How to Get More Views on Instagram Videos

Staring at a video with disappointingly low view counts feels like shouting into the void. You spent hours creating something you were proud of, only to see it get lost in the endless scroll. This guide cuts through the noise and provides actionable strategies to get more eyes on your Instagram videos, focusing on the tactics that actually move the needle. We’ll cover everything from grabbing attention in the first three seconds to mastering the algorithm with smart engagement and promotion.

The First 3 Seconds: Your Make-or-Break Moment

In a world of infinite scrolling, you don’t have minutes to win someone over - you have seconds. The first three seconds of your video, known as the "hook," determine whether a viewer stops scrolling or keeps moving. If your intro is slow, confusing, or boring, you’ve already lost. Your primary goal is to create immediate curiosity or provide instant value.

Types of Powerful Hooks That Work

• The Problem/Solution Hook: Start by stating a common pain point your target audience experiences. Example: "Stop letting your houseplants die. Here are three tips for beginners."
• The Curiosity Gap Hook: Pose a question or make a statement that makes the viewer need to know the answer. Example: "This is the one marketing mistake 90% of small businesses make."
• The Transformation Hook: Show an incredible "after" result right at the beginning, then promise to show how you got there. This is perfect for DIY, fitness, or design content. Example: A shot of a beautifully organized pantry, with text overlay: "How I took my pantry from chaos to calm."
• The Bold Statement Hook: Say something controversial or unexpected (within your niche) to stop the scroll. Example: "You don't need 10,000 followers to make money on Instagram."

When editing, physically trim the first few seconds of dead air. Get straight to the action or the core message. Use bold text overlays within those first few seconds to immediately state the video's purpose, as many users browse with the sound off.

Think Like a Filmmaker: Every Video Needs a Story

Even a 15-second Reel can - and should - tell a story. A simple narrative structure makes your content more memorable and satisfying to watch. Viewers who stick around until the end send a powerful signal to the Instagram algorithm that your content is high-quality, which in turn leads to more views. The simplest storytelling framework is a beginning, middle, and end.

• The Beginning: The Hook. As we just covered, this is your attention-grabbing opening that sets the stage. It introduces the conflict, the question, or the goal.
• The Middle: The Substance. This is the core of your video where you deliver the value. You might be listing tips, showing the steps of a process, or building tension. Keep the pacing quick with fast cuts, different camera angles, and on-screen text to maintain interest.
• The End: The Payoff. This is the conclusion where you provide the answer, reveal the final result, or deliver a call to action (CTA). A good ending provides a sense of closure and encourages the viewer to watch again or take the next step.

For example, a recipe Reel follows this structure naturally: The "hook" is a shot of the delicious final dish. The "middle" shows the quick-cut process of mixing ingredients and cooking. The "end" is the final recipe reveal and a call to action like "Save this for your next dinner party!"

Optimize for the Phone in Their Hand

No one is watching your Instagram videos on a movie screen. They’re watching on a phone, often in a noisy environment, and sometimes in a hurry. You must create content designed specifically for this viewing experience.

Technical Specs That Matter

• Go Vertical (9:16): Always shoot and edit your videos in a vertical aspect ratio. Full-screen content is more immersive and commands more attention than a horizontal video with black bars on the top and bottom.
• Use Text and Captions: A massive percentage of users watch videos with the sound off. If your video relies on someone talking, burned-in subtitles are non-negotiable. Instagram's auto-caption sticker in Reels and Stories is a simple way to do this. For other text, make it large, bold, and easy to read against your video background.
• Prioritize Visual Clarity: What looks good on your laptop monitor might be a cluttered mess on a 6-inch phone screen. Use clear, simple visuals and avoid tiny details. Good lighting isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity for making your videos look professional and watchable.

Use Trends, but Don't Get Lost in Them

Trending audio and formats are powerful tools for discoverability. When you use a popular sound, Instagram may show your video to users who have previously engaged with other videos using that same audio. However, simply lip-syncing to a trending sound without connecting it to your niche is a recipe for low engagement.

How to Adapt an Audio Trend

1. Find a Trend: Pay attention to the audio being used repeatedly in your feed or check the Reels tab, which often shows what's trending.
2. Understand the Context: Watch a few videos using the sound. What's the joke? What's the emotion? Is there a specific on-screen text format people are using with it?
3. Adapt it to Your Niche: Here's the most important step. How can you apply the trend's format or joke to a problem, idea, or situation your specific audience can relate to? A real estate agent might use a trending sound about "avoiding red flags" to point out things to look for during a home inspection. A programmer might use a popular audio clip about frustration to show a common coding bug.

This approach gives you the discoverability boost of a trend while still creating content that is authentic to your brand and valuable to your target audience. You are joining a conversation, not just copying a dance.

Write Captions and Hashtags with Intention

Your caption and hashtags work together to give Instagram context about your video, making it easier for the algorithm to show it to the right people. Don't treat them as an afterthought.

Crafting a Compelling Caption

Your caption should do one of two things: add extra value or spark a conversation. You can expand on the points in your video, share a personal story related to the content, or ask a question to prompt comments. Engagement in the comments section tells the algorithm that people are interested in your content, boosting its reach.

End your caption with a clear call to action (CTA). Tell people exactly what you want them to do next. Examples include:

• "What’s your favorite tip? Let me know in the comments!"
• "Save this post for later!"
• "Share this with a friend who needs to see it."

A Smarter Hashtag Strategy

Don’t just copy and paste 30 generic hashtags like #video or #explorepage. Use a mix of hashtags that vary in size and specificity to maximize your reach.

• Broad Hashtags (1M+ Posts): Use 2-3 of these to describe the general topic of your content (e.g., #SocialMediaMarketing, #GraphicDesign).
• Niche-Specific Hashtags (50k - 500k Posts): Use 5-7 hashtags that describe your video's specific subject and target audience (e.g., #InstagramTipsForBusiness, #CanvaTutorials). These are the sweet spot for getting discovered by a relevant audience.
• Community/Branded Hashtags (<,,10k Posts): Use 1-2 hashtags that are unique to your brand or a small community you belong to (e.g., #YourBrandNameHere, #LocalCreativeClub).

This tiered approach gives your video a chance to rank in smaller, more engaged hashtag pools while still competing in larger ones.

Consistency Is the Algorithm's Love Language

Posting consistently does two things: it gives your audience a reason to follow and stay engaged, and it "trains" the algorithm to understand what your account is about. If you post one video about pottery, another about cryptocurrency, and a third about dog grooming, Instagram’s algorithm gets confused about who to show your content to.

Building a Content System

Choose 2–4 core topics or "content pillars" and create videos primarily within those categories. This helps build a loyal audience that knows what to expect from you. Aim for a sustainable posting schedule. It's better to post 3 high-quality videos per week, every single week, than to post 7 videos one week and then burn out and post zero the next. Look at your Instagram Insights to see when your audience is most active and schedule your posts for those peak times to give your content the best possible start.

Share, Promote, and Engage Wildly

Your job isn't done after you hit the "publish" button. How you amplify your video in the first hour can have a huge impact on its overall performance.

• Share to Your Stories: As soon as your video goes live, share it to your Instagram Story. This immediately alerts your most engaged followers that you have new content. Don't just share it plainly, use stickers, GIFs, or a "New Post" graphic to make it more eye-catching. Cover part of the video and add a "Tap here to watch!" CTA to drive an intentional click-through.
• Respond to Every Comment: Especially in the first hour, reply to every single comment. This boosts your engagement rate and encourages more comments, creating a positive feedback loop for the algorithm. Your replies also show potential followers that you're an active and approachable creator.
• Cross-Promote on Other Platforms: If you have an audience on another platform like TikTok, Threads, or X, let them know you've posted a new Instagram video. A simple "I just posted a new Reel with 3 tips for X, go check it out!" can drive valuable initial traffic.

Final Thoughts

Getting more views on your Instagram videos isn't about finding a single secret hack, it's about building a solid process. Focus on creating an irresistible hook, telling a clear story, optimizing for mobile viewing, and promoting your content with real intention. Consistency and genuine engagement will always outperform chasing short-lived algorithm tricks.

Building that consistency can feel overwhelming when you’re juggling different content pillars and posting schedules. At Postbase, we designed our visual calendar to solve this exact problem. Seeing your entire month laid out helps you spot gaps in your strategy and plan your video content in batches, while our rock-solid scheduler - built specifically for video formats like Reels - ensures your posts go live at the perfect time, every time, without failing.