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How to Make Instagram Reels a Success: 10 Tips You've Never Heard Before

Posted on 23rd May, 2025.

TL;DR (The Short Version)

Taking advantage of the popularity of Reels can boost your engagement.
Unusual ways to boost the success of your Reels including starting with a hook, filming in natural light, creating a series, and making saveable content.
Read on for more tips!

Reels are Instagram's biggest ticket to success. Riding off the popularity of TikTok and the explosion of short-form video, Instagram Reels can help boost your engagement, resulting in more followers and a bigger online presence.

If you're looking to make your profile a success by taking advantage of the power of Reels, we've put together some non-generic tips you won't have heard before to boost your Reels engagement rate.

1. Use Templates

Time is money, especially when you’re managing content creation on a busy schedule. Instead of reinventing the wheel with each post, use Instagram’s built-in Reels templates. These pre-made editing formats let you quickly swap in your own clips while keeping the structure, timing, and music of trending content. They're also great for editing novices.

2. Use High-Quality Audio Tracks

Your visuals might be flawless, but if your audio sounds tinny or jarring, viewers will scroll away. Using high-quality, on-trend audio elevates the entire Reel.

3. Start With a Hook

One of the best ways to capture your viewers' attention immediately is to start your video with a well-crafted hook. Whether it's a bold visual, an unexpected statement, or a “watch until the end” teaser, you need a hook that stops thumbs mid-scroll.

4. Use Captions for Silent Viewers

Many viewers now consume short-form content in silence, whether they're hard of hearing or not. Make your content more inclusive and easy for all to enjoy with on-screen captions or text overlays that mirror what you're saying or highlight key takeaways.

5. Film in Natural Light

Lighting can make or break a video. Harsh shadows or grainy indoor lighting can instantly lower your content’s quality. Natural light, on the other hand, gives your Reels a clean, professional look without the need for fancy equipment, so try to film near a window during daylight hours as often as possible.

6. Use Niche Hashtags

When you use popular hashtags, you're competing with the biggest creators. Many creators make the mistake of only using broad or trending hashtags, and missing out on engagement since they have a smaller following. Instead, add in niche-specific hashtags that relate closely to your audience, product, or message.

7. Create a Series

One-off Reels are great, but a series can keep people coming back. Whether it’s “3-Minute Mondays,” “Outfit of the Day,” or “Quick Tips for Creators,” creating a themed series gives your audience something to look forward to and helps you stay consistent.

8. Optimise Thumbnails

Thumbnails are often overlooked, but they’re key to getting clicks, especially when your Reel appears in your feed or the Explore tab. Choose a clean, eye-catching frame from your video, or upload a custom cover image with text that teases the content, so your audience knows what to expect when they stumble upon your profile or find you in the Explore page.

9. Make Saveable Content

While likes and views are excellent for engagement, don't underestimate the power of saves. If someone saves your Reel, it signals to Instagram that your content has long-term value, boosting its chances of being recommended to others. To encourage saves, create content that viewers might want to revisit: think tutorials, infographics, quotes, outfit inspiration, or mini recipes.

10. Experiment with Loopable Reels

Instagram loves when people rewatch content or spend a long time on one video, so why not make that part of your strategy? Create loopable Reels where the end seamlessly connects with the beginning. This increases total watch time and subtly encourages viewers to rewatch (sometimes without even realising it).

Frequently asked Questions

How to make an Instagram Reel popular?

To make an Instagram Reel popular, you need to capture attention quickly, deliver value or entertainment, and encourage interaction. Start with a strong hook in the first few seconds, use high-quality visuals and audio, and keep the video snappy. Add trending or niche audio, include captions for silent viewers, and finish with a call-to-action (like saving, sharing, or commenting).

How to get 1000 views on Instagram Reel?

The easiest way to hit 1000 views on your Instagram Reel is to buy them. Alongside your views package, posting at peak times, engaging with comments quickly, and sharing the Reel to your Stories can also give it a visibility boost, along with our tips above.

Why aren't my Reels getting views?

If your Reels aren't getting views, it’s often due to one or more of the following: weak hooks, low-quality visuals or sound, poor timing (posting when your audience is offline), or using the wrong hashtags. Instagram’s algorithm also prefers Reels that hold attention, so if people are swiping away after 2 seconds, it won’t push your video further, which is why hooks and loopable videos are so important.

So, there you have it! Look past the generic tips and try our tips you've never heard before to make it big with Instagram Reels.