IG Reels have become a hub of creativity, engagement, and growth for almost every other Instagrammer out there. The feature has become so popular that almost every other creator, influencer, business, and even brand are integrating it into their content and marketing strategies. However, if you're new to the world of IG reels then here are 5 things to know before posting your first reel on Instagram to go viral in almost no time.

1. Target a niche and audience

Most Instagrammers don't have any clue about what niche to choose and what audience they should target to get the maximum value out of their efforts. The thing is, it all boils down to what you love.

You can create content around football teaching targeting the audience with the same interests or you can create a reel about your favorite books if you're a passionate reader.

This way, you'll never run out of content and will have a pretty good idea of who you want to show your reels to.

Similarly, if you're a business then you can create reels around your products and showcase them better and creatively just like how Adidas and McDonald's do. Adidas posts it's new launches with short form reels while McDonald's is known for using Instagram reels to promote their combos, coupons, and offers effectively to their target audience.

This explains how reels are not just a feature but a tool that can be used in multiple ways for multiple purposes. However, keep in mind that your first reel might not get the attention that you're expecting and it's fine because you can always use social media growth services to buy Instagram reels views and improve your initial impressions, and reach for prolonged exposure on the platform.

2. Use High Quality Video and Audio

We'll say it, Quality Matters! The video quality you upload, the audio quality of your reel, and even the cinematography quality in your reels will be making or breaking your career if you're going to post your very first reel.

Here's what you must do to improve your reel's quality:

• You must ensure that your script is top notch so your audience can relate to your content and enjoy it.
• Get your hands on a decent camera or an iPhone with OIS for buttery smooth high quality videos and shoot at the maximum video quality (1080p @60 fps, 4k @60fps, 8k @30/60 fps)
• Finally, you can either use an external mic or a wireless mic if the subject is far away from the camera. Try adding a wind cutter on your mic for absolute pure audio quality.

3. Try to hook your audience

A reel is meant for entertainment, and with the average attention span being just about 3-7 seconds, you must ensure that you're hooking your audience in the first 5 seconds of your reel.

For this, you can either:

• Address your audience directly to create a one to one connection and grab their attention.
• Use cliffhanging texts or phrases that keep connecting throughout the reel so your audience is hooked throughout the sequence.
• Use negative hooks like Noel Deyzel (A competitive bodybuilder) who uses phrases like "Skip this Reel if you don't want to lose fat" or "These mistakes are killing your gains". Such hooks have proven very effective for creators in different fields snagging them some free IG views in the process.
• Create a FOMO (fear of missing out) in the very beginning of your reel. This tactic is mostly used by brands and businesses to improve their sales by a whopping 32-37% through Instagram marketing alone.

4. Leverage Music Trends and Hashtags

The IG algorithm has changed a lot in the last few years where trending music and hashtags have become a lot more significant. If you post your first reel with an audio that is trending right now then it's very likely that you will get a very high impression, reach, and engagement rate. Trending audios are very high in volume and any content that is made with Instagram's trending music library gets the algorithmic leverage.

Similarly, you can integrate relevant hashtags into your reel's caption to get your reel to your target audience. Moreover, this will also ensure that your reel appears on top whenever someone searches for a similar topic or hashtag ensuring that you get the maximum impressions on your reel.

5. Consistency and Optimal Timings

Consistency and Timing are very crucial when it comes to posting your very first reel. Firstly, you must research the audience you're targetting and find out the time of that day when they're most active.

Suppose your target audience is mostly active around 6 PM, then you can post your reel between 5 PM - 5:40 PM so that your reel is the first thing that appears on their feeds when they open Instagram.

Along with this, you must ensure that once your first reel is live, you are creating more to post atleast 4-7 reels in a week. Instagram loves accounts that post consistently and often times, the algorithm would promote these accounts at high rates making them go viral in a matter of weeks and even days. So it doesn't matter how good your first reel performs, if you want to go Viral, then you must stay consistent and post regularly.

Conclusion

Posting your first Reel can be an exciting step towards growing your Instagram presence. By understanding your audience, planning your content, and leveraging Instagram’s tools and trends, you can create engaging and high-quality Reels that resonate with viewers. Consistency, creativity, and engagement are key to success. Start creating, experimenting, and watching your Reels flourish!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay to post once a week?

While there are no boundations on how many times you should post on Instagram, it’s recommended for new profiles to post at least 3-6 times a week for maximum engagement, views, and organic growth in the long run.

Is there no way to earn directly from Instagram?

No, as of now, Instagram doesn’t offer any direct money making opportunities to its creators. However, it does act as a marketing platform that opens multiple doors to earning money through the platform itself like sponsorships, product tags, and much more.

Do I have to face the camera to make Instagram reels?

It’s not necessary to face the camera for making reels. You can use animations, images, voiceovers, texts, and other alternatives to create IG reels if you’re camera shy or just don’t feel like facing the camera.

How do I find my target audience?

Finding your target audience can be a hectic task but at the same time, it’s very crucial if you’ve never posted a reel before. To find your target audience, you can analyze the creators that work around your niche and then you can see what type of content they’re creating and what type of audience is engaging with the same.

Can I make reels using my phone’s camera and mic?

Yes, there’s no problem in using your phone’s camera to shoot reels and videos but we’ll recommend you use a phone with an OIS for stability along with a tripod to keep the quality as crisp as possible.

Should I post reels early in the morning?

Reels can be posted at any hour of the day and mornings are perfectly fine, however, we’ll recommend you to first analyze the peak activity hours of your audience and then post accordingly.