In the most recent update, Instagram included the ability to record and share videos. Notwithstanding what Instagram’s CEO, Adam Mosseri, states in his frequent posts.

Users of Gram can clearly see the company’s pivot to video. By 2023, it will be common knowledge that the number of views, reach, and engagements an account receives depends heavily on its video Repertoire, especially for accounts with a smaller number of followers or for newer, rising accounts.

You can upload photos, but videos have a far bigger influence on Instagram’s metrics.

To answer this question, Instagram made the decision to prioritise video above photos

The short answer is so that Gen Z and millennials will continue to engage with it. Instagram was forced to improve its video capabilities.

Value of Gen Z online shoppers and current developments

In today’s world, TikTok has surpassed Netflix as the most popular video-sharing app among Americans under the age of 35.

Instagram’s trendsetters and early adopters are known to cast their votes with their cash. In-app purchases are a popular way for members of Gen Z to part with their hard-earned cash. According to recent studies, “65% of GenZ uses their phone 1-4 times a week to buy,” and that’s just in the United States. Based on these projections, “there’s an over $75 billion income opportunity for e-commerce applications to tap into in their app growth strategy,” according to the same source.

And Instagram is well aware of this.

The platform has to attract younger users if it wants to compete for a share of the projected income. Commercials, in-app purchases, subscriptions, a creative marketplace linking up businesses with users, and maybe even a social commerce tool to organise live, online sales presentations inside the app themselves in the near future…

These components either now generate income or have the potential to do so in the near future.

User engagement with Instagram increases with the addition of video reels

This means the organisation has a better shot at identifying target subsets and using that information to deliver more effective marketing efforts. And not only in the feed, but elsewhere as well.

Instagram’s business model benefits greatly from the usage of Reels to keep users engaged within the app for longer. The first reels were just 15 seconds long. Instagram has stated that the maximum duration of an Instagram Reel has been increased from 60 seconds to 90 seconds and in certain situations even to 15 minutes. To be continued…

Instagram’s predicament of being stuck between a rock and a hard place did not help the situation.

Due of this, video is quickly becoming the primary focus on the Meta platform. Quicker than the vast majority of end consumers can adjust.

Everyone eventually gets used to Instagram’s expansion tactics. Whether they are online retailers, content producers, or personal brands, everyone on Instagram is a potential customer.

In terms of Instagram, how long are these “Reels”?

Instagram Reels may be up to 15 minutes in length, depending on how the Reel is made, but can be as short as 90 seconds.

An Instagram Reel may be up to 90 seconds long if it was made using the Instagram Reels function within the Instagram app.

Create a Reel using the IG camera that is 15 seconds in length by default. There are two ways for users can extend the length of their Reels and music on Instagram. First, when recording the Reel with the app’s camera, you may tweak several parameters to your liking. Two, by publishing a film as a post and then disseminating it using Reel.

In 2023, Instagram completed its mission to standardise the app’s video format. Due to a recent update, several Reels now clock in at more than 90 seconds in length.

How long should your Instagram Reels be?

Let’s take a look at this with the end result in mind.

Pause and draw focus

The ideal Reel length, if you want to get people to watch your video right now, is between two and ten seconds. Content length considerations include keeping it succinct and to the point.

Here, you want an upbeat introduction, like someone banging on the camera and speaking directly to the user while staring intently into the lens.

The Reel’s cover should be engaging and provide a clear summary of its contents. Headlines designed to entice a click are effective. In addition, there are questions and titles that seem amusing.

Viewership numbers should go up

In order to get more people to actually watch your material, you need make it shorter. Share a short reel (between 3 and 10 seconds long).

But!

The video should have some form of hook that compels the viewer to watch it more than once:

A factor of unexpectedness

Add something unexpected to the Reel’s closing that will make the user want to watch it again right away.

A quick-cut video with subtitles

Add a backdrop picture and any text you deem crucial to the video’s message but that the viewer would likely miss after a single viewing. This is a gloomy design, but it may prompt some viewers to pause the second time around so they can read the text.

Repetition indefinite

This method is intriguing since it has broad applicability. Users are more likely to watch your entire video if you upload a short video reel with fast-paced pictures or sharp transitions. They could also discover that they’ve seen the same film many times. The essence of this is musical. The video’s ending must seamlessly transition into the opening.

Increase the number of feedback or shares you receive

With that in mind, an Instagram Reel of 15-30 seconds should do the trick. Your primary objective is to keep readers engaged until the very end, when you insert a call to action (CTA) that specifies what you want them to do.

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