Instagram video (Stories, Instagram Video, Reels, and Live) is an absolute must-have in your brand’s social media strategy.
Instagram video content is currently available in four formats: Reels, Live, Stories, and Instagram Video.
Video content has exploded on the platform in recent years, with 91% of Instagram users reporting they watch videos on a weekly basis.
The varying formats of video across the platform may feel like a lot to juggle. But it’s also created new ways for marketers to tell stories and reach their audience.
Which Instagram video format is right for your brand? There may be a place in your social media strategy for all of them. Or maybe you’ll decide just to focus on a couple.
In this guide, we’ll teach you all about the features, specifications, and best practices for every type. Plus, we’ve rounded up tools that make using Instagram video that much easier.
Bonus: Download the free 10-Day Reels Challenge, a daily workbook of creative prompts that will help you get started with Instagram Reels, track your growth, and see results across your entire Instagram profile.
Reels, Stories, Live, oh my! If you’re looking to get started with Instagram video, we put together a simple breakdown of current formats to help.
Inspired by Snapchat, Instagram Stories are 15-second videos that disappear after 24 hours.
Stories can be recorded by swiping right from the home screen, or by tapping the plus icon and selecting Stories. They can also be uploaded from your Photo Library.
Expired Stories can be saved to the Highlights section of your Instagram profile, positioned just above the grid.
You can also add interactive elements such as filters, emojis, tags, and stickers to each Story. Several brands—some four million every month by Instagram’s count—have found novel ways to use these features, from “this or that” polls to Q&As and product tags.
Source: Instagram
Resource: Learn how to use Instagram Stories to build your audience.
Instagram Video is a format introduced in 2021. It replaced IGTV and combined it with in-feed video posts.
Instagram Video posts are added the same way images are posted: by using Instagram’s built-in camera or by uploading from your Photo Library.
Instagram videos can be up to 60 minutes in length, giving you creative freedom that doesn’t yet exist on most competing platforms.
Instagram Live lets users video stream directly to their audience’s feeds. Brands and creators alike have used Instagram Live to host workshops, interviews, and more.
Start a Live broadcast by swiping right or tapping the plus icon and toggling to Live. Live streams can last up to four hours and can be hosted by one or two accounts.
When an account goes Live, they appear at the front of the Stories bar with a Live icon. Once finished, Instagram Live videos can be shared for 30 days before they are deleted.
Resource: How to use Instagram Live to grow and engage your followers.
Reels is Instagram’s latest video format. Inspired by TikTok, these 15-30 second clips can be created with Instagram’s camera or uploaded from the Photo Library.
Recording effects include timed text, AR filters, green screen mode, timer and speed controls, and access to an audio library.
Source: Instagram
Resource: Everything you need to know about Instagram Reels
If you’re ready to get started with Instagram video formats, the first thing to do is learn about Instagram video specs and sizes.
Here are the size and format specifications for each type of Instagram video.
Stories take up the entire mobile screen and are tailored to the device. For that reason, exact specifications vary.
These are the recommended specs:
Tip: Keep about 14% (~250 pixels) of the top and bottom of the video free from essential content. In this area, it could be obstructed by the profile photo or call to action.
Instagram feed videos are displayed in user feeds as well as on your Profile page. Use feed videos to promote a product, service, or collaboration with your audience.
Here are the recommended Instagram feed video specs:
Tip: Do not include edit lists or special boxes in file containers.
Instagram Live broadcasts can only be recorded from the camera app. Specifications are similar to Instagram Stories. Before going live, be sure that you have a reliable and fast Internet connection.
Instagram Reels are fullscreen vertical videos dusplated in Stories, Feeds, Explore, and the Reels tab.
Here are the recommended Instagram Reels specs:
Tip: Include on-screen text, music, and closed captions to make your Reels engaging and accessible.
Every Instagram video format is different, but these best practices apply to all of them.
As a general rule, you have three seconds to stop thumbs from scrolling past your Instagram video. Or leaving your Instagram Story altogether.
Be sure to give people a reason to keep watching. Whether it’s arresting visuals or a teaser of what’s to come, find a way to offer instant appeal.
Don’t underestimate the importance of a caption either. If the video doesn’t grab someone’s attention, the caption is your second chance.
While, most people intuitively use portrait or selfie mode when they record with their phones, that’s not the best practice for Instagram video. Most people view Instagram video on mobile, which means it’s best to shoot in vertical orientation.
Source: Instagram
Of course, there are some exceptions. For longer video content, horizontal video may be a better fit. Viewers can tilt their phone sideways for a full-screen viewing experience. Landscape video can also be uploaded to Stories and in-feed, but without the tilt effect.
Source: Instagram
To keep a viewer’s attention you need to make it worth their while. Try entertaining your audience through comic relief, captivating conversation, or your magnetic personality. Or, you could impart tips and tricks, how-to’s and workshops, or thought-provoking information.
In each Instagram video, your value proposition should be clear and simple. Before setting out to create a video, fill in the blank: When someone watches this video, they will _______. The answer may range from “laugh out loud” to “want to make breakfast cereal ice cream sandwiches” Whatever you land on, it should be clear to viewers upfront.
If you deliver on your promise, you’ll likely see more views, engagement, and shares.
You can use Hootsuite to schedule in-feed videos, Reels, and Stories.
Scheduling content in advance can help you post content when your audience is most active. It can also help improve the quality of your content by giving you more time to plan.
To schedule an Instagram video with Hootsuite, simply upload your video to the Hootsuite Dashboard, customize using the Hootsuite Image Editor, and then click Schedule for later.
When your Instagram video is ready to go live, you’ll get a push notification from the Hootsuite app. From there, open your content in Instagram and share it with the world.
Resource: How to Schedule Instagram Stories: A Step-by-Step Guide.
According to Instagram, 60% of people watch Stories with sound on. But it’s well known that there are many reasons people may watch video with sound off, including context and hearing impairments.
Use sound to enhance your video, and include captions to make your video accessible. Timed-text can be manually added to Instagram Stories and Reels. To save time, tools like Clipomatic automatically add captions to your video.
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The best way to build an audience is to post regularly. This is especially true when it comes to long-formats like Instagram Video and Live.
Create and share a schedule with your audience so they know when to expect your next Instagram Live. Or develop a video series that your followers can regularly look forward to and tune in to. Take advantage of scheduling tools like Hootsuite to make sure your posts are published on time.
As well, try to post when your followers are most active online. Check your analytics and consult our research to find the best times to post Instagram videos.
Tip: Create a countdown sticker in an Instagram Story to build anticipation for an Instagram Live or an upcoming video premiere.
Got your tripod and your ring light ready to go? Try these Instagram video apps to perfect your content.
Use Adobe Spark to automatically size Instagram videos for you, add interactive elements, and take advantage of the app’s photo and audio library.
Hootsuite’s collaborative platform is ideal for content that requires teamwork and approvals. You can also manage all your video material with Hootsuite’s content library.
Use the Hootsuite Planner to pinpoint publication, plan production, and spot holes in your content calendar. And avoid lags while posting a story with multiple parts with the scheduling tools.
Pictory is an AI tool that will help you turn text into professional-quality videos with just a few clicks.
How does it work? You copy and paste text into Pictory, and AI automatically creates custom video based on your input. The program pulls from a vast library of over 3 million royalty-free video and music clips.
Pictory integrates with Hootsuite, so you can easily schedule your videos for publication without ever leaving their dashboard.
Clipomatic is an Instagram video app that lets you add live captions to social video. It’s been used by a number of high profile users, including U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Queer Eye’s Karamo Brown.
Caption as you speak, or add captions to pre-recorded video. The captioning tool is available in more than 30 languages, and text can be edited and customized before posting.
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Apple’s video editor lets you slice and dice videos as you see fit before sharing it to Instagram.
The app also includes a range of filters, special effects, and graphics. Like Clipomatic, it also lets you add live subtitles and text to your videos.
Lumen5 is an Instagram video app that helps businesses turn their blog posts into engaging social video. The AI-powered video app pulls images and words into a storyboard brands can edit and tailor to each platform.
If you want in on the Instagram video action, but only have audio and text to work with, Headliner is for you.
Originally made to help promote podcasts, the app is used by Wondery, BBC, CNN and other platforms use Headliner to transcribe audio clips into shareable, animated videos.
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