Video content is available in 4 formats on Instagram: Reels, Live, Stories, and Instagram Video.

The explosion of video beyond the platform is a lot to juggle. Merely it'due south also created new ways for marketers to tell stories and reach their audience.

Which Instagram video format is right for your brand? At that place may exist a place in your social media strategy for all of them. Or perhaps you'll determine but to focus on a couple. Read our guide to learn about the features, specifications, and best practices for every type.

Plus, we've rounded upwardly tools that make juggling Instagram video a little scrap easier.

Bonus: Unlock our free, customizable Instagram storyboard template to save time and plan all your Stories content in accelerate.

Types of Instagram video

Hither'due south a breakdown of the different Instagram video formats.

Instagram Stories

Inspired by Snapchat, Instagram Stories are fifteen-2nd videos that disappear after 24 hours.

Stories can be recorded by swiping right from the home screen, or by tapping the plus icon and selecting Stories. They can also exist uploaded from the Photo Library.

Expired Stories tin be saved to the Highlights department of a person's profile, positioned higher up the grid.

Instagram Stories

Source: Instagram

Interactive elements such as filters, emojis, tags, and stickers tin be added to each Story. Several brands—some 4 million every month by Instagram's count—have found novel means to utilize these features, from "this or that" polls to Q&As and product tags.

Stories are also ane of the rare places on Instagram that accounts can post links. (Just accounts that are verified or take 10,000+ followers have admission to this feature.) For brands, information technology'due south a significant way to bulldoze organic leads and conversions. More than 50% of people polled past Facebook say they've visited a brand's website after seeing a Story.

Despite their ephemerality, Stories are popular.

Their location at the pinnacle of the home feed may take something to do with information technology. The offhand nature of the disappearing format—removed from aesthetic pressures of the feed, is likely another factor.

More than 500 meg people lookout man Stories every 24-hour interval, and 58% of people surveyed past Facebook say Stories have piqued their interest in a make or product.

Resources: Learn how to apply Instagram Stories to build your audience.

Instagram Video

Instagram Video is a format introduced in 2021. Information technology replaced IGTV and combined it with in-feed video posts.

Instagram Video posts are added the same way images are posted: using Instagram'due south built-in camera or uploading from a Photo Library.

These videos can be upward to hour in length.

Like an image post, an Instagram video post can include a filter, location, explanation, likewise every bit user and location tags. One time posted, people tin engage with likes, comments, and sharing public videos in Stories and direct messages.

Users tin can create sixty-2d previews for longer videos. Video posts live in the dedicated Video tab on a user'due south profile.

Instagram Alive

Instagram Live lets people video stream from the built-in photographic camera. With things going remote this yr, brands have used Instagram Live to host workshops, interviews, and more than, leading to a lxx% increase in views betwixt February and March.

Alive broadcasts are started by swiping correct or tapping the plus icon and toggling to Live. Live streams tin can terminal up to iv hours and can be hosted past 1 or ii accounts. When an business relationship goes live, they appear at the front of the Stories bar with a Live icon. One time finished, Instagram Live videos can be shared for 30 days earlier they are deleted.

The number of viewers watching a live stream appears at the height of the screen, and people can engage by adding comments or emoji reactions. Viewers tin also purchase badges so that heart icons appear abreast their name in the comments. Instagram Live hosts can pin comments, plough comments off, or set up keyword filters to moderate comments.

Live Shopping features let businesses tag relevant products so that they appear at the bottom of the screen. Instagram Live also supports donations, so nonprofits on social media and creators tin use this medium for fundraising.

Resources: How to use Instagram Alive to grow and engage your followers.

Reels

Reels is Instagram'southward latest video format. Inspired by TikTok, these 15-thirty second clips tin can be created with Instagram's camera or uploaded from the Photo Library.

Recording furnishings include timed text, AR filters, light-green screen style, timer and speed controls, and access to an audio library.

Reels

Source: Instagram

Reels record in vertical portrait mode (9:16) and are displayed in users' feeds, the Reels tab, and a dedicated profile tab.

Like feed videos, Reels tin can include captions, hashtags, and most recently, product tags. People can engage with Reels past liking, commenting, or sharing them in Stories and direct letters.

Resource: Everything you need to know virtually Instagram Reels.

Instagram video specs

Here are the size and format specifications for each type of Instagram video.

Instagram Stories specs

Stories accept up the entire mobile screen and are tailored to the device. For that reason, exact specifications vary. These are the recommended specs:

  • Length: Upward to fifteen seconds (longer videos tin can exist clipped into multiple Stories)
  • Recommended size: Upload the highest resolution video bachelor that meets file size and ratio limits.
  • Maximum video file size : 30MB
  • Recommended file type: .MP4 or .MOV format
  • Ratios: ix:16 and xvi:nine to four:v
  • Minimum width : 500 pixels
  • Minimum attribute ratio : 400 10 500
  • Maximum aspect ratio : 191 x 100 or 90 ten 160
  • H.264 compression recommended
  • Foursquare pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan, and stereo AAC audio compression at 128+ kbps

Tip: Keep virtually fourteen% (~250 pixels) of the peak and bottom of the video costless from essential content. In this expanse, it could be obstructed by the profile photo or phone call to action.

Instagram Video specs

  • Length: 3 to lx seconds
  • Recommended size: Upload the highest resolution video available that meets file size and ratio limits.
  • Recommended file type: .MP4 or .MOV format
  • Maximum file size 30MB
  • Maximum frame rate 30fps
  • Minimum width: 500 pixels.
  • H.264 compression recommended
  • Square pixels, stock-still frame rate, progressive scan, and stereo AAC sound compression at 128kbps+

Instagram Live specs

Instagram Live broadcasts tin only be recorded from the camera app. Specifications are similar to Instagram Stories. Before going live, be sure that you lot have a reliable and fast Internet connection.

Instagram video best practices

Every Instagram video format is different, but these best practices apply to all of them.

Create for mobile

The majority of people view Instagram video on mobile, which means it's best to shoot in vertical orientation. Virtually people intuitively use portrait or selfie mode when they record with their phones. But for those who plan to apply a camera and upload a video, this is something to keep in listen.

create videos for mobile orientation

Source: Instagram

Of course, there are some exceptions. For longer video content, horizontal video may be a better fit.

Viewers can tilt their phone sideways for a full-screen viewing experience. Mural video tin likewise be uploaded to Stories and in-feed, simply without the tilt result.

Start with a hook

As a general rule, yous have iii seconds to finish thumbs from scrolling past your Instagram video. Or leaving your Instagram Story. Give people a reason to continue watching. Whether information technology's arresting visuals or a teaser of what's to come, find a manner to offering instant appeal.

Don't underestimate the importance of a caption either. If the video doesn't take hold of someone's attending, the explanation is your second chance.

Provide value

To proceed a viewer'south attention you demand to provide some kind of value. Your pitch could be sheer entertainment value—similar comic relief, captivating conversation, or your magnetic personality. Or you could impart tips and tricks, how-to'southward and workshops, or thought-provoking information.

Your value proposition should exist clear and simple. Earlier setting out to create a video, make full in the blank: When someone watches this video, they will _______. The respond may range from "laugh out loud" to "learn how to make snowman-wiches." Whatever you country on, it should be clear to viewers upfront.

If yous evangelize on your promise, yous'll likely see more views, engagement, and shares.

Use sound and captions

According to Instagram, 60% of people scout Stories with audio on. But it'south well known that there are many reasons people may sentinel your video with sound off, including context and hearing impairments.

Use sound to heighten your video, and include captions to brand your video accessible. Timed-text tin be manually added to Instagram Stories and Reels. To salvage time, tools like Clipomatic automatically add captions to your video.

Post regularly

The all-time manner to build an audience is to post regularly. That'southward specially true when information technology comes to long-formats similar Instagram Video and Live.

Create and share a schedule with your audience so they know when to wait your next Instagram Live. Or develop a video series that your followers can regularly wait forward to and tune in to. Take reward of scheduling tools similar Hootsuite to make certain your posts are published on time.

Try to postal service when your followers or almost online. Check your analytics and consult our enquiry to determine when that is. Keep in mind that your schedule will not piece of work for anybody. So make sure your Instagram videos remain accessible. Save Instagram Alive videos to your feed and share new video series episodes widely and so people don't miss them.

Bonus: Unlock our free, customizable Instagram storyboard template to save time and program all your Stories content in advance.

Become the template at present!

Tip: Create a countdown sticker in an Instagram Story to build anticipation for an Instagram Alive or an upcoming video premiere.

Cross-promote your videos

In that location are lots of ways to boost the discoverability of videos. Use trending hashtags, geotags, tag relevant accounts. Add popular stickers to your Story. And of class you can ever inject some ad dollars.

Once you've checked all of those boxes, program cross-promote your Instagram videos before and later y'all've posted. Share your videos to Instagram Stories. Tease an upcoming Instagram Live on Twitter. Pivot your videos on Pinterest.

Non merely will this increase the view count, it drives engagement on other platforms, as well—making the effort you put in to creating the video all the more worthwhile.

Instagram video apps

You lot've got your tripod and your ring light ready to get. Now try these Instagram video apps to perfect your content.

Adobe Spark

Use Adobe Spark to automatically size Instagram videos for you, add interactive elements, and take reward of the app's photograph and audio library.

Hootsuite

Hootsuite'south collaborative platform is ideal for content that requires teamwork and approvals. You can besides manage all your video material with Hootsuite'south content library.

Then, use the planner to pinpoint publication, plan production, and spot holes in your content agenda. And avert lags while posting a story with multiple parts with the scheduling tools.

Clipomatic

Clipomatic is the preferred fashion to add alive captions to social video past a number of loftier contour users, include U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Queer Heart's Karamo Dark-brown. Caption every bit you lot speak, or add captions to pre-recorded video. The captioning tool is available in more than 30 languages, and text tin be edited and customized earlier posting.

Apple Clips

Apple's video editor lets you piece and dice videos every bit you see fit before sharing it to Instagram. The app also includes a range of filters, special effects, and graphics. Like Clipomatic, it as well lets you add alive subtitles and text to your videos.

Adobe Premiere Rush

Adobe Premiere Rush is included with as function of the Creative Deject All Apps programme and with Premiere Pro. So if you lot're already a client, this app provides a slew of tools and features for social video. In addition to stuntworthy special effects, the app keeps its audio library fresh with custom recordings.

Lumen5

Lumen5 is a video creator that helps businesses turn their blog posts into engaging social video. The AI-powered video app pulls images and words into a storyboard brands can edit and tailor to each platform.

Headliner

If you want in on the video action, but only have audio and text to piece of work with, Headliner is for y'all. Originally made to help promote podcasts, the app is used past Wondery, BBC, CNN and other platforms use Headliner to transcribe audio clips into shareable, blithe videos.

Grow your Instagram presence using Hootsuite. From a unmarried dashboard you tin schedule and publish posts and Stories directly to Instagram, engage your audition, measure out performance, and run all your other social media profiles. Try it free today.

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