Instagram Reels
Also called Reels, Instagram Reel, Facebook Reels
What is Instagram Reels?
Instagram Reels are short, vertical, full-screen videos on Instagram, usually with music, voiceover, text and captions. They appear in a dedicated Reels feed, in the main feed, on Explore and on your profile. Reels are Instagram's main format for reaching people who do not follow you yet, because the Reels feed recommends videos from any account.
Reels use a 9:16 aspect ratio, typically 1080 by 1920 pixels. Instagram has raised the maximum length several times, and it now allows Reels of up to a few minutes, though most successful Reels are much shorter. The profile grid crops the cover to a portrait shape, and on-screen text should stay inside the safe zone so buttons and captions do not cover it.
Reels can be shared to Facebook as well, and the same vertical file usually works on TikTok and YouTube Shorts, which is why many businesses make one vertical video for all three.
Why Instagram Reels matters
Reels are often the format with the most organic reach on Instagram, because they are pushed to non-followers. For a small account, a good Reel can reach far more people than its follower count.
Short video also shows a business in motion: the product being made, used or unboxed, the people behind it and the result a customer gets. That builds familiarity faster than still images.
How to make an Instagram Reel that gets views
- Open with a hook in the first one to two seconds: movement, a bold line or the end result.
- Keep it short and focused on one idea.
- Add on-screen captions, since many people watch with the sound off.
- Keep important text away from the top, bottom and right edges where buttons sit.
- Choose a clear cover image so the Reel looks good in your grid.
- End with a simple call to action.
Instagram Reels FAQ
What size is an Instagram Reel?
1080 by 1920 pixels, a 9:16 vertical aspect ratio. The profile grid shows a cropped portrait version of the cover, so keep the important part in the center.
How long can an Instagram Reel be?
Instagram has extended the limit to a few minutes, and it changes from time to time. Many effective Reels are well under a minute.
Do Reels get more reach than posts?
Often, because the Reels feed recommends videos to non-followers. Carousels and photos can still perform well, especially for engagement and saves.
Related terms
YouTube Shorts are vertical videos of up to about three minutes on YouTube, shown in a swipeable Shorts feed alongside long-form videos.
Short-form video is video under about three minutes, usually vertical, made for Reels, TikTok and YouTube Shorts; long-form video runs longer.
Vertical video is video taller than it is wide, usually 9:16 at 1080x1920 pixels, made to fill a phone screen on Reels, TikTok, Shorts and Stories.
A hook is the opening line, image or moment of a video or post that grabs attention and makes people keep watching instead of scrolling past.
A safe zone is the area of a video or image where text and key content will not be hidden by platform buttons, captions or cropping.
Trending audio is a song, sound or voice clip being used in many short videos at once, which can help new videos get discovered.