Create your first Reel

Want your Instagram to sky-rocket with active followers and engagement? If so, check out this guide (incl. examples) on how to create your first reel.

First published on September 4, 2021

Last updated on January 8, 2024

Instagram Reels is a great way to build your community and grow your reach on Instagram.

They have become the new way of creating and discovering short, entertaining videos on Instagram and have become increasingly popular in 2021.

They have even become a great tool for businesses! This is because good Reels get better organic reach than regular posts.

However, the magic behind a reel starts with how you choose to develop it. Capturing your own thought process and turning it into a video is an effective technique known as storyboarding. You’d be surprised how engaging your users are when you share content that has (1) value, (2) an entertaining component and (3) an enticing caption that encourages users to read more.

Check out some of these best practice examples below:

Soft promotion fashion styling video

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Resort Store🌴 (@theresortstore)

Fun, engaging content

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Fluffy Crunch® (@fluffycrunch)

Entertaining behind the scenes video

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ModnPods (@modnpods)

Does this spark any ideas for your business?

Here is your Step-by-Step Guide to Create your First Reel:

Go to your business profile and click the + button on the top right-hand side.
Click on ‘Reels’
Select the 15, 30 or 60 second Reel length (second button down on the left-hand side)
Next, tap and hold the centre bottom to record and again to end the clip. You also can choose to add a video from your camera roll by tapping your camera roll in the bottom left corner of your screen.
To watch, trim or delete the previous clip you just recorded, tap on the left-pointing arrow. This is where you can edit the length of each video, one by one until you have reached the time length.
Here you can add stickers, drawings, or text to your reel by tapping on the right-pointing preview arrow.
Next, tap the right-pointing arrow, to add a cover photo, write your caption and add hashtags.
Tap Share and then tap Done.

For a visual walkthrough demonstration, watch our video tutorial of Reels below.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and have fun with video. Remember that Instagram is about entertainment, so have some fun.

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Emily Barry

These past couple of years, Emily has immersed herself in a world of digital technology, social media and marketing. Em has coupled this experience with her love for helping small businesses grow and make use of their time, money and resources. In these sessions, Em loves to take a hands on approach to provide live demonstrations, tangible results and the most up-to-date information on topics.