As platforms like TikTok and Youtube continue to eat up market-share for social media video platforms, Instagram is attempting to not only keep up, but compete with these platforms. In fact, Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, came out and said that Instagram is “no longer just a square photo-sharing app.”
While he didn’t mean that photos are gone forever, this is an important indicator that it’s time to test the waters with video content.
So what types of video content can you create on Instagram and how should you use them? Keep reading for 5 types of Instagram videos and how to use them.
The Different Instagram Video Format
Businesses have a few options for how to share videos on Instagram, and there’s no right or wrong answer to which to use. Depending on the content you’re creating, the goals of that piece of content, and the intended audience, the choice for video format may vary.
The five key types of video include:
- In-feed videos
- Reels
- Live video
- IGTV
- Story videos
In-Feed Video
These videos have been around for the longest amount of time, making them a familiar video element for many Instagram users. In-feed videos are just what they sound like: a video that you post directly on your feed.
They are uploaded just like you would add a photo to your feed and show up on your grid. Keep in mind, these have to be less than :60, so the video must be short to work on your feed!
Best used for:
- Quick animations
- Short movements
- Boomerangs
- Carousel posts that include a video
- Gifs
Tips for in-feed videos:
- Test short-form animations with Canva
- Keep videos succinct
- Create engaging content
- Get right to the point
In-feed videos are recognized by Instagram in a similar way to regular feed posts, making them ideal for reaching your current followers. It’s important to use hashtags and create shareable content to help them be reached by your non-followers.
Reels
Reels are Instagram’s direct response to TikTok. With reels, it’s key to create engaging, scroll-stopping content that takes up the full screen. Because Instagram wants to disrupt TikTok’s market share, they are heavily promoting reels content, making them an important trend to test.
For reels, you have up to :30 (for some accounts, they’re testing up to :60) to captivate your audience and garner their attention. Unlike with feed videos, reels allow you to add audio, voice overs, text-overlays, graphics, transitions, and more to your video before posting. This makes them a perfect solution for creating content that entertains and informs your audience.
Best used for:
- Behind-the-scene content
- How it’s made
- Service highlights
- Sharing tips or best practices
- Before and afters
- Day in the life
- Hopping on trends
Tips for reels:
- Look at trending audio and see how you can repurpose it to make it your own (check out my tutorials on how to save audio and access saved audio if you need help)
- Find trending dances, movements, and clips to see how you can repurpose them and make them your own
- Add text overlays to help your audience follow what’s happening
- Keep it simple – if you try to do too much your audience will get confused and keep scrolling
- Start with a valuable hook
- Don’t use all :30 if you don’t have to
- Focus on quality – avoid blurry videos, watermarks from other apps, and poor lighting
- Engage your followers – this can be done by including valuable information, using eye-catching transitions, or adding movement to the video
- Record content vertically so you take up the full screen on mobile
- Add your reels to your profile grid to help add extra reach (make sure to select or add a cover photo that will capture your follower’s attention when you do)
- Share your reels to your story to help garner more views
If your focus is growing on Instagram, then reels are a feature you should start incorporating into your content mix. This is because Instagram is promoting reels in ways that other content isn’t benefiting from.
For instance, reels have their own dedicated tab on the Instagram app where you can scroll through and find reels that Instagram’s algorithm anticipates you would be entertained by. This tab, which mimics the experience of scrolling through TikTok, features accounts that you typically aren’t following, meaning that your reels have the potential to show up here for accounts you don’t follow yet.
Instagram Live Video
Instagram Live is just what it sounds like: a way to go live in the moment to share videos with your audience. Your followers can then join your live stream and watch in real-time, add comments or ask questions, and engage with you more directly.
While Instagram Live previously allowed you to bring one additional account into your stream, they now let you go live with up to 3 other people. This is a great way to extend your reach to new potential followers and engage with a larger audience. In addition, Instagram is testing changes to incentive Instagram Live users, including adding badges and other financial incentives. You can learn more about these directly from Instagram here.
Best used for:
- Introducing your business (check out this example from when I went live on my first day as a full-time entrepreneur)
- Answering FAQs
- Doing a live audience Q+A
- Talking about an industry trend
- Trimming a webinar into a short live
- Introducing a new product line
- Interviewing another expert
- Live streaming a portion of an event
Tips for Instagram Live:
- Go in with a plan and an outline of topics to cover
- Introduce yourself (and anyone else in the live with you)
- Go live with friends or colleagues
- Get right to the point (do not start with “I’m just going to wait for a few more people to pop-on”)
- Save your live as an IGTV after
- Promote it ahead of time (I love talking about my upcoming live in stories the week of)
- Don’t overdo it (just because you can go live for up to 4 hours doesn’t mean you should – for sit downs with other accounts I try to keep it to 30 minutes or less)
One of my favorite features with Instagram Live is that when you go live, your followers get a notification to let them know. This helps draw your audience in to see what your live is all about. In addition, while you are live it will show at the front of your follower’s story section, helping to keep you top-of-mind for your audience. This is a huge value-add if you’re going live with other accounts.
Not only will your live be pinged out to your audience, but it will go to their followers as well, bringing new eyes to your profile. I love collaborating in live rooms with accounts that have a similar ideal follower base as mine so that we can help cross-promote one another to our following.
IGTV
Just like reels are Instagram’s answer to TikTok, IGTV is Instagram’s direct response to Youtube. Here, you can save and share long-form content that ranges from :60 to 60 minutes in length. In addition to showing as a tab on the main Instagram app, IGTV has its own standalone application that users can watch content through.
The standalone application has a feed that looks very similar to the Instagram reels tab, but it’s designated specifically for IGTV. You can also watch Instagram Lives that are in progress or took place recently through the IGTV app.
While IGTV is designed to combat YouTube, one main distinction to keep in mind is that IGTV is designed for mobile. Unlike YouTube where best practices include creating landscape video content, on IGTV it’s best to film vertically.
Best used for:
- Saving an Instagram Live
- Creating an ongoing video series
- Doing a video tutorial or demonstration
- Sharing video content from an event
- Doing a longer tour of a space (try trimming it into a reel, too!)
Tips for IGTV:
- Keep it succinct – just because you have up to an hour doesn’t mean you need to use it all
- Be engaging and entertaining so your audience sticks around
- Focus on quality – avoid blurry videos, watermarks from other apps, and poor lighting
- Film for mobile
- Share it to your feed, too
Overall, if you’re looking to share long-form video content on Instagram, IGTV is going to be your go-to tool. Just keep in mind that you don’t have to force extend your video content to be an IGTV if it doesn’t have to be. If you can be just as thorough, engaging, and entertaining in less time, then keep it shorter. People only have so much attention, and you don’t want to lose it by drawing out your video.
Story Videos
Stories are the last way to include video in your content mix and are often overlooked. Not only are they a great way to share time-sensitive content, but they’re a great tool for building up confidence and comfort on camera.
If you’re new to video and are feeling camera-shy, stories can be a low-pressure way to start showing up on camera. The reason? Stories disappear after 24 hours (unless you save them to a highlight of course).
Best used for:
- Behind the scenes
- Promoting an upcoming live event
- Talking about a hot topic
- Expanding on a recent post
- Sharing a lesson
- Giving a quick glimpse into a day in the life
- Sharing exclusive content for followers (you can also use the close friends feature to create an added later of exclusivity)
Tips for story videos:
- Keep it quick – people want fast entertainment on stories
- Lead with value (just like in Instagram Lives, don’t start with random banter)
- Show your face sometimes
- Use engagement stickers (polls, questions, etc) to encourage story engagement
- Don’t take it too seriously – you don’t need to be fully done up in makeup and with perfect hair to jump on your stories
- Don’t post just to post – if you annoy your audience they’ll get in the habit of skipping stories
Stories are an overall great way to stay top-of-mind with your existing audience because they are featured in chronological order. If you know what times your followers tend to pop on the app, you can start creating stories to share at those key timeframes. That way, you’re continuing to show up at the front of their stories section and stay top-of-mind with them.
Start Testing Instagram Video
I know what you’re thinking: “so, which of these is the right video for me?” The answer: all of them. Well at least until you start testing what works best with your audience.
I recommend starting to get familiar with each video format and seeing what your audience responds best to. Just keep in mind that testing isn’t a one-time process. Doing one Instagram Live isn’t going to tell you if your audience enjoys them. Try each vide type 3-5 times to start seeing how your audience responds.
If you’re looking for the best way to get comfortable with them, I recommend starting with stories and in-feed posts. From there, you can brand out Reels, Instagram lives, and IGTV.
Want these reminders at your fingertips when you’re deciding what to post? Head to my Instagram and save this post for quick-access to 4 of these 5 video types.
Still have questions? Contact me to see how I can help you create a video strategy that helps you meet your goals.
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