How to Promote Reels on Instagram

Getting your Instagram Reels in front of more people can feel like a guessing game, but it doesn't have to be. With the right approach, you can stop crossing your fingers and start using proven strategies to get your content seen. This guide breaks down the simple, actionable steps you can take to promote your Reels, reach new audiences, and grow your account - no luck required.

Nail the Basics: Creating Reels That Promote Themselves

The best promotion strategy starts with creating content people genuinely want to watch and share. Before you even think about hashtags or sharing tactics, you have to get the Reel itself right. If your foundation is weak, no amount of promotion will make it go viral. Here's where to focus your creative energy.

Grab Attention in the First 3 Seconds

You have a tiny window to stop someone from scrolling. Your first three seconds are everything. Don't waste time with a slow intro or a logo reveal. You need a strong hook right away. A hook can be:

• A Question: "Are you making these 3 common skincare mistakes?"
• A Bold Statement: "This is the most underrated restaurant in New York City."
• A Visually Satisfying Action: The crack of a creme brulee, paint pouring onto a canvas, or neatly organized folders clicking into place.

Assume your viewer has zero patience. Your opening shot should promise them something valuable, entertaining, or incredibly satisfying if they stick around for the next 15 seconds.

Use Trending Audio (But Give It Your Own Twist)

Using trending audio is one of the easiest ways to get your Reels into the algorithm's good graces. When a sound is popular, Instagram is more likely to show content that uses it. But here's the catch: don't just copy what everyone else is doing. The Reels that truly stand out apply a trending sound to their specific niche in a creative way.

For example, if a popular audio clip features someone lip-syncing about a funny workplace moment, how can you tie that back to your brand? A graphic designer could use it to joke about client feedback. A bookstore owner could use it to dramatize restocking a popular new release. The audio gives you a ticket to ride the trend, but your unique spin is what makes people remember you.

How to Find Trending Audio:

• The Reels Tab: Scroll through your Reels feed and look for the small arrow icon next to the audio's name at the bottom. This indicates the sound is trending.
• Tap the Audio: When you find a trending sound you like, tap on it. Instagram will show you how many Reels have been created with it. If there are tens of thousands but not millions, you've found a good sweet spot where the trend is rising but not completely saturated.
• Save It for Later: Save sounds you like as soon as you find them. This builds a library of audio you can use when you're ready to create.

Provide Strong Value or Entertainment

Every successful Reel does one of two things: it either teaches something (value) or it makes someone feel something (entertainment). People share content that makes them feel smarter, inspired, or makes them laugh. Ask yourself, "What is the takeaway for the viewer?"

• Value-Based Content: Quick tutorials, "how-to" videos, life hacks, advice, or educational snippets. Think "5 tips for a healthier houseplant" or "How to tie a tie in 30 seconds."
• Entertaining Content: Funny skits, relatable a-day-in-the-life moments, satisfying time-lapses, or beautiful cinematic shots.

A video of you making coffee is just content. A video showing a 3-step process to make the perfect iced latte at home? That's valuable content.

Optimize Before You Post: Your Pre-Flight Checklist

You've filmed and edited a fantastic Reel. Don't fumble the ball at the one-yard line! What you do right before hitting "Share" is almost as important as the video itself.

Write a Compelling Caption with a Clear CTA

Your caption should add context, personality, and, most importantly, tell people what to do next. A Call to Action (CTA) guides your audience and encourages engagement. Instead of just describing the video, try:

• Asking a question: "Which of these tips was your favorite? Let me know in the comments!"
• Prompting a share: "Send this to a friend who needs to hear it."
• Driving traffic: "For the full recipe, tap the link in our bio!"
• Encouraging a save: "Save this post for your next trip to the city!"

Engagement (likes, comments, shares, and saves) is a huge signal to the Instagram algorithm. By telling people exactly what you want them to do, you increase the chances they'll actually do it.

Choose an Eye-Catching Cover Photo

Your Reel's cover photo is what people see when they browse your profile grid. A messy, blurry screenshot can make your whole profile look unprofessional. Choose a clean, eye-catching frame from your video or upload a custom-designed cover image. A well-designed grid makes a stronger first impression and can encourage new visitors to tap on your content.

Master the Art of Hashtags

Hashtags help Instagram understand your content's topic and show it to people who might be interested. However, stuffing your caption with 30 irrelevant tags is counterproductive. A focused, strategic approach works best. Think quality over quantity.

How to Find and Use the Right Hashtags:

A good hashtag strategy uses a mix of different tag types. Aim for around 5-10 highly relevant hashtags per Reel. Here is a simple framework:

• Broad/Popular Tags: (1-2) These have millions of uses (e.g., #travel, #foodie, #interiordesign). They offer massive reach but are also highly competitive.
• Niche/Specific Tags: (3-4) These describe exactly what's in your video (e.g., #italytravelguide, #veganpastarecipe, #scandinavianhomedecor). They have a smaller audience, but it's a more targeted and engaged one.
• Community Tags: (1-2) These are hashtags used by specific communities on Instagram (e.g., #bookstagram, #craftersofinstagram, #runnersworld).

Example: A pottery artist shares a Reel of them making a mug. Their hashtags could be: #pottery (Broad), #handmademug #ceramics #potteryvideos (Niche), and #artistsofinstagram (Community).

Boost Your Reach: Strategies for After You Hit "Publish"

Your work isn't done once the Reel is live. The first few hours are absolutely vital for telling the algorithm that your content is worth pushing to a wider audience.

Share Your Reel to Your Stories

Immediately after posting, share your new Reel to your Instagram Stories. This is low-hanging fruit - it notifies your most dedicated followers (the people who watch your Stories) that you have new content out. To make it more enticing, use a sticker or GIF to cover a portion of the video and add a text overlay like "Tap to Watch!" or "New Reel Alert!" This creates curiosity and drives clicks.

Engage with Every Comment

When comments start rolling in, reply to them as quickly as possible. This first wave of engagement sends a powerful signal to Instagram that people are interested in your content. Better yet, respond to comments with another question to keep the conversation going. For example, if someone says "I love this!", you could reply with "Thank you so much! Have you tried this technique before?" Longer conversation threads on your Reel are another strong indicator of quality content.

Cross-Promote on Other Platforms

Your Reel can have a second or third life on other platforms. Download the video (without the Instagram watermark) and share it on:

• TikTok
• YouTube Shorts
• Pinterest Idea Pins

This expands your reach to entirely new audiences. Just remember to adapt the caption and sound to fit the tone and trends of each platform. What works on Instagram might not fly on TikTok.

Collaborate for Maximum Impact: The Power of Teamwork

Teaming up with another creator is one of the fastest ways to get your Reels in front of a new, relevant audience.

Use the Instagram Collabs Feature

The Collabs feature allows you to co-author a Reel with another account. The post will appear on both of your profile grids and be shown organically to both sets of followers, effectively doubling your initial reach. To use it, simply create your Reel as usual, and on the final sharing screen, tap "Tag people" and then "Invite collaborator."

Look for collaboration opportunities with creators or brands who share a similar target audience but aren't direct competitors. For example, a personal trainer could collaborate with a healthy meal prep service. A fashion blogger could collaborate with a local boutique.

Remix Popular Reels

Remixing lets you create your own Reel alongside an existing one. You can use this to react to another creator's video, add your own perspective to a trend, or build on their idea. It automatically tags the original creator, giving you a chance to get noticed by them and their followers. Look for Reels that ask a question or present an opinion you can respond to.

Final Thoughts

Promoting your Instagram Reels comes down to creating great, watchable content and then strategically sharing it across different channels. By focusing on your hook, using smart hashtags and CTAs, and collaborating with others, you give your content the best possible chance to be seen by the right people.

With so much great content to create, staying organized can be a challenge. We built Postbase from the ground up for today's video-first world, making it simple to plan your Reels, schedule them reliably, and manage all your engagement in one place so you can focus more on creating.