The Finest Instagram Reel Size for Max Engagement

Overlook about square-shaped photographs. As of late, Instagram is a hub for video content material, and Reels is leading the shift. For the reason that Instagram Reels size runs from 15 to 60 seconds, these brief movies are an opportunity to shortly seize customers’ consideration.
Not like Instagram Tales, Reels gained’t disappear after 24 hours and are typically a lot shorter than the usual Instagram Stay video.
However how lengthy ought to an Instagram Reel truly be? Are long-form movies higher for engagement and attain, or are you higher off sticking to shorter Reel lengths? Right here’s why video size issues and how you can discover the most effective Instagram Reels size on your viewers.
Why does Instagram Reel length matter?
The length of your Instagram Reels can impression how many individuals interact with them. Whenever you discover the suitable size on your Reels, the algorithm works to your benefit. Which means new customers will uncover your Reels!
The Instagram Reels algorithm favors Reels that:
- Have excessive engagement (likes, shares, feedback, saves, and watch time).
- Use authentic audio you create or discover on Reels or music from the Instagram music library.
- Are full-screen vertical movies. Be sure you keep on with that 9:16 facet ratio!
- Use inventive instruments like textual content, filter or digicam results.
Ideally, you need folks to rewatch your Reels in order that Instagram counts the a number of views. You additionally need folks to interact along with your Reels by liking, sharing, saving, and commenting. Reels must hit the candy spot in size so that individuals stay and don’t exit to observe one thing else.
Reels which can be too lengthy would possibly trigger your viewers to disengage and drop off. This tells the algorithm that your content material isn’t attention-grabbing sufficient. Shorter Reels that individuals rewatch inform the algorithm that your content material is efficacious and may end up in it being proven to new customers.
However shorter isn’t at all times higher. In case your product demo Reel lasts seven seconds, it is likely to be arduous to offer any worth to your viewers. Individuals gained’t rewatch and so they’ll skip to a different Reel. The algorithm will take this as an indication that your content material isn’t participating.
So what’s the finest Reels size? You guessed it — it relies upon.
It boils all the way down to discovering the suitable Reel size on your content material and viewers. Whenever you nail that, you’ll have a greater probability of showing in new Instagram feeds and rising your engagement.
How lengthy are Instagram Reels in 2022?
Formally, Instagram Reels may be from 15 to 60 seconds lengthy. Nevertheless, in some instances, Reels can be as long as 90 seconds. As of early Could 2022, choose customers have already got entry to this longer Reels size.
If different social media videos are any indication, the utmost size of Instagram Reels will solely proceed to extend. TikTok, for instance, at present permits movies of as much as ten minutes.
Find out how to arrange the size of your Reels
Altering the size of your Reels is straightforward. The default time restrict is 60 seconds, however you’ll be able to alter it to fifteen or 30 seconds, relying in your preferences. In some instances, the max size of your Instagram Reels can go as much as 90 seconds.
Right here’s how you can arrange the size of your Reels:
1. Open Instagram and faucet the Reels icon on the backside of the display screen.
2. Choose the digicam icon on the prime of the display screen to achieve your Instagram digicam.
3. On the left of the display screen, faucet the icon with 30 inside
4. You possibly can then select between 15, 30, and 60 seconds.
5. When you’ve chosen your time restrict, you’re prepared to begin recording and editing your Reel.
What’s the most effective Instagram Reel size for attain and engagement?
Though Instagram is secretive concerning the excellent Reel size, Adam Mosseri has been clear that Reels themselves are key. Instagram can be testing a brand new immersive feed that might be extra video-focused. Partaking video Reels have gotten central to the Instagram app expertise.
And actually, there’s no one-size-fits-all reply. The perfect size for Instagram Reels will rely on the kind of content material you’re posting and your viewers’s preferences.
Irrespective of the size of your Reel, the important thing second with Reels occurs throughout the first couple of seconds. Right here customers will resolve in the event that they need to preserve watching or not — so hook your viewers in from the start!
As Mireia Boronat, Senior Content material Advertising and marketing Government at The Social Shepherd says, content material is essential for increased engagement. It’s all about offering essentially the most worth to your viewers within the shortest timeframe potential.
“An excellent Reel relies on the content material itself and never the size. If the content material isn’t participating and relatable sufficient, it gained’t carry out.”
Keep in mind that brief Reels additionally loop extra often, pushing up your view rely and serving to extra customers uncover your Reel.
“As a common rule, it’s good to stay to 7 to fifteen seconds, as brief Reels are inclined to loop and can rely as a number of views. Then, the algorithm picks up that your video is getting many views and pushes it to extra customers.”
– Mireia Boronat
When doubtful, go away your viewers wanting extra. They’ll be extra more likely to preserve watching and engaging with your other Reels, sending the algorithm constructive indicators about your content material.
Find out how to discover the most effective Instagram Reel size on your viewers
Like most issues in social media advertising and marketing, it’ll take trial and error earlier than discovering the most effective Instagram Reel size on your viewers. Don’t simply publish a video for the sake of posting — take time to investigate its efficiency. You’ll determine your excellent Reel size extra shortly
Use these 5 ideas that can assist you discover the most effective Instagram Reel size on your audience.
Test what’s working on your rivals
Doing a little competitor evaluation may also help you determine what’s more likely to work on your content material too. Have a look at the kind of Reels they’re often posting and which of them are inclined to carry out finest.
To seek out any account’s Reels, faucet on the Reels icon discovered on the profile:
When you’re within the Reels space of the account, you’ll be able to have a look at what number of views every Reel has:
Now you will get an thought of which of the account’s Reels are inclined to carry out the most effective. Are they brief and relatable Reels? Are they minute-long how-to movies? Be aware of the size of these top-performing Reel varieties.
Within the instance above, Hootsuite’s most-watched Reel is a brief relatable Reel on texts that give social media managers a coronary heart assault.
To analyze this Reel additional, you’ll be able to faucet on it and see the variety of likes and feedback. You may also learn the caption and its hashtags:
Supply: Instagram
Repeat this course of with just a few rivals. Quickly, you’ll be capable of draw some conclusions about which Reel lengths have the most effective engagement in your trade.
When you’ve gathered some insights, begin constructing your Reels technique. Be sure to be authentic, although — these insights are solely inspiration. Then go on the market and create one thing higher!
Check completely different Reel lengths
You possibly can’t determine the most effective Reel size with out experimenting a little bit. Whereas brief Reels is likely to be the safer possibility, lengthy Reels may also drive engagement and attain. All of it will depend on the standard of your content material and the way your viewers responds.
Attempt specializing in brief and candy Reels whenever you’re simply getting began. Thus far, the most viewed Reel has racked up 289 million views and over 12 million likes — and is simply 9 seconds lengthy.
Should you’ve acquired a well-defined area of interest, you’ll be able to possible get away with publishing longer Reels. Simply be sure to’re intentional when selecting which Reels ought to final 30 seconds plus and that are higher off being simply 15 seconds.
French pastry chef Pierre-Jean Quino clearly has a extremely engaged viewers. He often publishes longer behind-the-scenes Reels shot in his kitchen.
This 31-second Reel has 716,000 views and over 20,000 feedback. It’s further spectacular, contemplating the chef’s follower rely is round 88,000:
Social media mentor and coach Shannon McKinstrie encourages testing wherever potential.
“I’ve examined and examined and examined, and I might encourage each Instagram consumer to do the identical. Each account is completely different. And whereas my longer Reels (45-60 seconds) nonetheless do very properly, they don’t sometimes get as many views as my Reels which can be below 10 seconds.
However what I’ve discovered total is what it actually comes all the way down to is the standard of the content material you’re sharing and if it resonates along with your viewers or not. Irrespective of how lengthy your Reel is, if it’s good content material, folks will proceed to observe (and also you’ll see your views go up & up).”
– Shannon McKinstrie
Analyze your previous efficiency
Upon getting just a few Reels below your belt, evaluate their efficiency. Which Reel lengths have been most profitable on your viewers?
Monitoring the efficiency of your Reels may also help you perceive your wins, be taught from what didn’t go so properly, and create extra of what your viewers loves.
Whenever you’re utilizing Insights to guage the most effective Reels size, regulate these metrics:
- Accounts reached. The variety of Instagram customers who noticed your Reel a minimum of as soon as.
- Performs. The full variety of occasions your Reel has been performed. Performs might be increased than accounts reached if customers watch your Reel greater than as soon as.
- Likes. What number of customers favored your Reel.
- Feedback. The variety of feedback in your Reel.
- Saves. What number of customers bookmarked your Reel.
- Shares. The variety of occasions customers shared your Reel to their Story or despatched it to a different consumer.
Find out how to view Reels Insights
To view Instagram Insights, go to your profile and faucet the Insights tab under your bio:
Bear in mind, Insights are solely out there for Business or Creator accounts. It’s straightforward to modify account varieties in your settings –– there’s no follower rely requirement, and any account can change.
Faucet Accounts Reached within the Overview space.
The Attain breakdown is on your account as an entire, together with Reels. This reveals how Reels contribute to your total attain and engagement.
You may also see your top-performing Reels for the final seven days. It’s useful for shortly seeing which current Reels had been most profitable.
Supply: Instagram
To see insights unique to Reels, scroll all the way down to Reels within the Insights overview display screen and faucet the proper arrow subsequent to your variety of Reels. Now you’ll be able to see your entire Reels performance metrics in a single place.
You possibly can see the efficiency of particular person Reels by opening the Reel out of your profile. Simply faucet the three-dot icon on the backside of the display screen, then faucet Insights.
As you attempt completely different Reels lengths, make it a behavior to verify your Reels Insights within the hours, days and weeks after posting. These metrics will inform you what your viewers responds finest to.
Supply: Instagram
Observe developments for inspiration
Trending Reels are an excellent indication of what Instagram customers need to see whereas they’re scrolling. Plus, developments are normally tied to a selected sound, which can decide the size of your Reel for you.
Instagram consumer and podcaster Christoph Trappe posts Reels along with his daughter. They typically create their Reels round trending audio clips:
“We use trending sounds and see if we are able to use them to inform a narrative. Most of our Reels are in all probability 30 seconds or much less.”
– Christoph Trappe, director of technique at Voxpopme.
Right here’s a brief Reel (simply eight seconds) the duo created based mostly on a TikTok video pattern making enjoyable of older generations:
Further tip: In keeping with Instagram, solely 60% of individuals take heed to Instagram Tales with the sound on. Which means 40% of customers watch with out sound! At all times add on-screen textual content and subtitles that can assist you attain extra customers.
By following developments, you’ll be able to see which Reel lengths are typically finest for engagement. Are trending Reels below ten seconds or are they normally over 15 seconds? Experiment with developments to see what content material resonates finest along with your viewers and the way lengthy these Reels normally are.
Bear in mind, solely use developments which can be related to your model and viewers –– not all developments would be the proper match!
Need assistance staying on prime of developments? Attempt a social listening device like Hootsuite Insights. You possibly can arrange streams to watch what individuals are saying about your model and determine what’s scorching in your area of interest.
Experiment with completely different content material varieties
Several types of content material would require shorter or longer Reels. Brief Reel varieties could are inclined to carry out finest, but it surely’s not a tough and quick rule. Brief Reels could not finest on your content material kind and viewers preferences.
Creator SandyMakesSense posts longer journey Reels, normally round 20-40 seconds lengthy. To maintain folks hooked till the tip, she options eye-catching pictures and worthwhile ideas, and she or he hurries up the audio to make it sound quicker:
Magnificence model Sephora typically publishes tutorial Reels that promote their newest merchandise. These Reels are sometimes on the longer facet, like this one which’s 45 seconds, nd combine with their Instagram Shop:
Irrespective of the Reel size you select, intention to publish content material that entertains, evokes, educates, or motivates your viewers. You’ll want to evaluate your analytics to see what’s working for you!
Simply handle your Instagram web page alongside your different social channels utilizing Hootsuite. Schedule and share content material (together with video!), interact your community, and enhance top-performing content material — all from a single dashboard.
Simply observe Instagram analytics and generate studies with Hootsuite. Save time and get outcomes.