Instagram video content is currently available in iv formats: Reels, Live, Stories, and Instagram Video.

Video content has exploded on the platform in contempo years, with 91% of Instagram users reporting they sentinel videos on a weekly basis.

The varying formats of video across the platform may experience like a lot to juggle. Simply it's as well created new ways for marketers to tell stories and reach their audience.

Which Instagram video format is correct for your brand? There may be a place in your social media strategy for all of them. Or maybe you'll make up one's mind just to focus on a couple.

In this guide, we'll teach you lot all near the features, specifications, and best practices for every type. Plus, we've rounded up tools that make using Instagram video that much easier.

Bonus: Download the free 10-Day Reels Claiming , a daily workbook of creative prompts that will assist you get started with Instagram Reels, runway your growth, and encounter results across your unabridged Instagram contour.

Types of Instagram video

Reels, Stories, Alive, oh my! If y'all're looking to go started with Instagram video, nosotros put together a simple breakdown of electric current formats to help.

Instagram Stories

Inspired by Snapchat, Instagram Stories are 15-2nd videos that disappear after 24 hours.

Stories can exist recorded by swiping correct from the home screen, or by borer the plus icon and selecting Stories. They can also be uploaded from your Photo Library.

Expired Stories can be saved to the Highlights section of your Instagram profile, positioned just above the grid.

You can also add interactive elements such as filters, emojis, tags, and stickers to each Story. Several brands—some four meg every month by Instagram's count—have found novel ways to use these features, from "this or that" polls to Q&As and product tags.

three phone screens showing Instagram video Stories of a hamburger, a cookie, and an apartment building

Source: Instagram

Instagram Story tips

  • Instagram Stories are as well one of the rare places on Instagram where accounts tin postal service directly links. For brands, links offer a meaning way to bulldoze organic leads and conversions.
  • In fact, more than 50% of people polled by Facebook say they've visited a brand'south website after seeing a Story.
  • Despite their short-form, ephemeral nature, Stories remain 1 of the platform'south most popular features.

Resource: Larn how to use Instagram Stories to build your audition.

Instagram feed video

Instagram Video is a format introduced in 2021. It replaced IGTV and combined it with in-feed video posts.

Instagram Video posts are added the same style images are posted: by using Instagram'southward built-in camera or by uploading from your Photo Library.

Instagram videos can exist up to 60 minutes in length, giving you creative freedom that doesn't yet exist on most competing platforms.

Instagram Video tips

  • Similar an prototype post, an Instagram video post can include a filter, location, explanation, as well equally user and location tags.
  • In one case posted, people tin engage with likes and comments, and can even share public videos in Stories and straight messages.

Instagram Alive

Instagram Alive lets users video stream directly to their audience'due south feeds. Brands and creators akin have used Instagram Live to host workshops, interviews, and more.

Offset a Live broadcast by swiping correct or tapping the plus icon and toggling to Live. Live streams can concluding up to four hours and can be hosted by ane or 2 accounts.

When an account goes Live, they announced at the front of the Stories bar with a Live icon. Once finished, Instagram Live videos tin be shared for 30 days before they are deleted.

Instagram Live tips

  • When yous go Live, you'll be able to see how many people are watching your stream at the peak of the screen.
  • Your audience tin too engage with yous by calculation comments or emoji reactions. Or, past purchasing badges that show center icons beside their names in the comments.
  • Instagram Live hosts can pin comments, turn comments off, or prepare keyword filters to moderate comments.
  • Brand use of Live Shopping features to allow users store directly from your stream! Tag relevant products and they will appear at the bottom of the screen.
  • Instagram Live also supports donations, then nonprofits on social media and creators can utilise this medium for fundraising.

Resource: How to use Instagram Alive to abound and appoint your followers.

Instagram Reels

Reels is Instagram's latest video format. Inspired past TikTok, these 15-30 second clips can be created with Instagram's camera or uploaded from the Photo Library.

Recording effects include timed text, AR filters, light-green screen mode, timer and speed controls, and access to an audio library.

three phone screens showing how to upload a reel to instagram and where it lives on your feed

Source: Instagram

Instagram Reels tips

  • Reels tape in vertical portrait way (ix:16) and are displayed in users' feeds, the Reels tab, and a dedicated Profile tab.
  • Like feed videos, Reels tin include captions, hashtags, and most recently, product tags.
  • People can engage with Reels by liking, commenting, or sharing them in Stories and direct messages.

Resource: Everything you lot need to know almost Instagram Reels

Instagram video size

If you lot're fix to get started with Instagram video formats, the first thing to exercise is learn nigh Instagram video specs and sizes.

Here are the size and format specifications for each type of Instagram video.

Instagram Stories size

Stories accept up the entire mobile screen and are tailored to the device. For that reason, exact specifications vary.

These are the recommended specs:

  • File blazon: .MP4 or .MOV
  • Length: Upward to xv seconds (longer videos tin can be clipped into multiple Stories)
  • Recommended size: Upload the highest resolution video available that meets file size and ratio limits.
  • Maximum video file size : 30MB
  • Ratios: 9:16 and 16:nine to 4:v
  • Minimum width: 500 pixels
  • Minimum aspect ratio: 400 ten 500
  • Maximum aspect ratio: 191 x 100 or 90 x 160
  • Pinch: H.264 compression recommended
  • Foursquare pixels, fixed frame charge per unit, progressive scan, and stereo AAC sound compression at 128+ kbps

Tip: Keep about 14% (~250 pixels) of the pinnacle and bottom of the video complimentary from essential content. In this area, it could be obstructed by the profile photo or call to action.

Instagram feed video size

Instagram feed videos are displayed in user feeds besides as on your Profile page. Employ feed videos to promote a product, service, or collaboration with your audience.

Here are the recommended Instagram feed video specs:

  • File type: .MP4 or .MOV
  • Length: 3 to 60 seconds
  • Ratios: nine:16
  • Recommended size: Upload the highest resolution video bachelor that meets file size and ratio limits.
  • Recommended file blazon:
  • Maximum file size: 30MB
  • Maximum frame rate: 30fps
  • Minimum width: 500 pixels.
  • Compression: H.264 pinch recommended
  • Square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan, and stereo AAC sound pinch at 128kbps+

Tip: Do non include edit lists or special boxes in file containers.

Instagram Live size

Instagram Live broadcasts can only be recorded from the camera app. Specifications are like to Instagram Stories. Before going alive, be certain that you take a reliable and fast Cyberspace connectedness.

Instagram Reels size

Instagram Reels are fullscreen vertical videos dusplated in Stories, Feeds, Explore, and the Reels tab.

Here are the recommended Instagram Reels specs:

  • File type: .MP4 or .MOV
  • Length: 0 to 60 seconds
  • Resolution: ​​ 500 x 888 pixels
  • Maximum file size: 4GB
  • Maximum frame rate: 30fps
  • Minimum width: 500 pixels.
  • Compression: H.264 compression recommended
  • Square pixels, fixed frame charge per unit, progressive scan, and stereo AAC sound compression at 128kbps+

Tip: Include on-screen text, music, and closed captions to make your Reels engaging and accessible.

Tips to make your Instagram videos go viral

Every Instagram video format is different, but these best practices utilise to all of them.

Outset with a hook

As a general dominion, you have iii seconds to stop thumbs from scrolling past your Instagram video. Or leaving your Instagram Story altogether.

Be sure to give people a reason to proceed watching. Whether it'due south arresting visuals or a teaser of what's to come, find a way to offer instant entreatment.

Don't underestimate the importance of a explanation either. If the video doesn't grab someone'southward attention, the caption is your 2d chance.

Create for mobile

While, most people intuitively utilize portrait or selfie manner when they record with their phones, that'due south not the best practice for Instagram video. Nearly people view Instagram video on mobile, which ways information technology'south best to shoot in vertical orientation.

phone screen showing typical example of vertical instagram video

Source: Instagram

Of class, there are some exceptions. For longer video content, horizontal video may exist a ameliorate fit. Viewers tin tilt their phone sideways for a total-screen viewing feel. Landscape video can besides be uploaded to Stories and in-feed, only without the tilt consequence.

two phone screens showing how to view a horizontal instagram video

Source: Instagram

Provide value

To keep a viewer'south attending you lot need to make it worth their while. Try entertaining your audience through comic relief, captivating conversation, or your magnetic personality. Or, you could impart tips and tricks, how-to's and workshops, or thought-provoking information.

In each Instagram video, your value suggestion should be clear and unproblematic. Before setting out to create a video, make full in the blank: When someone watches this video, they will _______. The answer may range from "laugh out loud" to "desire to make breakfast cereal ice cream sandwiches" Whatever yous state on, information technology should exist clear to viewers upfront.

If you lot evangelize on your promise, y'all'll likely run into more views, engagement, and shares.

Bonus: Download the free x-24-hour interval Reels Challenge , a daily workbook of artistic prompts that will assist y'all get started with Instagram Reels, track your growth, and see results across your entire Instagram profile.

Become the creative prompts now!

Schedule your videos in advance

Y'all can use Hootsuite to schedule in-feed videos, Reels, and Stories.

Scheduling content in accelerate can assistance you post content when your audition is most agile. It can likewise help better the quality of your content by giving yous more time to program.

To schedule an Instagram video with Hootsuite, simply upload your video to the Hootsuite Dashboard, customize using the Hootsuite Image Editor, and and so click Schedule for later.

When your Instagram video is set to get live, y'all'll become a push notification from the Hootsuite app. From there, open your content in Instagram and share information technology with the world.

Resources: How to Schedule Instagram Stories: A Step-by-Step Guide.

Use sound and captions

According to Instagram, 60% of people watch Stories with sound on. But it'southward well known that there are many reasons people may watch video with sound off, including context and hearing impairments.

Utilize sound to enhance your video, and include captions to make your video attainable. Timed-text tin can be manually added to Instagram Stories and Reels. To salve time, tools like Clipomatic automatically add captions to your video.

Post regularly

The best fashion to build an audience is to post regularly. This is specially truthful when information technology comes to long-formats like Instagram Video and Live.

Create and share a schedule with your audience then they know when to wait your next Instagram Alive. Or develop a video series that your followers can regularly look frontward to and tune in to. Have advantage of scheduling tools like Hootsuite to make certain your posts are published on time.

As well, try to mail when your followers are most agile online. Bank check your analytics and consult our research to find the all-time times to post Instagram videos.

Tip: Create a countdown sticker in an Instagram Story to build anticipation for an Instagram Live or an upcoming video premiere.

countdown sticker on instagram story for upcoming book launch in 11 days

Helpful Instagram video apps

Got your tripod and your ring light ready to go? Endeavour these Instagram video apps to perfect your content.

Adobe Artistic Cloud Express

Employ Adobe Spark to automatically size Instagram videos for you, add interactive elements, and take reward of the app'southward photo and audio library.

resizing instagram video dashboard in adobe creative cloud express

Hootsuite

Hootsuite's collaborative platform is ideal for content that requires teamwork and approvals. You lot can too manage all your video fabric with Hootsuite's content library.

Use the Hootsuite Planner to pinpoint publication, plan production, and spot holes in your content calendar. And avert lags while posting a story with multiple parts with the scheduling tools.

Pictory

Pictory is an AI tool that volition help you plough text into professional-quality videos with just a few clicks.

How does it work? You lot re-create and paste text into Pictory, and AI automatically creates custom video based on your input. The program pulls from a vast library of over iii million royalty-gratuitous video and music clips.

Pictory integrates with Hootsuite, then yous can easily schedule your videos for publication without ever leaving their dashboard.

Clipomatic

Clipomatic is an Instagram video app that lets you lot add alive captions to social video. It'due south been used by a number of high profile users, including U.Due south. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Queer Eye'southward Karamo Brown.

Caption as you speak, or add captions to pre-recorded video. The captioning tool is available in more than than 30 languages, and text can be edited and customized before posting.

Apple Clips

Apple'due south video editor lets you lot piece and dice videos as y'all see fit earlier sharing it to Instagram.

The app also includes a range of filters, special effects, and graphics. Like Clipomatic, information technology also lets you add together live subtitles and text to your videos.

Lumen5

Lumen5 is an Instagram video app that helps businesses turn their blog posts into engaging social video. The AI-powered video app pulls images and words into a storyboard brands can edit and tailor to each platform.

Headliner

If you want in on the Instagram video action, merely just have audio and text to piece of work with, Headliner is for you.

Originally made to help promote podcasts, the app is used past Wondery, BBC, CNN and other platforms utilize Headliner to transcribe audio clips into shareable, animated videos.

Grow your Instagram presence using Hootsuite. From a single dashboard you tin can schedule and publish posts and Stories direct to Instagram, appoint your audience, measure performance, and run all your other social media profiles. Try information technology free today.

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