Instagram watch time is CRITICAL when it comes to account growth and engaging your audience organically. Whether you’re running a new profile, or a seasoned one, the amount of time your viewers are sticking around DOES EXTREMELY MATTER.

Fortunately, there are easy ways to improve your Reels to boost audience retention and maximize your  organic views. This can even eventually lead to reaching 2,000 hours of viewed Reel! In this guide, I’ll be focusing on 6 easy tips that can increase your Instagram Reels watch time. So if you’re ready to boost your growth through improved viewer retention and more Reels views, let’s get to it!

Why is Reel watch time so important on Instagram?

Watch time is the key on Instagram as it is a metric that measures the amount of time viewers spend watching your content. It is considered one of the most important factors in Instagram’s algorithm for recommending content to new users. Reels with higher watch time are more likely to be suggested to new potential followers, leading to organic growth, increased views, higher engagement, and changes in your follower count.

How is watch time calculated on Instagram?

Watch time for your Instagram Reels is calculated for each Reel individually. It’s the total amount of time that viewers spend watching your particular piece of content. It is measured in minutes (and seconds), and it of course includes all views, including those from multiple devices (phones, tablets, computers) and repeated views from the same viewers as well.

How long should my Reels be to increase watch time?

The ideal length of your Reels to increase watch time depends on your content and audience. However, shorter Reels (7-10 seconds) tend to have higher watch times than longer ones, as they can keep viewers more engaged and there’s lower risk of boredom.

Proven Strategies to Increase Your Reels Watch Time

Use B-Rolls – You most probably already know this term from Youtube, huh? B-roll is basically just extra content that you overlay on the original video to add this extra spark, character and value to your Reel.

Why is it worth this extra effort? That way, you can break up mundane video so that your viewers aren’t just watching a long talking head. You can also help your potential follower better understand your talking points by adding examples relating to the topic. Show additional shots of a specific thing/product/place to give them more insight on what it looks like/how exactly it works

When editing your Reels, you can also use the power of jumpcuts. A jumpcut is an easy method to break up your video by slightly changing the look of each shot (each clip). This makes the overall result much more engaging and appealing. How to achieve it? Editing your Reel with jumpcuts is actually really simple. It’s just a matter of using a Reel editor like Cupcut or VN and zooming in and out between clips, so even though the background of each video is technically the same, and the same location, one clip can look differently from the next.

Use the power of trending audios – Using music in your Reels is the smartest way to add some emotional value to your Instagram videos. Invoking emotions, and creating the intrigue is – you guessed it! – another great way to increase your Reels watch time. Of course, you can’t just choose a random audio to input into your Reels. The audios or music you choose should go with the feelings, the mood you’re trying to invoke with your content.

Our protip? Try to avoid background audios that are too sad, too depressing if it doesn’t go with the vibe of your specific Reel.

Use Custom Reels Thumbnails – A custom thumbnail is a picture that shows alongside the title of your Reel. As a viewer scrolls through Instagram Reels Explore Section, it is the first item they see! Utilizing intriguing, high-quality, aesthetically pleasing custom thumbnails will boost your Reels click-through rate.

Collaborate with Other  Creators from your niche– Partnering with other Instagrammers in your field/your niche will absolutely help you raise the exposure and view time of your Reels. You can even collaborate on Reels to cross-promote your accounts with other content creators who have similar interests and similar target audiences. 

Optimize your reels for SEO on Instagram – Better Instagram SEO methods may help your Reels rank higher in the platform’s search engine results, resulting in many more views and organic interaction. I know it may sound like a black magic, but in practice – it’s really not. Just identify the major hashtags and keywords (you can research them with IQ Hashtags to save time, and effectively find the most promising ones) and use them in your Reels captions. This is one of the smartest ways to increase your watch time in a short time. 

how to increase Instagram Reels watch time

Double down on what works best – Data is your best friend, I can’t stress this enough! Analyze your Reels statistics (I use IQ Hashtags’ Reels Metrics to have in-depth data and all the comparable details in one dashboard – if you want, you can also try it out with a free 7-day trial right here), to know what the audience loves the most, and what kind of Reels performs the best.

Now You’re Ready to Increase Your Reels Watch Time on Instagram & Boost Your Organic Growth!

For more info on how to improve your organic growth, check out our other free guides. And hey, there are so many new on the way, so keep coming back to stay on the right Instagram track.

The post Your 6 Strategies to Increase Reels Watch Time on Instagram – 6 Easy Ways appeared first on Display Purposes Blog.

Let’s be honest: 2021 was a bit crazy. Oh, it really WAS. The biggest news to come out of Adam Mosseri’s official announcement was definitely that Instagram no longer wants to be seen as a “regular photo-sharing” app. Well, at the same time, with the Tiktok’s phenomenon, this shouldn’t be so shocking. What about 2022? Are we expecting a year full of big surprises? What content formats and features should you focus on to make the algorithm like you? 

I’ve decided to do something refreshing to keep you updated!

Let’s discuss all the critical trending formats you need to jump on (or at least: test them out!) to succeed in 2022

I want to show you exactly how to use them strategically, how to create unique content using these features, and how to grow an engaged following and not fall behind.

My goal? Make you pretty open to trying new things on the Gram and see what’s working FOR YOU. 

In 2021 a few things have revealed themselves. First, jumping on trending formats is essential. Because look, are you having difficulty drawing attention to your IG profile? Be honest. It can be dramatically confusing to pour your whole heart and soul into content creation without reaching as many potential followers as you want. You probably already know about trending formats, but you may not know how to use them to gain the kind of traction you dream of. Trending features are significant for aspiring influencers and businesses to use because they can attract new attention for your profile, translate to thousands of sales, and create stronger relationships with your community (and potential followers from your target audience). So let’s go! 

Here’s what you can expect to learn today:

• Does New Year mean new trending formats? 
• What formats are trending right now, and why they can help you get back your points in growing your IG
• How to experiment with these formats with an openness that sounds like: “I haven’t tried ya, but I’m intrigued!”
• Why Reels are literally the most fantastic format ever
• Which trending formats will get you more followers/sales?

Video Content – The King of Trends 

As you probably already know, in 2021 video format was slowly but surely becoming the king of the Gram. We have to keep in mind that TikTok was announced as the most intensively growing social media platform out there, and Instagram didn’t want to fall behind! To survive in this competitive world, the Gram had to adapt. That’s why all the video updates started to roll out, and our fav platform started prioritizing Reels. From my perspective, it was a smart move, as Instagram is so saturated with regular posts, described with irrelevant hashtags, slam-bang content, and plenty of ads that it was hard to break through this noise at times.

New formats give us new opportunities for being discovered more quickly – it’s proven that the algorithm rewards you for using new trending formats. So what kind of content should you be prioritizing? 

Reels: yup, yup, you already know that! Reels are currently considered the ultimate number one tactic for organic growth on Instagram. Look at this:

They’re bringing us back to the old days of good organic growth from producing creative content. If you haven’t hopped on the short, entertaining videos bandwagon, but you want to reach your target audience and attract new people, it’s high time to start creating reels, because we don’t like statements like this, but if you aren’t making any short videos, your profile can easily fall behind. Take your chance! I’m taking mine as well!

Anyway, we know what can be stopping you from trying: creating videos can seem like a daunting, time-consuming challenge if you’re used to publishing only regular, static posts. We won’t lie: sometimes it gets tough, and it’s too easy to lose track of time, but never fear, there are some nice ways to create appealing content in less than an hour. The good news? Reels have a low-key nature. Hey, you’re not trying to produce high-quality, huge budget films for yourself or your business! You’re trying to create funny, relatable content that supports the topics you talk about on your profile, so NO PRESSURE! 

Reels are fueled mainly by trends. Side benefit? You often don’t even have to come up with your own concepts, you can just adapt trending ideas from your niche.

How to make people enjoy your short videos, and how to get potential followers to watch your reels without skipping? 

You basically need to do one of the following two tricks:

• make your videos entertaining, short, and sweet. Your goal is to make your potential followers laugh and make them think “well, that’s brilliant, haha HA (the last “ha” is really important), I can relate!”
• give them a smart teaser to make them intrigued (so they simply can’t skip watching it), ex. “The craziest tactic of mine which helped me attract 36 000 new potential followers!” 

To give the algorithm a more straightforward message that your content is engaging, and worth spreading further, use CTAs like “double tap if you can relate!” or “Drop an emoji below if you’re feeling the same!”. It REALLY helps a lot. 

Benefit #2: Every time you publish a new reel, it will pop up in your audience’s feed as they scroll through new content. Also, for every new reel you can decide if you want to include it on your profile’s regular feed, and believe us: it’s beneficial if you’re going to experiment with formats, and you know your reels won’t necessarily match your feed’s aesthetic. Your reels post also shows on the dedicated reels feed, which is the magic spot for all the miracles. The Reels gallery includes videos from all Instagram creators, not just content from people you follow. What does it mean in practice? Your reels can be easily found by new potential followers from all around the world. That’s more than awesome. 

How Do You Make Your Posts Go Viral?

At this point, it’s pretty challenging and sometimes even impossible for a regular, static Instagram post to “go viral”. Why? Because in most cases, the people seeing your new content are people who already follow your profile (+ some random people browsing through hashtag galleries). 

Reels are different. With reels, your chance of your post going “viral” increases almost tenfold.

Check out the stats of one of IQ Hashtags reels below. The regular, traditional Instagram post had a reach of 800 accounts. This reels hit 11 279 views – that’s way over 10 times more than the reach of  regular Instagram post! 

Next Trending Format? Live Videos

Alright, alright, so this format isn’t totally new, but it is well worth the reminder when it comes to trending formats. Live videos are a bit intimidating for many creators (for me and for all our team as well, so you’re not alone!), but at the same time, they’re one of the least time-consuming forms of video content to create. Really.

When your audience hops on to your live, they know they won’t see the perfect, polished video. They know you’re recording it right there and right now. You can try this format and go into a live video with a scenario, a list of topics you want to discuss, or you can choose more spontaneous options and just engage with followers who join you.

Do you need fancy equipment to go live? NOT AT ALL. Chances are, you already own the only camera you truly need. Your smartphone. Anyway, when arranging a live video, make sure you’re in a quiet room so your tribe won’t hear any distracting background noise. Lighting is crucial for appealing video content as well! Our tips? Sitting next to the window is the best, budget option, but if you live somewhere where the sun sets really early or you have a chance to record only late at night, we suggest investing in an affordable and truly helpful ring light, so you can go live anytime, and anywhere. Shaky and unclear video will quickly turn your community off, so a tripod is also a purchase you should consider (there are many affordable options). 

Benefit #2: After you finish your live on Instagram, you can easily save it to your profile (like we did with the videos below), so new people can watch it later, and those live videos can become a permanent part of your profile. 

Next Trending Format I Adore (and chances are you will too): Carousels

There was a brief moment back in 2021 when we thought this format would fade away, because many creators were complaining that it doesn’t bring them good insights. But like the phoenix rising from the ashes, good days of carousels are back, and it seems they’re here to stay! Personally, I LOVE LOOOVE THEM – they’re a huge opportunity to keep your followers viewing your posts for a longer amount of time. 

That’s not magic, that’s simple math: swiping through many slides (up to 10!) takes a longer moment than looking at a single photo. If you aren’t a pro at Correl, Photoshop, Sketch or Illustrator, you can still achieve creative results with Canva (my fav tool, to be honest). Inspirations? Look at THIS:

Instagram Trending Formats – Q&A!

I get so many questions from all you guys asking alllll about Instagram trending formats. That’s why I gathered the repeating questions and I decided to start answering more of them via the Display Purposes Q&A column! Let’s go!

Should I experiment with Reels if I’m camera shy and I identify as an introvert?

That’s a great question, but hey, look, it doesn’t matter if you are an introvert or if you are a lil bit camera shy. 

First of all: you don’t have to be a super confident extravert to make it on the ‘Gram. There are plenty of introverts on the platform and they’re having fun as well! So the answer is: go for it! Exercise your creative muscles. 

You’re getting an official permission to be YOURSELF on your social media. If you have that goal to grow your profile, it’s important to do things that maybe make you feel a bit uncomfortable – many times, that’s exactly how you grow. 

Do I need fancy equipment to start enjoying creating video formats?

To be honest: if you’ve got a mobile phone, and maybe a laptop… Energy and a lil ambition and you can make it work, cause you have ALL you need  

Which trending formats will be the best choices for my profile?

I’m always trying to find the easiest ways for you to make friends with the current algorithms, and right now, the official research shows that the trio: reels, live videos and carousels posts are taking over Instagram. Which formats will be the best FOR YOU? Well, you need to experiment, test them out, analyze the insights and check for yourself. 

But you know me. I firmly believe pursuing Instagram mastery is one of the most valuable investments you can make in growing your personal brand/your business. If you’d like ME to audit your profile and research which formats can work wonders for YOUR content creation, there’s still a chance. 

Right now, I want to make this 1:1 game-changing work accessible to as many of you as possible. I have dropped the audit’s price from last year to prove my commitment. Book it now (for 29$) as this is the only way you can get this kind of 1:1 audit and my personalized insights

Do I have to dance and sing on my Reels?

Holy moly, no (if you don’t want to) ! Want tips for creating Reels for your personal brand/business without twerking? That’s what we will discuss here next week!

Honestly, the key to winning Reels strategy might be to find a balance between lowkey, spontaneous and highly entertaining content and a bit more educational to keep more demanding users engaged. Or knowing which your target audience prefers!

Will Reels increase my reach?

Engagement is key when it comes to growing your profile and you want your followers coming back for more. Reels can definitely do that. See what you can do with them, keep testing and learning. Follow along with Reels trends and trending sounds and try to hop on them as quick as you can. And most important: have fun with them! 

Should I use hashtags when posting Reels?

You definitely should! I cover every aspect of this dilemma right here: Are hashtags for reels important? Does adding them hurt or help your content? Here’s what you should know

That’s all for today! As always, let us know if you need anything – what else would you like to know?

The post Jump on Trending Formats! New Year=New Instagram Trends? appeared first on Display Purposes Blog.

We all know that hashtags are extremely important to help your Instagram content rank and get possible to be found. There are whole courses about finding the right ones for you, which is why we’re discussing keyword strategy so often – it’s a vast topic, definitely deserving much attention. But what about reels? Should you treat them as any other content type? Do hashtags play such a crucial part in making them more discoverable as well?

If you’re looking for answers, you’re lucky because we’ve gott ’em.

Instagram wants reels to get more and more loved by the platforms’ users, so to make them more visible, they give reels a boost in organic reach. How generous, right? We miss it with other post types! But, what can turn out to be even more beneficial is the fact that the Instagram explore feed displays reels at the top of the feed. 

So do you still need hashtags? Oh yes. The people who watch reels are mainly looking for a variety of short, entertaining content – so give them what they want. The risk is too high: there’s a risk they won’t find your reels on their own without your help. When you use relevant, targeted hashtags on your Instagram reels, they can easily be explored by your potential followers. Sure, they might not end up clicking the follow button at first, but they’ll watch your video posts, so they’re more likely to remember your face and feel the urge to get some more! The more views and engagement you get, the more Instagram algorithms like you. It will basically show Instagram that your content is enjoyable, which pushes the Instagram algorithm to show your content to even more users.

Sounds promising, huh? That’s why today we’ll discuss in detail:

• Why should you describe your reels with hashtags?
• How do you add hashtags to reels?
• What hashtags are suitable for reels?
• How do you make a reel go viral?

Maybe you’re up to your eyeballs in hashtag research for your reels, but you’re still not any clearer on why you should use them. Worry not, our friend. We’ve got some tips for you – so easy peasy, we’ll tell you everything you need to know!

Once again – should you use hashtags to make your reels more discoverable?

Instagram recently added a separate reels tab to the hashtag search explore page, which is the clearest sign that hashtags for reels can be really effective and are meant to be used!

Instagram gives an organic boost to reels creators, which can easily lead to the stellar growth of your stats. Many of you have seen it for yourselves – entertaining reels can instantly gain a surprising number of views, so it can be a huge chance to grow if you implement the right strategies, of course. Which ones? Today we’ll discuss some of them, but because this topic is really golden, we’re going to prepare many Reels Lessons to make everything as intuitive as possible! So if you’re a bit frustrated about which hashtags you should choose to make your reels more popular and how to make the power of these reels hashtags work in your favor, keep on reading! We’ll be sharing our secret-sauce hashtag ideas for reels and research strategies. Let’s go!

What hashtags are suitable for reels? Where should you look for targeted hashtags for your reels?

Always make sure to add only relevant hashtags to your reels that indeed correspond to your video’s content – that’s rule number one. 

Observe what your competitors are choosing and what your ideal audience is looking for – that’s the most basic but always smart option. Always try to identify hashtags that your target followers are actually searching for. You can also try research tools to find new, relevant hashtags and save your time. If you don’t already know, we recommend using IQ Hashtags for all things Instagram hashtag research. One feature you can always take advantage of when diving into strategic hashtag research is the hashtag suggestion feature, called Hashtag Search. This feature allows you to type in a hashtag, and it will provide you with a list of other related hashtags you can use right away. 

We also recommend using the search function directly within the Instagram app – that’s a practical source of inspiration as well? Type in a hashtag relevant to your niche, and you will get fresh suggestions on hashtags related to this given one.

When you spot a hashtag that sounds good to you, looks promising, and you really like it, stop for a while and look at the top posts for that particular hashtag to analyze why other creators have utilized it. Is it remarkably relevant to your content? If so, don’t hesitate to note it down and use it! Then track your analytics and adjust your hashtag research accordingly!

Do reels need captions?

That’s an excellent question! Should you take time to come up with creative captions for your IG reels?

Yes – that’s a highly underrated method to gain better exposure! Sure, most reels consumers will scroll through thousands of different reels, without any longer conscious stopping. But if your reels have an engaging, surprisingly clever caption to go with it, guess what? There are chances you’ll make someone intrigued, and what’s even better, it could be a high-quality potential follower from your target audience. A smartly written caption is the copy that goes with the content you have in your video. It should make someone laugh, feel inspired, or simply be good food for thought. Captions have the power to make your potential followers feel certain ways, and you can easily communicate your personality and values to attract them. If your caption is really catchy, many users might save it, and that boosts your reach. The more engagement you get, the more your reels will be pushed by the Instagram algorithms. So, yes, it’s definitely worth it to take your time to come up with a creative caption!

If you enjoyed reading today’s blog post, please let us know by hitting ‘comment’! Your feedback means the world to us, and we want to make sure we’re ALWAYS providing you (yes, you!) with top-notch value.

The post Are hashtags for reels important? Does adding them hurt or help your content? Here’s what you should know appeared first on Display Purposes Blog.