What Are Instagram Reels?

Reels are Instagram's vertical short-form video format. They appear in the Reels tab, in the main feed, in Explore and on your profile. Like TikTok, they are designed to be discovered by people who do not follow you, which makes them one of the main ways a new account gets seen on Instagram.

Reels are 9:16 full-screen video. Instagram has extended the maximum length over time, but most brand Reels that hold attention are well under a minute. Check Instagram's help center for the current limits before you plan long content.

A candle shop posts a 9-second Reel: the first frame shows a match striking with the text 'The candle my friends keep stealing.' Then a slow pan over the lit candle, the label, and a final frame with the scent name. Trending audio sits quietly underneath.

That same video could also run on TikTok with minor changes. Our guide to repurposing TikTok to Instagram covers what to adjust.

For brands, Reels are the reach format and carousels are often the depth format. A Reel can introduce you to new people; a carousel can teach the people who stayed. Using both usually beats relying on one.

• Lead with a clear hook in the first second; see our Instagram Reel hooks.
• Keep key text away from the bottom and right edges, where buttons and captions sit.
• Watch average watch time and replays in Reels insights.

Reposting TikToks with the TikTok watermark still on is a common one; strip it by exporting the original file. Another is treating Reels like TV ads with slow intros. And many brands post a Reel, see modest views, and give up. Reach on any short-form platform is uneven, so judge a format over several weeks, not one post.