Reels are Instagram’s short-form vertical video format, introduced in 2020 as a direct response to TikTok. They can be up to 90 seconds long and appear in a dedicated tab on profiles, in the main feed, and in the Reels discovery feed. Instagram has heavily prioritised Reels in its algorithm, giving them significantly more organic reach than static posts.
The format is well suited to tutorials, trends, behind-the-scenes clips, and entertainment-led content. Audio - whether original or trending sounds - plays a large role in how Reels spread, as users can search and filter by audio track.
