You need to use the perfect Instagram Reels size to make the best Reels video for your brand.
Using mobile video to its full potential means knowing what size your videos should be. This is essential for platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Optimizing your mobile video size ensures that your content will look its best on any platform.
When you use the perfect Instagram Reels size, your video content will be formatted correctly and will be more likely to grab and keep your followers’ attention.
Why You Should Be Making Instagram Reels
If you’re wondering whether you need to be making Instagram Reels for your brand, the answer is yes!
Reels are at the forefront of Instagram’s video-centric strategy. The platform is aiming to compete with TikTok’s short-form vertical videos, as well as YouTube Shorts. Instagram took this strategy a step further by moving all forms of video into Reels.
Mobile video has skyrocketed over the past several years, especially with the rise of mobile video apps such as TikTok. According to HubSpot, 67% of marketing professionals said that social media video gets the best ROI.
Reels get more likes and a broader reach than other forms of content posted to Instagram. According to research by Statista, Reels account for 33.8% of reach and 35.4% of likes on Instagram, respectively. So if you want to expand your reach on the platform, you want to get on board with video content.
Not only are Reels short, snappy, and entertaining; they’re also a way to show multiple facets of your brand personality. You can use Reels to show off your products, services, team, and what goes on behind the scenes at your business. If you’re a personal brand, you can use Reels to speak directly to your audience.
The Exact Dimensions of Instagram Reels
To make your Reels the perfect size for Instagram, they should be 1080px x 1920px with a 9:16 aspect ratio. This is the best Reels size for mobile viewing because your content will utilize the entire screen.
Reels can now be up to 3 minutes long, with a 2,200-character maximum on the caption. Just like Instagram photo posts, you should use relevant keywords and hashtags in your caption to broaden your reach. Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per caption, so take advantage of that leverage.
When you create a Reel on Instagram, you can use pre-recorded videos from your camera roll or record multiple clips that equal up to 3 minutes in length, but 90 second Reels are often recommended for the best results.
How to Make an Instagram Reel
Now that you know what Instagram Reels size you should be using, let’s quickly walk through how to make a Reel for your Instagram account.
- From your feed, click the plus (+) button in the menu bar at the bottom.
- At the bottom of your screen, select Reel, then you can tap to add pre-recorded videos to your Reel, or tap Camera to record a new video.
- Next, you can adjust the length of your Reel, and use the Instagram Reel Editor to add text, stickers, music, effects, and more! You can also download the Reel to your device.
- Once you’re finished editing, you can select a frame from your Reel or upload a custom thumbnail by tapping Edit Cover. Then, type in your Instagram Reel caption and choose your preferred settings. This includes tagging people, choosing an audience, pinning your location, and more. After your settings are finalized, just tap Share to post your Reel!
That’s it! Don’t be afraid to experiment with different Reels filters, features, and trends to get the maximum impact out of every video.
6 Instagram Reels Best Practices
Now that you know how to make Reels (and what size you should be making them), let’s go over a few best practices you should always stick to.
- Create branded thumbnails for your Reels for a consistent look on your feed. At 1080px x 1920px, Snappa’s customizable Instagram Story templates are the perfect size and aspect ratio for your Instagram Reels.
- Keep your Reels short and snappy. You don’t always have to use the full 3 minutes allotted. Sometimes, less is more.
- Make it your goal to engage viewers within the first few seconds so they don’t scroll away.
- Make sure to use good lighting and clear audio. While you don’t necessarily need studio-quality lighting, you do want to make sure your videos are well-lit and that people can hear you clearly.
- Choose music from the Facebook Sound Collection for your branded videos. This music library for Facebook and Instagram contains royalty-free music businesses can use for Reels to avoid potential copyright issues.
- Use the right video format for Instagram. If you upload video clips to Reels rather than recording them directly to the app, make sure you’re using MP4 files.
Final Thoughts
You now know how to make Reels, what size they should be, and the best practices to get started. If you need an easy design tool to create high-quality Reels thumbnails, Snappa can help. You can choose from hundreds of customizable templates or make your own from scratch using our design elements. Get started free to give it a try!
