Social Media

Creating Killer Instagram Reels: Hacks You Should Know to Increase Your Views

Are you ready to unlock the full potential of your Instagram presence? If you're seeking the top Instagram Reels hacks to skyrocket your engagement, amaze your audience, and stand out on this vibrant social platform, you've just landed in the right spot. Get ready to take your Instagram game to the next level.

We’ve compiled a list of top Instagram reel hacks to help you skyrocket your Instagram growth.


This is the Next Level Academy, and we are on a mission to eradicate poverty from this world completely. If you like what we do, join our community.

What are Instagram Reels?

Instagram Reels are short videos, lasting from 15 to 90 seconds, that users can create and share on the platform. These videos often feature music or audio; users can record them directly within the Instagram app or upload them from their devices. Reels offer creative tools, such as special effects and text, to enhance content. They can be shared in user feeds, stories, and a dedicated Reels tab, providing a versatile and engaging way to express creativity and discover trends and talent on Instagram.

Instagram Reels Hacks to Boost Your Growth

Cover the Basics

Plan Ahead: Before you start shooting, it's important to clearly understand what information you want and how you want to convey it. This will help you stay focused during shooting and simplify editing. Consider the story you want to tell and the emotions you want to evoke. This is also known as storyboarding by creative teams so they can efficiently translate their idea into film.

Keep it Concise: Videos are limited to 15 to 90 seconds, so ensure your content is concise and to the point. Be selective about the content you include in your video and focus on the most important information.

Use a Strong Hook: It grabs attention, triggers emotions, and encourages click-through, making it the first impression that can determine whether viewers keep watching. A compelling hook engages your audience and increases sharing, expanding your reach and boosting algorithmic favor by retaining viewers throughout your Reel. 

Check out our 31 TikTok & Instagram Reels Hook Ideas to Increase your Views & Brand Exposure and explore which best works for your reel.

Use Music: Music can add energy and emotion to your video, so choosing a track that suits the mood of your content is crucial. Consider the song's rhythm, lyrics, and overall feel when selecting it.

Utilize Instagram's Editing Tools or other Mobile Video Editing Tools: Instagram provides various editing tools to enhance your Reels, such as filters, effects, and text. Experiment with these tools to find the best look for your video. You can use Instagram's built-in effects and filters to create a consistent video style. Feel free to explore other tools like Capcut or Inshot to get more creative transitions and effects done with these third-party apps.

Use Hashtags: Use relevant hashtags to help a wider audience discover your video. Hashtags can boost the visibility of your Reels on Instagram's search and explore pages, making it easier for users to find your content.

Share Your Videos on Other Social Media Platforms: Share your short videos on platforms like Facebook and Twitter to reach a broader audience. This can help you expand your influence and attract new followers to your Instagram account.

Interact with Your Audience: Respond to comments and feedback, and use Instagram's analytics to determine what works and what doesn't. Interacting with your audience can help you build relationships and understand their preferences. This will enable you to create more relevant and effective videos in the future.

Use Instagram's "Save as Draft" Feature to Work on a Reel Over Time: Use Instagram's "Save as Draft" feature to work on a Reel over time. This allows you to save your work and come back to it later. This can be useful for those planning to do a faster before and after shot. The good thing is there isn’t a limit to the number of drafts you can save.

Take Your Instagram Reels to the Next Level

Be Creative: Try new things and innovate with your content. This will help your reels stand out and capture the audience's attention. You can use different filming techniques, lighting, and animations to make your videos visually interesting. 

Don’t worry we’ve covered you for more creative ideas below, so keep reading!

Maintain Visual Interest: Use different shooting techniques and angles to make your videos visually engaging. Experiment with lighting and animations to add visual appeal to your videos. 

Check out this reel by camera_bro for tips on camera angles, including camera settings you can play around with.

Utilize Instagram's Built-in Effects and Filters: Instagram provides various editing tools to enhance your Reels, such as filters, effects, and text. Experiment with these tools to find the best look for your videos. You can use Instagram's built-in effects and filters to create a consistent video style.

Use Instagram's Polls and Quiz Features: Instagram's polling and quiz features allow you to interact with your audience by asking questions and collecting feedback. This can help you understand your audience's preferences and create more relevant content. Reshare your reels to get more views and have an extra ability to increase engagement.

Share Behind-the-Scenes Footage: Show your audience what’s happening as you create a product photoshoot, a graphic you created from an AI tool, how you revamped your office space, or how you prepared for your store opening. This can help build trust and increase engagement with your audience.

Zach King, who does great special effects, shares behind-the-scenes footage of how they record audio for one of their videos. This BTS shot gained 17.9M views versus the original video, which had 15.7M views.

Collaborate with Other Users Using Instagram's "Remix" Feature: Collaborate with other users by remixing other videos with your own. This allows you to create videos with other users and reach a wider audience.

Share User-Generated Content on Your Reels: Share user-generated content in your videos. This can help you build a deeper connection with your current client base and encourage other customers to follow suit.

Check out Scarlett Johanssen’s new skincare product line, The Outset. They’ve utilized different women to share their experiences with their products. They publish these videos as an Instagram reel.

Encourage Participation by running an Instagram Challenge: You can run a challenge to encourage participation and organically promote your product or service. This allows you to create challenges that motivate your audience to create and share their content. Sometimes trends just come out too when the challenge is easier to execute like the cover the camera transition, or really challenging ones like pushup and plank challenges. There are also fun ones that are about dance moves, makeup or fashion.

Here's an example of the bed to pool transition by The Bucketlist Family which can easily encourage guests of hotels, Airbnbs, and resorts to take part of and make their place known in a fun way. Check out more challenge examples from Kicksta too.

Use Instagram's "Reels in Stories" Feature: Instagram's "Reels in Stories" feature allows you to add Reels to your Instagram Stories. Using this feature can boost the visibility of your videos and reach a wider audience.

Stop Motion Animation: Create stop motion animations by taking photos and stitching them together. It can be fun to showcase a process or tell a story. We often see this technique used by creators who redecorate or renovate a room.

Here's an example from Colette Peri, a stop-motion artist showcasing her some of her work Instagram.

Time-Lapse Videos: Capture long processes or transformations quickly by shooting time-lapse videos. It can be great for cooking, DIY projects, or scenic views.

Forced Perspective: Play with perspective by positioning objects or people to create optical illusions. It's a great way to make your audience look twice.

Color Grading: Use color grading techniques to enhance your video's mood and tone. Adjusting color and contrast can make your videos more cinematic.

Start Practicing these Instagram Reels Hacks!

Remember, creating great videos takes time and practice, so keep experimenting, analyzing feedback, and learning, and you'll soon create compelling reels with these top Instagram reels hacks! Go reel them in!

Are you a business owner or a content creator? Get access to a FREE masterclass to help you grow your business NOW.

Further Reading