BLOW UP Your Reels Using These Tips (IG Expert Explains Growth Hacks)

Summary

This video script debunks popular Instagram Reels hacks, revealing the truth behind viral hooks, optimal reel length, and posting strategies. It emphasizes the importance of viewer engagement and content quality over short reels and flashy hooks. The script also addresses the myth of using external editing apps like CapCut affecting reach, and offers insights on maximizing story views with strategic posting.

Takeaways

• 📈 The ideal length for Instagram Reels is not strictly 5-7 seconds; the actual sweet spot depends on creating content that holds viewers' attention, which varies based on skill set and audience knowledge.
• 🔍 A large analysis of top-performing Reels and TikToks found that the average length of top-performing Reels was closer to 60 seconds, contradicting the 5-7 seconds advice.
• 🎥 For beginners, creating short but high-quality Reels is recommended over longer ones, as poor quality long Reels can send negative signals to the algorithm.
• 📚 Consistency is key; creating multiple Reels per week can help increase reach, especially with easy-to-create content that can be reused.
• 📉 However, to truly connect with the audience and grow a fanbase, longer and more sophisticated videos are necessary as content quality demands rise.
• 🍲 The use of the word 'Here' in Reel hooks can be effective due to its ability to break through audience guard against overly formulaic hooks and create a more authentic feel.
• 🔑 The perceived effectiveness of the word 'Here' in hooks is part of a trend towards more genuine and less formulaic content creation.
• 🚫 Posting Reels only to Instagram Reels and not the profile grid can expose content to a new audience, but relying solely on this strategy might not be effective for growth.
• ❗ There is no evidence that using an external editing app like CapCut negatively impacts reach on Instagram Reels.
• 🛠️ CapCut is recommended over Instagram's native editor for creating higher quality content, especially for beginners.
• 🔄 Story reach on Instagram can fluctuate, and using interactive elements like polls in Stories may help increase reach for subsequent Stories.

Q & A

What is the claim about the ideal length for Instagram Reels to maximize reach?

The claim in the script is that the ideal length for Instagram Reels is 5 to 7 seconds, but the creator's own data analysis shows that top-performing Reels average closer to 60 seconds.

Why is it suggested that short Reels are better for beginners on Instagram?

Short Reels are suggested for beginners because they are easier to create and maintain viewer attention, which is crucial for sending good engagement metrics to the algorithm.

What is the importance of a good hook in content creation?

A good hook is important because it captures the viewer's attention at the beginning of the video, which is essential for increasing watch time and engagement.

What does the script suggest about the use of the word 'here' in video hooks?

The script suggests that using the word 'here' in video hooks can be effective because it feels more authentic and can break through viewer guard against formulaic hooks.

What is the suggested strategy for reaching new audiences with Instagram Reels?

The strategy suggested is to post Reels only to the Reels feed and not to the profile grid, which may show the content to a new audience rather than just followers.

Why might posting Reels only to the Reels feed initially result in lower views?

Posting Reels only to the Reels feed may initially result in lower views because the algorithm needs time to understand the content and its audience, which can take a few weeks.

What is the potential downside of not posting Reels to the profile grid?

The potential downside is that you might miss out on reaching your existing followers who could be part of the right target audience for your content.

What is the claim about using external editing apps like CapCut with Instagram Reels?

The claim is that using external apps like CapCut to edit Reels might lower reach because Instagram might not favor content created outside its native editor. However, the creator's tests found no correlation to support this.

Why might changing the file name of a video exported from CapCut be suggested?

Changing the file name is suggested for those who are concerned about Instagram recognizing the file structure of CapCut, although the creator believes this is not necessary.

What is the advice on using CapCut compared to the Instagram native editor?

The advice is to use CapCut over the Instagram native editor for better and easier content creation, especially for beginners, as CapCut offers sophisticated editing features.

What is the discussion about the fluctuation of story reach on Instagram?

The script mentions that story reach on Instagram seems to fluctuate and there's a claim that using a poll as the first story of the day might increase reach for subsequent stories, but the script does not provide a conclusion on this.