How to Work Instagram Reels: Everything you Need to Know 2023

There is no doubt that the growth of TikTok in recent months has been unstoppable, and it is becoming one of the most downloaded and used apps around the world.

The Chinese application for sharing short videos wants to position itself in the first place by number of downloads and users worldwide. But these data are not so positive for Facebook, the company that owns Instagram, which wants to continue to maintain the first position in terms of social networks.

Leaving aside the controversies at the political level of TikTok, which has been involved in more than one in recent times, Instagram also wants to get on the bandwagon of short videos so as not to be left behind. In his day he had success doing something similar thanks to the creation of Stories, which he wanted to unseat Snapchat , and he succeeded.

But if we talk about creating a short video tool, this is not the multinational’s first attempt. He already tried it with Lasso for Facebook , although it was unsuccessful and the tool stopped working in July of this year. Well this time he wants to try his luck again, and launches Instagram Reels as a direct competition from TikTok.

He will be successful? Do you want to know in more detail what it is about? Well, read on because we are going to analyze Instagram Reels and all its details.

How to work Instagram reels

Instagram Reels has recently landed , at the beginning of August 2021, after having been operating in Brazil for several months. The main idea of ​​this application is to upload short videos of a maximum duration of 15 seconds to the IG platform .

Videos are fully customizable thanks to editing, the use of filters, music and effects based on artificial intelligence. Unlike stories , which last 24 hours, the clips uploaded in this new feature will remain in your feed (if you decide to do so), in a separate tab as happens with IGTV videos.

How Instagram Reels Work: Complete Guide

If you have used TikTok at some point, surely everything we are telling you so far is a bit familiar. The operation of Instagram Reels is also similar to the Chinese app, although it has certain peculiarities that we want to tell you about.

So, if you are an Instagramer and want to explore new ways to use the platform, don’t miss a single detail of the use of this new tool.

How to create Reels step by step

To start with the creation you need to have an IG account and access it with your username and password. To make the Reels function appear, as it is new, check that your app is up to date. If not, update it on the Play Store or App Store, and get ready to kick-start all your inspiration!

  1. Once inside your Instagram account, open the camera as if you were going to upload a new story .
  2. When the camera opens, all the available options will appear on that same screen: Create, make a Live , and the new Reels.
  3. The icon you will see is a movie clapperboard with the play symbol in the middle , and in the pink and orange colors of the platform. So if you see that, you are in the right place.
  4. On the left of that screen you will have all the options available to add to your clip before starting the recording.
  5. Choose the music available on IG that you want to play, and the exact moment of the song, the recording speed, the effects, the seconds of video, etc.
  6. Start recording by pressing the button that you will find in the middle of the screen. During the duration of the recording, you can stop and resume the video at the same point where you left it as many times as you want.
  7. Once the video is finished, you can edit it a little more with all the Instagram options, such as gifs, stickers, questions, location , everything you have available for Stories!
  8. It only remains to share your creation. We will explain it to you in the next section.

How to share your Reels

You have already done the steps to make your Reels, and you have been able to see that they have many things in common than when making Instagram Stories. Well, to share them the process is also very similar, but we are going to see it in detail:

  1. When you carry out all the steps in the previous section, you will reach the ” Share ” screen
  2. Here you have the option to put a small description and include the appropriate hashtags for that content.
  3. You can change the cover of your reel : for this you can use a thumbnail of the clip, or choose a photo from the image gallery.
  4. Your reel will be shared on the Explore Reels page. If your IG account is private, you will not have this option.
  5. You also have the option to check the “Share on your Feed” box. With this, your contacts will see this new content on your profile.
  6. You can even share the same content on Stories . Although in the latter case, the video will behave in the same way as normal Instagram stories, and will disappear in 24 hours.

How to watch other people’s Reels

You already know how to share your Reels, but how can you see the creations that other people share?

We tell you that, with this new functionality, IG has included this feature in the “Explore” function . To access it, you just have to go to the magnifying glass that appears at the bottom of the screen, and see the clips that Instagram recommends.

The videos that you will see with this option are based on the learning that the app’s algorithm has had with your interactions. So you will see posts similar to those you have previously liked, shared or commented on.

How to view the reels of a specific person

But if you want to see the Reels of a specific person (yes, we love gossip), you can do it the same way you do to see their photos or IGTV videos. That is, you will have to access their profile, and in the Feed you will see all their content.

If you are only interested in their short videos, and not the rest of the content they publish, Instagram offers you the possibility to see them all in the same tab. In that person’s profile, you will see the Reels icon (the clapperboard with the play in the middle), and that is where these clips are stored and arranged.

How is Reels different from TikTok?

So far, everything we’ve seen about Reels is very similar to the functionality that TikTok has. Although we must not forget that IG has many more tools, such as the initial one to share photos, stories, IGTV and the power to make Direct and share them later in your Feed.

Another difference between these two platforms is the length of the clips. While videos have a duration of 15 seconds with Reels, with TikTok it is possible to upload content of up to 60 seconds.

Another important aspect is the subject of music. You will already know that you have to be especially careful with the music that is uploaded to digital platforms for copyright reasons. The truth is that Facebook, owner of Instagram, has recently announced that it is working with music brands and agencies to obtain the necessary licenses to play more music on their platforms.

This, although we do not know for sure today, it may mean that IG Reels has more musical options than TikTok , such as the use of Spotify songs, which is already a reality.

To see more differences, we will have to wait to see how this new functionality develops.

Why should you (or shouldn’t you) use Reels?

It is possible that Reels was born from the need for Facebook not to be left behind and face its great competitor in this area, such as the Chinese giant TikTok. Even so, this new launch may bring some other benefit to ordinary people , like you and the Techtaks.com team.

If you are an Instagramer or use the platform to publicize your personal brand and / or company, this is one more option to take into account and grow your number of followers on Instagram . Although do not lose sight of the fact that the engagement of your followers is more important than the followers you may have.

Also, if you start using this functionality right now, you will be one of the pioneers to use it , so your content will be shown to more people in the “Explore” section. This way, you can connect with an audience that is really interested in your content and grow on the platform.

If, on the other hand, your use of IG is to share photos with your friends, you can use this tool if you find it fun, and laugh for a while creating all the clips you want.

How Reels can help you in your marketing campaign

As we discussed in the previous section, if Instagram is part of your marketing strategy, now you can also add Reels within your campaigns . Would you like to know some tricks to use this functionality and get the most out of it? Here we go then!

Create original content, of value, and that shows your human part

In the same way that happens with Stories, IG Reels are a good option to show your most human side , forgetting a bit of “perfection” that we often show in the main Feed.

In marketing it is always said that products are not bought, that purchases are made thanks to the stories and people behind them . It’s your time to unleash who you are and for your audience to connect with you!

Share educational content

Related to the previous point, in IG, as in any social network, you do not have to always be selling (that strategy does not work and tires your audience). That is why this new tool is a perfect option for sharing short educational videos that have to do with your brand and / or company.

For example, if you sell makeup, you can do small tutorials to learn how to do makeup. And similar clips with your niche!

Show the products and / or services you sell

This option is also a great idea to show what you have to offer. If you sell products, why not make content showing some tricks for that product? In the case of services, what do you think about the process you use to offer the best quality?

Also, using the right hashtags, you will reach people who are really interested in what you offer, and you will not have to worry about who unfollows you on Instagram . Do not lose anything by trying, don’t you think?

Leave a Comment