text, filter, and camera effects all help boost your video within the algorithm.

Share Reels in Your Feed

Did you know that sharing Reels in your Feed is one of the best ways to boost its engagement? It really does. Not only that, it’s been proven to increase the reach of your content, too. This easy step really makes a difference and should definitely be added to your best practices. — Just follow regular the posting guidelines in our, “Best Times To Post on Social Media” article to get the most traction on it as possible, and you’re good to go.

Note: If you’re someone who likes consistent imagery within your feed, no problem. Just change the cover photo to match your aesthetic. ✨

Post Consistently

Everyone says it, but it really is true. Consistency really is key. (4-7 Reels a week is preferred.)

Include Hashtags

Ideally, you should be using 3-5 hashtags on your Reels.

Doing so helps the algorithm better understand your content and share it with the appropriate audiences. Just like you’d search a term into Google and see the recommended phrases that come up, you can use the search bar on the top of the Explore page to find popular hashtags for whatever vibe you’re looking for. For example, #songwriter, #musicindustry, #musician, are all popular on my account. When in doubt, this is the easiest hack for hashtags.

Want to learn more?

• How to Create Instagram Reels with Your Music
• How to Make Your Own Instagram AR Filters
• How to Use TikTok’s Video Editor for Instagram Stories