IN THIS CHAPTER

Getting ready to create reels

Uploading videos

Editing your reel

Sharing your reel with others

Using Reels Insights

As mentioned in Chapter 12, the Instagram Reels feature was rolled out to keep up with TikTok’s rapidly growing audience. As such, much of the functionality of Instagram Reels is similar to TikTok. In this chapter, we go over how to gather ideas, upload and record reels, edit reels, and share them with your audience.

Doing the Preproduction Work

Crafting a well-produced reel that gets many views takes some planning. First, you need to know a little about the specs of reels, and then you need to plan what kind of content you’re going to have in your reels.

Reels are short-form video content, in full 9:16 portrait mode, and they can be up to 90 seconds long. When you create reels, you can

• Film them directly in the Reels camera or upload them from your camera roll on your mobile device
• Film them as one full take or a series of takes stitched together
• View them on mobile devices or from a desktop computer

The way you create the reel depends on your intention. So the first step for gathering ideas for reels is to set your intentions. Are you doing them for fun, promoting your business, trying to become an influencer, sharing a hobby, or educating people?

Once you set your intention, start watching the accounts that have a similar intention and pay attention to what draws you in. Make a list of the attributes that attract you to that content, which may be things such as the following:

• Trending audio clips
• Dance moves
• Humor
• Transitions
• Text overlays

Think about how you can incorporate the things you like into a reel that is unique to you!

Recording and Uploading Videos to Reels

Recording and uploading reels is not unlike uploading other videos to Instagram. Here’s how to get started:

1. Open Instagram Reels by swiping right on the newsfeed then swiping left in the menu to select Reel or by tapping the + sign at the top of the newsfeed and then tapping Reel.

2. Make sure the setting at the bottom of the screen is set to Reel before you record.

   To film a reel, you want to hold your phone vertically.

3. Change settings by tapping the appropriate icon located on the left side of the reels screen, as shown in Figure 13-1.

   You have to select your settings before you record. Except for audio, you can’t go back and add or edit clips for the following features after you’ve recorded them:

   • Audio (music note icon): Search for an audio file to add to your reel. The saved audio will be available to you under the Music Note when you create a Reel under a button called Saved.
   • Effects (three-stars icon): Scroll through the various filters available to the left and right of the reels camera button to enhance your image. (This may also appear above the white record button for some users.)
   • Length (icon showing 15 within a circle): Choose a 15-, 30-, 60-, or 90-second length for your reel.
   • Speed (1x icon): Open a menu and select from one of six speed settings. The default is 1x.
   • Layouts (Square with a rectangle and two squares icon): Open the Layout feature and choose different layouts for your reel.
   • Timer (stopwatch icon): Open the Timer window to set the timer for hands-free recording.
   • Dual (camera icon): Allows you to record both your forward-facing and selfie-facing view on the same reel as a picture in picture.

4. Record your clip by tapping and holding down on the white circle button at the bottom of the screen.

   You can record up to 90 seconds (if the 90-second button is chosen). As you record, a red line circles around the white camera button indicating your progress.

   

5. Add more than one clip by recording using the white button, letting go, and then pressing the white button again to record another clip.

   You can shoot as many clips as you want as long as they total less than 90 seconds (or whichever time you selected). When you record multiple clips, you’ll notice breaks in the red circle indicating the start of each new clip as shown in Figure 13-2.

If you have previously recorded vertical video, you can also upload videos from your camera roll. The platform supports videos, images, or graphics. To access your camera roll, tap the square with the blue + sign in the lower-left corner of the screen (refer to Figure 13-2). Then tap the content you want to upload from the camera roll screen. If you upload a video longer than 90 seconds or longer than the amount of time left in your current reels video, the uploaded video is trimmed to the allowed time. Select the portion of the video to upload and tap the Add button in the upper-right corner of the screen to add it to your Reels creation. If you want to add several videos, repeat the steps and continue to click Add, you’ll see how much time is left in the progress bar around the white button (iPhone) or a progress bar across the top (Android).

Make sure you choose the correct amount of time for your reel from the start when recording. If you choose a 15-second reel, and you film a longer video, the video gets trimmed at the 15-second mark. This does not apply to uploads, however, as long as they are under the max of 90 seconds.

Adding Finesse to Your Reels

There are many fun ways to edit and enhance your reels. You can add audio, trim your videos to show only certain parts of a video in a reel, add text, and include transitions between sections of the video.

Finding trending audio

Using trending audio that’s on the rise (versus overplayed) is a great way to get more views on your reel. There are a few ways you can find trending audio:

• Watch a bunch of reels and take note of which audio clips you hear the most. You can find out the name of the audio by looking at the bottom left of the screen when you are watching reels in the reels section (not your main feed). Trending audio will also have an arrow pointing up next to the name of the audio. (See Figure 13-3.)
  • To save the audio for later use, tap the name of the audio clip or tap the square at the bottom right of the screen while watching the Reel. Find out more about adding audio to a reel in the “Recording and Uploading Videos to Your Reels” section earlier in this chapter.
  • On the next screen, tap Save Audio. You can also watch other Reels in this area that have used this same audio. This is an easy way to get some new ideas!
• You can also find audio that Instagram is suggesting for you by going to create a Reel and tapping on the music note icon at the top of the menu on the left. Doing so shows you a For You area (see Figure 13-4) to choose from.
• Visit tokboard.com/ to find TikTok trending audio. (TikTok tends to take the lead on trending audio, and then it migrates over to Instagram days to weeks later, so the trendiest audio can often be found on TikTok first.) The site lists the top songs of the week on TikTok, along with the audio clip so you can listen to it right there. If you find an audio clip you like, take note of the name of it and then search for it under the Music Note when you create your next Reel.

Trimming and deleting clips

Once you’ve recorded or uploaded a video clip as a reel, you can easily trim your clips as needed:

1. Record or upload your video(s) to Reels as described in the earlier section of this chapter.
2. Replay the clip(s) by tapping the Next button.
3. Trim the clip(s) by tapping the Edit Clips button in the bottom left of the screen and tapping the clip you want to edit (if there are multiple clips).
4. Use the handles on either side of the clip to trim the clip, as shown in Figure 13-5.

5. When you’re finished, tap the clip that’s on screen to go back to your main screen or click on the All Clips button under your clip to go back and view all of them.

   In the editing screen, you can also reorder multiple clips by tapping and holding on to them, then sliding them left or right, or delete the entire clip by tapping the Delete button.

Adding and timing text

Reels often include text to let users know what the reel is about. Follow these instructions to add text and synchronize the text to particular parts of the video:

1. Record or upload a video in Reels; then tap Next.
2. Tap the Aa icon on the top of the screen, and start typing.
3. Change the fonts by scrolling through the available fonts above the keyboard.
4. Change the color of the text by tapping the color wheel at the top of the screen, then choosing a color (see Figure 13-6).

   

5. Change the background of the text by tapping the A at the middle of the top of the screen.
6. Make the text move on the screen by tapping the A that looks like it’s in motion.
7. Tap Done once the text is the way you’d like it.
8. At the bottom of the screen, you see a repeat of your text in an oval (see Figure 13-7). Tap that, and use the white handles at either end of the video to place the text on the correct spot of the video.
9. Tap Next to go to the Share screen, or tap the back arrow in the top left of your screen to upload or record more clips.

You can also add stickers, polls, location information, GIFs and more to a reel. These capabilities, which are the same for stories and reels, are covered in-depth in Chapter 8.

Creating a transition

A transition is an effect that helps you move from one scene to the next or grab someone’s attention. There are manual ways to create a transition, but the easiest way is to use one of the effects (filters) offered within reels. The effect will often direct you to do something, like move your ahead to trigger the transition effect.

Popular transition effects include the following:

• Warp
• Spin
• Scan
• Zoom
• Duplicate
• Selfie Skit
• Body Dynamic
• Freeze Frame

Here’s how to access them:

1. Open Instagram stories by swiping right then swiping left in the menu at the bottom to select Reel, or by tapping the + sign and then tapping Reel at the top of the newsfeed.
2. Make sure the setting at the bottom of the new screen is set to Reel and that your phone is in the vertical orientation.
3. Tap Effects on the left side of your screen (iPhone) or above the white record button (Android) (see Figure 13-8).
4. In the magnifying glass area located at the left of the effects screen, type in Transition.
5. Tap on a transition effect and it will be applied as a filter to your reel (see Figure 13-9).
6. Record your video using that transition. The effect should have a simple instruction with it to show you how it works.

Using the New Reel (Share) Screen to its Full Potential

When you have your reel the way you want it, you’re ready to share it with the world. At the bottom right of the reels screen (you will see Edit Clips at the bottom left), tap Next to access the New Reel screen, and then use these steps:

1. Use any of the following features to enhance your reel if you’d like:
   • Change the cover photo: Tap the cover thumbnail image and then tap an image at the bottom of the screen to select a frame from the reel. You can also add an image from your camera roll (iOS) or gallery (Android), as shown in Figure 13-10.

     

   • Adjust the profile photo: On the Edit Cover screen tap the Profile Grid tab (see Figure 13-11). You can drag the photo within the cropping box to select the view that will be shown on your profile page. Tap Done when you are finished.

     

   • Write a caption: Tap in the Write a caption box that appears below the thumbnail of your reel and then type your caption. As with a feed post, you can write up to 2,200 characters and 30 hashtags.
   • Tag people: Tap on the arrow to add a tag, or invite someone to collaborate with you. (Read more about collaborating in the “Collabing with a friend” section later in this chapter.)
   • Rename audio: Tap on the arrow and enter a new name for your audio; then tap Done.
   • Add location: Tap on the arrow and then search for the location to tag, or tap one of the locations listed below the search bar.
   • Add Fundraiser (may not be available to all users yet): Tap the arrow and choose a nonprofit by searching or choosing a nonprofit from the list. You can also choose a goal donation amount and ask others to collaborate.

   • Recommend on Facebook: Tap the arrow to set whether the reel will also be shown on Facebook Reels. When the button is toggled to blue, the reel may be shown to users watching reels on Facebook.

     If you’re not ready to share the post publicly, tap Save Draft at the bottom of the screen to save the video file so you can edit it later. To access a saved draft, open your Instagram profile and tap the Reels icon directly above the grid of posts. Any drafts you have will appear at the top left of your other draft thumbnails. Tap Drafts to see your available drafts. In the Reels Drafts screen, tap the thumbnail image for the video to access it.

2. To share your reel to Instagram Reels tap Share (see Figure 13-12).

   If you’d also like to share the reel to your Instagram feed, make sure the Also Share to Feed option is toggled to blue; otherwise, it will only be shown in the reels feed and on your profile.

Collabing with a friend

Sometimes two heads are better than one. Grab a friend, either close by or far away, to do a collaboration, also known as a “collab.” Instagrammers often collab from completely different places, each creating part of a reel and then splicing it together during the editing process. We discuss more about editing earlier in the chapter in the “Adding Finesse to Your Reels” section.

A collab is also used widely by influencers. The influencer may be the only person filming the reel, but they can tag another person or business by selecting the Tag People option on the New Reel screen (see Figure 13-13) to collaborate with them. Then select Invite Collaborator (see Figure 13-14) to send a notification to whom you’d like to collaborate. The person tagged gets a notification about the request for the collaboration, and if they accept, the reel gets shown on both accounts.

Remixing a Reel

Remix is a video-editing feature that allows you to collab with another user to film reactionary reels that appear side by side with the original reel. You can remix any Instagram reel, as long as the original creator has enabled Remix access.

To allow others to remix your reel, do the following:

1. Go to the three lines at the top of your profile page.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Tap Privacy.
4. Tap Reels and Remix.
5. On the Reels and Remix Controls page, choose whether you’d like everyone to have permission to remix your reels, people you follow only, or no one. (See Figure 13-15).
6. Make sure the Allow for Reels button is toggled to blue.

Making Use of Reels Insights

A newer feature that will surely be of interest to marketers and influencers is Reel Insights. You can now see how many views, likes, comments, shares, and saves happened on each reel. The insights also let you know how many accounts were reached by that reel. (See Figure 13-16.)

You can access Reels Insights by tapping on one of your Reels from your Reels profile tab, tapping the three dots on the lower right side of the screen, and then tapping Insights.