How to Get More Views on Instagram Reels

Getting your Instagram Reels in front of more people can feel unpredictable, but it's far from random. The algorithm rewards specific signals, and understanding them is the first step toward creating content that connects, engages, and gets shared. This guide breaks down the practical, no-fluff strategies you can use starting today to increase your Reels views and build a community that actually pays attention.

Hook Your Audience in the First 3 Seconds

You have a fraction of a moment to stop someone from scrolling. If the first three seconds of your Reel don't grab their attention, you've lost them. The opening needs to create curiosity, state a clear benefit, or present a relatable problem immediately. Don't waste time on slow introductions or generic branding.

Here's how to create effective hooks:

• Text Hooks: Use on-screen text to pose a question or make a bold statement. Examples include "You're making this common mistake..." or "3 tools I can't live without as a [your profession]." This gives viewers an immediate reason to keep watching.
• Visual Hooks: Start your video with a surprising or visually satisfying action. This could be a dramatic transition, a "before and after" reveal, or an interesting camera movement. The goal is to make the viewer think, "What's happening here?"
• Problem-Solution Hooks: Open with a common pain point your target audience experiences. For a fitness coach, this might be "If you hate doing crunches, try this instead." This approach instantly signals that your content offers value.

Create for Your Niche, Not for the Masses

Trying to create content that appeals to everyone is the fastest way to appeal to no one. The Instagram algorithm works by showing your content to a small group of followers first. If they engage, it pushes it to a slightly larger audience with similar interests, and so on. If your content is too broad, it won't resonate deeply with that initial group, and its reach will fizzle out.

Instead of going viral with a random dance trend (unless that's your niche), focus on providing hyper-specific value to a defined audience. Ask yourself:

• What specific problem can I solve for my ideal follower?
• What questions are they asking in my industry?
• What specific form of entertainment or inspiration are they looking for?

A Reel titled "How to perfectly froth oat milk for a latte at home" will perform better with home-barista enthusiasts than a generic "making coffee" video. When your content is highly targeted, your target audience is more likely to watch the whole thing, save it, and share it - all powerful signals to the algorithm.

Leverage Trends and Trending Audio (Smartly)

Using trending audio can give your Reel a significant initial boost because Instagram is actively pushing that sound to more users. However, using a trend just for the sake of it won't work if it doesn't align with your message or brand. The key is to adapt the trend to fit your niche.

How to Find and Use Trending Audio

Look for the small upward-facing arrow next to a song or audio clip. That icon indicates it's currently trending. You can also find them by scrolling through your Reels feed and seeing what sounds appear repeatedly. When you find one you like, tap the audio and hit "Save Audio" so you can easily find it when you create your next Reel.

A good strategy is to find a trend and ask, "How can I relate this to what my audience cares about?" A business coach could use a "POV" trend to showcase a client's success story. A personal stylist could use a dancing trend to show off different outfits for an occasion. The audio gets the initial attention, but your unique spin provides the value that keeps them watching.

Write Captions and Hashtags That Fuel Engagement

Your caption isn't just an afterthought, it's an opportunity to create context, add value, and start a conversation. While the video is the hook, the caption is what can convince someone to save, share, or comment.

Craft Compelling Captions

Keep your first line punchy, as it's what users will see before they have to tap "more." Ask a direct question related to the video, share a quick personal story, or provide additional tips that couldn't fit into the Reel itself. Always include a call-to-action (CTA). Instead of just saying "like this post," encourage a more meaningful action: "Save this for your next project" or "Comment with your biggest question about X."

A Modern Approach to Hashtags

Hashtag strategy has evolved. Stuffing your caption with 30 generic tags like #love or #business won't get you very far. Today, it's about using a mix of specific, relevant keywords that tell the algorithm exactly what your content is about and who should see it.

Aim for a blend of 5-10 highly relevant hashtags:

• Niche-Specific: Tags that your direct audience follows (e.g., #smalldogtraining, #veganbeginnerrecipes).
• Community-Focused: Tags used by the community you want to be a part of (e.g., #womeninpodcasting, #dallascreatives).
• Content-Specific: Tags that describe what's literally in the Reel (e.g., #howtopropagateplants, #adobepremiereprotips).

Shoot High-Quality, Visually Appealing Video

Instagram wants to keep users on the app, and attractive, well-produced content does just that. "High-quality" doesn't mean you need a Hollywood-level production. It just means your video should be easy and pleasant to watch.

Focus on the Fundamentals:

• Good Lighting: This is non-negotiable. Natural light is best, so try filming near a window. If that's not possible, a simple ring light can make a world of difference. Good lighting makes your video look sharper and more professional.
• Clear Audio: If you're speaking, background noise can be incredibly distracting. Film in a quiet space or use an inexpensive lavalier mic that plugs into your phone. If you're using trending audio, make sure your original audio is muted.
• Avoid Watermarks: Instagram has explicitly stated that it deprioritizes content with visible watermarks from other platforms (like TikTok). Always upload the original, watermark-free video file to Reels.
• Use a Steady Hand: Hold your phone steady or use a tripod. Shaky footage can be difficult to watch and look amateurish.

Use On-Screen Text for Watch-Without-Sound Viewers

A significant number of people watch videos on social media with their sound off. If your Reel relies on someone speaking, you'll lose those viewers instantly without on-screen text or captions. Adding subtitles makes your content more accessible to everyone, including those who are hard of hearing.

Beyond basic subtitles, use dynamic on-screen text to highlight key points and keep viewers engaged. Bouncing text, color changes, and quick sentence pop-ups all serve to hold attention and guide the viewer through your narrative. A Reel that is easy to understand without audio is a Reel that will perform better.

Post Consistently and at Optimal Times

The algorithm favors accounts that post consistently. This doesn't mean you have to post a Reel every single day, but creating a realistic schedule and sticking to it (e.g., every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) signals to Instagram that you're an active creator.

Timing your posts also matters. You want your Reel to go live when most of your followers are active on the app to get that initial burst of engagement. To find your best times to post:

1. Go to your profile and tap on your "Professional Dashboard."
2. Tap "Total Followers" and scroll to the bottom.
3. The chart there shows you the "Most Active Times" - the days and hours your audience is most likely to be online.

Use this as a starting point. Test different times within those peak windows to see what works best for your specific account.

Encourage Shares and Saves with Your CTAs

While likes and comments are good, saves and shares are viewed by the algorithm as much stronger indicators of high-quality content. Someone saving your post means they found it so valuable that they want to return to it later. A share means they found it so valuable, they wanted to anoint themselves as a curator of good content to their friends. You need to explicitly ask for these actions.

Weave your call-to-action directly into your video and caption:

• "Save this for later when you need…"
• "Share this with a friend who needs to hear it."
• "Drop a comment with your favorite tip from this list."

Create content that is inherently save-worthy or shareable. Quick tutorials, helpful lists, inspiring quotes, or highly relatable humor are all formats that naturally encourage these actions.

Analyze Your Performance to See What's Working

You can't improve what you don't measure. Your Instagram Reels analytics are a goldmine of information about what your audience responds to. Pay attention to a few key metrics for each Reel:

• Views: The baseline metric for reach.
• Saves & Shares: Indicators of high value. A Reel with high saves or shares, even with lower views, is a huge win. That's a topic your audience really loves.
• Watch Time & Audience Retention: Instagram provides a graph showing where viewers drop off. If you see a big drop in the first few seconds, you know you need to work on your hook. If people watch all the way through, you've created a winning format.

Look for patterns. Are your highest-viewed Reels tutorials? Are they POV-style skits? Do they all use a certain type of hook or audio? Identify your top-performing content and create more of it.

Final Thoughts

Getting more views on your Reels comes down to making small, intentional choices: hooking viewers quickly, creating tangible value for a specific niche, posting consistently, and engaging your community. By focusing on giving more than you take, you provide the algorithm with all the signals it needs to show your content to a wider audience.

Of course, putting these tips into practice requires organization, especially when it comes to planning and scheduling. At Postbase, we built our tool specifically for the demands of modern social media, with short-form video at its core. Planning your Reels in our visual calendar, scheduling them reliably, and analyzing performance across all your platforms from one clean dashboard helps you turn strategy into action without the headache.