The Ultimate Guide To Creating Viral Reels
Words by Louise Stanway
There’s nothing more frustrating than planning, shooting and editing a video for social media, only to see minimal ROI (even if we think of watch-time and user engagement as currency).
If your Reels simply aren’t resonating with your followers and beyond, it’s likely because you’re not optimizing your content properly for Instagram. And we’ll be the first to admit that Instagram’s algorithm is a hard cookie to crack.
The good news is, we have the recipe for success and we want to share it with you. Make note of these 4 simple tips if you want to create Reels that’ll rapidly grow your audience.
1.
SEO matters. Focus on your niche or topic
Instagram recently updated its search capabilities and now optimizing your profile for SEO plays an important role in your discoverability.
Your grid posts can actually rank for a specific keyword. For example, if your Reel–and your company’s product–is related to paragliding, then you should use the word “paragliding” in your caption (as well as using relevant hashtags and location geotags). This will allow Instagram to first categorize your post, then serve it in the search results for folks who are actively seeking out paragliding content.
Be sure to incorporate keywords relating to your business into your profile name or username too—since both are searchable on Instagram.
[ Also read: 3 Time-Saving Tips For Creating Reels ]
2.
Use trending elements
Welcome to the land of audio, themes, and transitions. If you don’t spend your life on social media like we do (sigh), you might want to refer to free online resources for trending audio like this one. Similarly, spend some time perusing the app–or the web–for traces of trending reel themes and visual transitions.
The “Instagram vs reality” Reel trend is a great example of a theme (expectations of an idyllic location you’ve spotted online, vs the ugly reality of over-crowding, bad weather, pollution, etc), audio, and a transition all working in conjunction. Here’s an example of a Reel following that trend.
View this post on Instagram
3.
Include alt text in your video
If there’s any sort of speaking in your Reels, you should use alt text captions. Adding text (and/or using live captions) in your video not only improves accessibility but also helps it stand out on a crowded feed. Make sure your text placement is large enough to read and is viewable in grid mode. Consider attention-grabbing hooks for your title slide. Here are a few of our favourites:
➤3 lessons I learned from {failures or wins)
➤The secret to {what your clients want to know}
➤ How to: {Share a “how to” tutorial}
➤ Watch this if you want to nail your first {skill}
➤ How to master {skill} in 3 easy steps
Be original when coming up with your Reel ideas and the text to include. Think about why your followers love your brand and what unique product you can offer them.
Bonus tip: remember to include a call to action (CTA). This might look like:
➤ Hit “save” on this guide and watch later
➤ Head to the link in bio to watch/read more
➤ Leave a comment and let us know {_}
[ Also read: 7 Quick And Easy Ways To Boost Your Social Engagement ]
4.
Avoid algorithm excluding practices
There are a handful of instant red flags when Instagram reviews your Reel content. Pay attention to the following do’s and dont’s to ensure your content isn’t penalized by Instagram.
➤ Don’t post videos with TikTok watermarks
➤ Don’t post videos in any ratio other than 9:16
➤ Don’t use low-quality video footage
➤ Do use trending audio (added in on the app)
➤ Do post original content
Are you struggling with social? Posts not having an impact? Together we’ll transform your social savviness so you can reach your goals and have fun along the way. You’ll get the tools, direction and support you need to see real change, get those sales get outside! Ready?
