7 Best Practices to Drive Growth with Instagram Reels

We know that algorithms on different social platforms change all the time, and it can be difficult to know what's going to help the content we produce rank higher in order to get seen by the greatest number of people. Fortunately, Instagram recently let everyone in on some of the secrets to ensure your Reels are set up for success.

Instagram Reels Best Practices

1. Make Reels a regular part of your content calendar. Instagram recommends creating 10 or more per month on average (i.e. 2-3 per week).
2. Use a 3 second hook to capture attention. Ask a question or share something funny, relatable, or unexpected to keep people watching, and beware the "millenial pause."
3. Be relateable. Being down-to-earth, light-hearted, and even humorous can go a long way and feel much more authentic than sharing something scripted. If people watch your Reel and think "that's literally me," you're on the right track. 
4. Keep it between 30 - 60 seconds. This length tends to get better engagement and is shown to more audiences.
5. Use relevant hashtags. Trending hashtags that are relevant to the topics in your reel will help you get discovered by the right audience.
6. Use trending audio. This helps Instagram know you're participating in something already popular and helps Reels determine how content associated with that trend gets distributed.
7. Capture and upload your video in high-res. While it doesn't need to be highly polished (which can feel less authentic), good lighting and quality resolution make your content feel more high-quality.

Join Our Nonprofit Market Academy's Community

Looking for even more time-saving resources? Join our community of Loving Warriors and get access to our entire library of digital marketing resources, trainings, tips and tricks for nonprofit professionals. Visit the Nonprofit Marketing Academy to learn more.