Now that you’ve learned a little more about Instagram Reels in Part 1 of our Instagram Reels 101, it’s time for the fun part—creating one of your own! Making a Reel and sharing with friends, coworkers or the Instagram world at large is similar to creating an Instagram Story; its creative editing tools and camera functionality share the same basic UI, so while the tools themselves differ, it’s pretty intuitive if you’re already using Instagram Stories.
Creating Your Reel
Ok, let’s get started! First, go to your Instagram camera and choose Reels from the platforms at the bottom. Like Stories, the creative editing toolbar will appear on the left side of the screen to help you craft your Reel. Then, decide if you want to record an original video clip using the Instagram camera app, or upload an existing video from your library. If you’re uploading an existing video, you’ll still be able to use all the editing tools just like you would for an original video.
Starting from the top of the toolbar, here are the basic functionalities of each tool so you can experiment with your Reel and finesse it to your satisfaction.
Length
Choose how long you want your Reel to be. It’s preset to :15, so if you prefer to use the maximum :30, simply touch the icon and it will switch to the :30 setting, then hit the Record button at the bottom of the screen once you’re ready to film.
Audio
Tap this icon to search for a song from Instagram’s music library and, once you’ve found the perfect track, move the slider at the bottom of the screen to crop the part of the song you want to feature in your Reel.
Voice
Adding voiceovers is a common audio option on Reels, often used for giving instructions on how to use a product or detailing the ingredients and instructions for a recipe. Be sure to include subtitles for those who are hearing impaired or consume the content with audio off.
One important note: if you are using your business account to create a Reel, you will not be able to utilize popular songs due to copyright infringement. However, you can still use audio—it just has to be original, recorded by you in your Reel. A nice bonus to recording original audio is that when you share your Reel, the audio will be attributed to you, meaning others can use your track if you have a public account. That could boost engagement and eyes on your brand if users spark to your audio and click over to your profile to find out more about your business.
Speed
Choose the speed at which you want your Reel to play. There are 5 possible settings: .3, .5, 1x, 2x, 3x and 4x. The first two are for slow motion, while the last four speed things up by the numeral listed. This tool is useful if you’re setting your Reel to a song and want to stay on a certain beat or linger on your brand’s product or offering for longer, or simply want to include more content. Speeding things up can help convey a transition, like walking into a home quickly, then slowing down to normal speed once inside to begin a virtual home tour.
Effects
If you’re looking to give your Reel some added pizzazz or want to overlay a special kind of filter, illustration, sticker or mask, this tool lets you choose from many effects both from Instagram and other creators. Scroll left through the gallery of pre-seeded effects; when the effect passes under your Record button, you’ll see a sneak peek of how it will come to life on-screen. If you want even more effect options, simply tap the Search feature at the end of the featured effects list, which will take you to a larger Effect Gallery created by users all over the world.
Depending on your brand’s personality and tone, adding effects can help showcase creativity, embellish your Reel and make it stand out to potential clients or customers.
Touch Up
Though this tool isn’t as robust as the Effects Gallery, it is important for Reels where you’re putting yourself or others on camera. It’s essentially a cosmetic retouching feature, allowing you to use the slider to make skin look clear and smooth, which is handy to have if you’re using your Reel to promote your business, conduct a mini-interview or tour, or do a product demo. Simply drag the slider up or down to choose the level of touch up intensity.
Timer
This tool gives you the option to record a Reel hands-free. Tap on it to engage and select the length you want your Reel to be. Then when you hit Record, a 3-2-1 countdown will appear on screen just before your video starts recording. This is a useful feature if you are speaking to the camera, performing a demo or capturing a moment where timing is crucial.
Align
If you’re recording a series of clips for one Reel, this is the tool you’ll need to help with smooth transitions between clips. Once you start recording the first clip, the Align icon will appear below the timer. Tap it to overlay your next clip as closely as possible to the first one, then hit Record again and repeat for however many clips you want your Reel to have. If your Reel, for example, is a home tour, with each clip showcasing a different room or home feature, aligning each so that you give the impression of moving seamlessly between rooms helps for a smoother Reel that your clients or potential buyers will want to watch and share.
Make Final Edits
Once you have recorded your Reel and added any effects or touch ups, you can still continue to edit it to perfection. Simply tap the Edit icon next to the Record button, and you’ll be able to add text, GIFs, emojis, draw on the video, adjust your audio volume and add voiceover to further finesse and polish it. Not ready to publish? No problem, leave your Reel in drafts to edit or publish later.
Share your Reel
Once you’re satisfied with your Reel, it’s time to share it with the world! Choose your cover image, which can either be an image from your video or an image you upload separately, then write a caption for it. When you’re ready to post, Instagram will give you the option to upload it to the Explore tab, where any user can view it, post it to your feed or send to a friend. Remember, as we pointed out in Part 1 of this series, the more places you post to, the higher your exposure will be, so uploading to both your feed as a post and in the Explore tab will get more eyes on your Reel.
One More Thing
In all things related to social media, change is a constant. Recently announced, Instagram’s latest feature called Remix is similar to TikTok’s Duets. Both offer a way to record your video alongside a video from another user. While you don’t need to adopt every new capability, you do want to stay on top of the trends that resonate with your desired audience. And when it’s a fit for your brand, early adoption can mean elevated visibility in that smaller initial group that participates.
We hope this guide provides a great start for you to use Reels as an additional marketing tool to grow your business or brand. It’s a smart platform you can leverage in diverse ways to capture a larger audience, spark engagement with potential clients, and showcase your company as leading-edge and up-to-the-minute in today’s ever-changing digital world. So get inspired and put your creativity and ingenuity on display with your very own Reel!
Ready to put the power of Reels to work for your brand? Let’s talk strategy for getting you there! Connect with Barbara at barbara@wickmarketing.com or (512) 479-9834.
