The 14 Editing Secrets You Need to Know for Viral Instagram Reels
Are you stuck trying to get your Instagram to grow?
Lots has changed over the years. We started our Instagram in 2016 and had ups and downs but recently (in the last 6-8 months) cracked the code and have blown up our business Instagram to gain an extra 150,000 followers.
How did we do it? By getting videos to go Viral, and editing makes all the difference.
What is considered "Viral"?
It depends on who you ask, but for our account, a Viral video is considered over 1 Million Views.
Here are the Top 14 Editing secrets on how we got our IG Reels to go Viral:
-
Start with a catchy hook: Make sure the first 1-3 seconds of your video are attention-grabbing so that users are enticed to keep watching. Some of our best hooks are quick movements (camera pans) and shots that cause curiosity.
-
Keep it short and sweet: Instagram Reels are designed to be short and snappy, ideally with the video under 30 seconds. The shorter the better, ours are generally less than 15 seconds.
-
Use trending music: Using popular songs or sounds can help your Reels get noticed by more users and increase the chances of it going viral.
-
Add captions and emojis: Including captions and emojis in your video can help viewers understand your message even if they're watching without sound.
-
Use eye-catching visuals: Use bright colors, contrasting elements, and creative visuals to make your Reel stand out from the crowd.
-
Something funny: Incorporating humor into your video can make it more entertaining and very shareable.
-
Edit with transitions: Using smooth transitions between clips can make your Reel look more polished and professional.
-
Increase the speed in editing: The algorithms reward you when someone re-watches your Reel, so increasing the speed, making it almost too fast, surprisingly gets more views in our experience.
-
Keep it on-brand: Make sure your Reel aligns with your brand's messaging, values, and aesthetic.
-
Call to action: End your Reel with a call to action, such as asking viewers to follow your account or leave a comment. This can encourage engagement and increase the chances of your Reel going viral.
- Find Viral examples on Tiktok: By researching before you shoot and edit, see what went viral and see if you can recreate them with your own style. (not the dancing videos lol)
- Timing and Relevance: Posting Reels that are appropriately timed, An example: Christmas-style video 2-3 weeks before Xmas can definitely go viral (see the photo above where a Xmas style video received over 7.1 Million Views)
- BTW Let them Run: Never delete a Reel because it doesn't look like it is getting low views after you post. It is very common for a Reel to have a poor start and then take off a month or 2 later.
- Use Quick Cuts: Most people have a low attention span. Using quick cuts in your editing keeps them engaged a keep watching especially with trending music.
What are your thoughts? Do you want more step-by-step details? Let Us know below!
