(Some people are saying they can only do 15, but I’ve been able to upload completed videos of 30 seconds apiece without any getting cut off. So… what are Instagram Reels? If you’re late to the party, Instagram Reels are Instagram’s response to TikTok, the social video app that exploded during lockdown because it gave people a way to interact dynamically with friends and strangers without ever leaving home.īasically, with Instagram Reels, you can record or upload vertical video segments of no more than 30 seconds. I was scrolling through my own Instagram Insights from the past year and I saw right there in the numbers (as many have) that even though my follower count is higher, and my content quality has stayed the same or even gotten better, overall, post engagement is way down.īut how could this be?! I have no question in my mind that it’s because Instagram has finally introduced a practical, easy-to-binge video feature: Reels. What’s so important about Instagram Reels? Not much, unless you’ve experienced a drop in engagement on your regular posts to about half!

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