If you are someone who opens the Instagram app and heads to the Reels section, then you know how addictive those are. Almost 76% of people who use Instagram say they use the Reels feature. That is how engaging this short-form content is. So, let us tell you how to leverage this feature for the welfare of your business and that starts with an increase in Instagram reels views.
So, how to increase views on Instagram reels? Here, we will list 20 tips to improve your reel views today, so let’s get down to business!
1. Use Trending Audio
When many creators and influencers use a specific soundtrack, that particular audio becomes trending. And the algorithm loves trends!
So if you want the algorithm gods to throw favors your way, you need to find these audio, hop on these trends, and create your own, unique take on them.
Every trend may not suit your business, and some trends might outright feel like it is meant for your business. Your job here is to analyze these trends and figure out the ones that will work for you.
2. Create Quality content
There is no substitute for quality content. So if you are thinking about cutting corners on your social media content production process, then forget it.
Here are some things that you need to keep in mind to create high-quality content:
- Make sure that the video clarity is good.
- Create content around topics that are relevant to your viewers
- Write scripts that are short, engaging, and convey your core message clearly
- Maintain an aspect ratio of 9:16
- Shoot content in well-lit areas
3. Use Trending Hashtags
Hashtags are a great way to indicate to the algorithm what topics you are discussing about. So exploring your niche to find trending hashtags that are not over-saturated can be a great way to optimize your reel content.
Predis AI’s free hashtag generator can help you get a list of hashtags you can use for your reels.
4. Create Shareable Content
Another way to increase Instagram reels views is to create content that people will share. When more people share your content, the algorithm gives your reel a natural boost and puts it in front of many more people. This can be anything from relatable memes to educational content.
In this example from Bala Bangles, we can see they are sharing content on how to effectively use their product. You can share this now with your fitness bestie and work on your New Year body goals!
5. Focus on short-form content
What does this even mean? Reels are already short-form content, right?
Well, yeah! But that does not mean you cannot make your reels shorter!
But why? In this social media era, attention spans are waning and people are on the lookout for other new, shiny things. Did you know that the attention span of a human being is only 8.25 seconds which is even shorter than that of a Goldfish’s? In such times, it does not take much to make people swipe up and move on to the next reel.
So, you need to gain the attention of your audience in the first few seconds and retain it long enough to convey the message (try to squeeze it within the first 10 seconds!)
6. Write Intriguing captions
When it comes to captions, writing long and boring ones is not the way to go. They should be small, catchy, and end with a question. Why end with a question? Only then will the user will be prompted to interact with your post.
The sweet spot when writing captions is to make them within 30 words because statistically, those are the ones that perform well. There are many AI caption generators to help you write these if you need them.
Also, Adding hashtags is also an effective way to gain reach. But do not overdo it, maintain a limit of 4 – 5 hashtags so as not to seem spammy.
7. Engage with your community
Community building is a vital step when it comes to growing your brand and an increase in Instagram reels views. And when you have a community, your reels are bound to be awaited.
Therefore, make it a point to interact with your audience. Respond to their comments, react to their mentions, and answer their questions. This two-way engagement with your community will get you more shares and views.
This brand Blogilates is an excellent example of being active with your community. They actively take feedback from their customers, work on it, and create high-quality products. As a result, they now have a tight-knit community that loves them.
8. Start with a Hook
Remember how we talked about people’s waning attention span? They lose interest within the first 10 seconds, so your best chance at retaining your audience is by catching their attention within a few seconds of your reel.
To get that to happen, you need to start with a hook. Something that will want viewers to stay and watch till the end. This can be anything from a question to an astonishing statistic.
Another way you can hook them is by having striking visuals that will make them want more. You can also display the value they will receive at the end of the video, which will be an added incentive in getting users to watch.
9. Adopt a consistent posting schedule
You do not want to end up a one-hit wonder that posts one viral reel and disappears from the face of the world. To avoid this scenario, you need to consistently post content and engage with your audience.
The Instagram algorithm too prefers to highlight accounts that post frequently. Also, you do not want your audience to end up on your profile and not have enough content to watch, right?
When having a posting schedule, it is important to take into account when your viewers are most active. Although many guides will inform you of this, it is best to experiment and find a time slot that suits your audience.
10. Make Attractive Thumbnails
We repeat this, Do not let Instagram choose your Thumbnail for you!
While you may think, it is easier that way, putting in the extra effort to create a custom thumbnail for your reels can go a long way.
You can opt to add some text regarding the context of the reel on the cover to help scrollers find the reel that you are searching for.
And what’s more? When you create your own Instagram reel covers, you get to make your feed as aesthetic as you like. Yay!
These scrumptious and attractive thumbnails from Crumbl Cookies do not just make you drool but also want you to click and take a look. Those numbers are proof of that!
11. Collab with Influencers
The average engagement rate of an influencer campaign is 4.2% which is higher than that of advertisements.
When you collaborate with Influencers of higher capacity, you tap into a new set of audiences. And since the influencer has signed off on you, you gain the trust of their audience. As a result, gain some followers of your own and subsequently an increase in Instagram reels views.
12. Use Keywords Everywhere
There is no certain way to know how the Instagram algorithm works but optimizing them as much as possible cannot hurt.
And what better way is there to optimize it than to use keywords? So use them wherever you get a chance.
Sprinkle around your keywords in your audio scripts and in your captions and hashtags as well. This way, you can catch the attention of the Instagram algorithm and put your reel up in front of many other people.
13. Find when your audience is online
When posting for your audience, you have to make sure that they are there to watch. If you are posting in times when they are not active, then your reel might not get the traction you want.
Once you post a reel, the first few minutes are very crucial and determine how much engagement your reel is going to receive. So, posting your reel in an active window gives you an upper hand.
14. Embed Reels in your Blog
The more platforms you cross-promote your reel on, the more eyeballs you have a chance of catching. This involves embedding your reel in blogs wherever they are relevant.
This way, you get people who browse for you on Instagram to view your reel, and also people who stumble upon your blog.
15. Do a Giveaway
Did you know that Instagram accounts that run giveaways tend to grow faster than pages that do not?
Well, they do! But why?
Usually, when you run a giveaway, you ask people to follow you and bring along some friends to participate in the contest. That way, you get your customers to bring in more people to follow you.
And when you have more followers, you get more reel views.
This giveaway by Krispy Kreme is a delicious one. You get to dress up AND get a glazed donut? Sign me up!
16. Take a data-driven approach to content
Analyze your reel performance!
Every step of the way, every tweak you make to the reel, every content you experimented with, and posting schedule, analyze everything. See which combination brings in more engagement.
Make sure to decode what works and what does not work. And when you find out what does work, stick to it and ride it.
Predis AI’s performance tracking dashboard is a great way for you to see which posts performed well and which did not. This way you can figure out what type of content to pursue.
Thomas Straker, an influencer and Chef identified his butter series performed well. What did he do then? He went on to create a series of kinds of butter that got him more traction, more followers, and eventually his own butter business! Now, this is what we call giving the viewers what they want.
17. Make Dynamic Content
Aesthetically pleasing and visually striking content goes a long way in Instagram (After all, it is a visually driven platform!).
So create content that is rich and includes animation. Introduce movements from time to time and make your content dynamic, so that the viewer will wait and watch.
This brand Ring Concierge pieced together multiple small videos to make a reel that is dynamic, intriguing, and captivating to look at.
18. Add a CTA
A reel is pointless if there is nothing for your viewer to do at the end but just scroll. So, make it a point to always ask your audience to do something – subscribe, follow, or share.
This is one of the easiest hacks to get more people to view your reels. And most of the time, people will help you out by liking, sharing, and commenting on your reels.
Here is a creative use of a CTA by Chipotle that you can get inspired from!
19. Use Captions
A good caption is also an important part of a reel. If you focus all your efforts on creating your reel and forget about pairing it up with a nice caption then you are totally missing out.
When writing a caption, there are some best practices for you to keep in mind, which are as follows:
- Do not use huge, flashy words. Use simple language and incorporate industry-specific language in your caption.
- Keep the core subject of your reel in the beginning itself.
- Make the caption short and sweet.
- Incorporate story-telling in your caption.
- If you need to write long captions, tell a story in an engaging way for that to work.
- Split up text into small portions so as to be easily digestible
- Frame a CTA, so the viewer can know what to do next.
- Make the content skimmable
All these principles apply to any form of written content you put out there.
20. Repurpose other social media content
Has there been any content that has gone viral on your other platforms?
A blog content that has been getting more impressions or a YouTube video that is getting more views. Repurpose that content into an Instagram reel.
You can crop out the most popular video snippets or shoot brand-new content in this theme. This way you give people what they want and in return get reel views from them.
Conclusion
The number one feature on the platform that gets the most engagement is Reels. And leveraging them properly can get your brand the recognition it deserves. These tips can help you increase Instagram reels views and improve brand engagement.
You can also leverage Predis AI’s Instagram reel maker tool to create and automate your social media posting schedule. With innumerable templates to create your own reel or AI capabilities to generate one in a matter of seconds, you have many options to pursue. So, get started today!
FAQ:
There may be many reasons for your Instagram reel views to be low such as low-quality content, poor post timing, or fewer followers. To combat these issues create content that is relevant to your audience and optimize it for Instagram Algorithm.
Generally, Reels posted on Weekdays from Monday to Thursday perform better when compared to weekends. You can focus on early mornings and mid-days to get the most amount of engagement. However, this might differ from industry to industry and should be subjected to experimentation.
Entertaining, visually striking content that is short is usually welcomed in the Instagram landscape. You can focus on relatable content, trending challenges, tutorials, and other fun content to reach more people.
