13 Ideas from Manufacturers You Love [+ Examples]

Creating video for Instagram is one in every of my favourite advertising and marketing duties.

From in-feed movies to Reels, Instagram Reside, and Tales, entrepreneurs such as you and I’ve tons of enjoyable alternatives to get artistic and — to make issues even higher — they really work.

In keeping with latest HubSpot Analysis, entrepreneurs price Instagram the #1 social media platform for video ROI, engagement (likes, shares, and many others.), and leads. And I’ve seen this first-hand, each professionally and personally.

On this article, I’ll element the whole lot it is advisable learn about Instagram video advertising and marketing and share actionable suggestions that I and massive manufacturers have used to succeed.

New to Instagram advertising and marketing typically? Take a look at our article, “ Use Instagram: A Newbie’s Information [Expert Insights + New Data].” That foundational information is crucial when diving into Instagram movies.

Desk of Contents

There are 4 important codecs for creating movies for Instagram:

• In-feed
• Instagram Reels
• Instagram Tales
• Instagram Reside

There may be some overlap in specs, options, and so forth, however they’re, nonetheless, distinct in what they provide and the way shoppers work together with them.

In-feed Movies

In-feed movies are movies that you simply add or report by choosing “publish” within the Instagram app. They’ll both be shared as a particular person, standalone video or as part of a carousel. This alternative impacts what you are able to do subsequent.

Standalone In-feed Movies

In case you “publish” a video by itself, with out choosing some other media, that’s a standalone in-feed video, however right here’s the plot twist: They get handled like Reels — no less than so far as person expertise (UX) is concerned.

As soon as shared, standalone in-feed movies additionally seem on the Reels tab of your Instagram profile and are topic to the identical UX and optimization choices. In different phrases, you’re given the choice to edit the video like a Reel, including clips, music, captions, results/filters, and extra.

The primary differentiator right here, nevertheless, is that in-feed movies may be as much as 60 minutes lengthy, whereas Reels are restricted to simply three minutes.

As an instance, let’s take a look at this video on my Instagram. It’s simply shy of 5 minutes lengthy, so I needed to publish it “in-feed.” Nonetheless, I may nonetheless edit and refine it like a Reel, including captions and sound. Then, after importing, it nonetheless appeared within the Reel tab on my profile.

Size: As much as 60 minutes

Use Instances: In-feed video is right on your present followers in search of deeper worth. Clearly, it’s best to use standalone, in-feed movies to publish content material longer than three minutes, however that doesn’t imply they are often about something.

Roughly 92% of Instagram customers are beneath 45, and so they use the platform to maintain up with family and friends, tendencies and private pursuits, and be entertained and impressed. They need content material that’s humorous, artistic, informative, and stress-free — even from manufacturers. So, suppose interviews, behind-the-scenes tales, distinctive spins on tendencies, and related “hacks.”

Carousel Movies

Carousel movies are movies which are included in a group of media shared in a single publish on Instagram. In contrast to In-feed or Reels, these movies can’t be edited except for muting the sound and including a filter. They’re additionally the one uploaded movies that seem in your grid, however not the Reels tab.

Size: As much as 60 seconds, per slide (20-slide max)

Use Instances: Save this for brief clips that add to the narrative of your carousel. For instance, say you’re selling an interview you latterly revealed in your web site. You need to use the carousel to alternate between clips from the interview and graphics with highly effective quotes.

Instagram Reels

Okay, right here’s the one you’ve been ready for.

Initially created as a response to the recognition of TikTok, Reels are Instagram’s signature short-form vertical movies that may be as much as three minutes lengthy and edited in numerous methods on the platform. Additionally they have their very own devoted tab in your Instagram profile, though they will additionally seem in your important grid for those who choose.

Whereas not confirmed, many specialists imagine that Reels are extra widespread on Instagram than in-feed movies. A research by Metricool helps this, discovering that Instagram Reels have the very best attain price out of all Instagram content material varieties (~37.87%).

Many additionally imagine Reels are extra extensively favored by the Instagram algorithm and, in flip, get featured extra within the Uncover tab and seen by extra non-followers.

Size: As much as three minutes

Use Instances: Use Reels for bite-sized, fast-paced movies focused at getting shared and attracting new followers. With their excessive attain, Reels are greatest geared up to develop your viewers out of all Instagram video advertising and marketing.

Instagram Tales

Instagram Tales are short-form movies that disappear after 24 hours, although they are often saved in curated “highlights” in your profile.

They are often as much as 60 seconds every and edited utilizing filters, results, stickers, and music, simply to call a couple of choices.

Size: As much as 60 seconds

Use Instances: Instagram Tales are nice for real-time updates of occasions, day-to-day actions, and time-sensitive data like flash gross sales. If there’s one thing you want folks to know urgently, Tales are your greatest wager of it getting seen.

Instagram Reside

Because the title suggests, Instagram Reside is a stay broadcast on the platform that viewers entry by clicking your profile image. You may stream for as much as 4 hours and invite friends to affix you. Viewers may react and remark in real-time.

After you want the printed, it will likely be accessible to avoid wasting to your digicam roll or profile as a Reel for 30 days. After 30 days, if not saved, it will likely be deleted.

Be aware: Solely Instagram customers who’ve a public account with 1,000 followers or extra will be capable of begin a Reside broadcast.

Size: Stream as much as 4 hours

Use Instances: With its uncooked manufacturing and real-time engagement, Instagram Reside is nice for constructing genuine, one-on-one connections along with your client. You need to use the function to host Q&A or “Ask Me Something” classes, make product or firm bulletins, and even host interviews.

In keeping with HubSpot’s 2026 State of Advertising, 48% of entrepreneurs say Instagram drives probably the most ROI out of all social media platforms, with Reels particularly main the way in which with probably the most ROI out of all content material codecs.

These numbers alone needs to be sufficient to persuade entrepreneurs to experiment with Instagram video advertising and marketing, however the advantages don’t cease there.

Viewers Engagement

That is stating the plain, however audiences love video content material. In reality, our most up-to-date social media tendencies report discovered the codecs shoppers get pleasure from most on social media (e.g., Tales, and stay streams) are video-based, with short-form video being the most well-liked.

Which of the media codecs that your organization leverages have resulted within the largest ROI this 12 months? Choose as much as three.

Entrepreneurs agreed that these drive the very best ROI, whereas Reels additionally drive probably the most views, likes, and shares of all Instagram codecs.

However why is that? Video content material, typically, is thought to speak data quicker and in a extra memorable (and shareworthy) approach than written or static visible content material. Instagram is not any totally different.

Excessive Attain and Algorithmic Discoverability

Because the second-largest social media platform, Instagram clearly has a really lively viewers to succeed in. (About three billion every month to be precise.)

Add within the reputation of video, its excessive engagement, and its supposed choice within the Instagram algorithm, and Instagram video presents an enormous alternative to succeed in new and shoppers.

Be aware: The remainder of this text will concentrate on Instagram standalone, in-feed movies (that are basically Reels), however for those who’d like specialised insights only for Reels, try our article: Make Instagram Reels and Use Them to Your Benefit.

For an in-depth breakdown of how one can publish on Instagram, try the article “ Submit on Instagram: A Step-by-Step Information.”

What qualifies as “good” content material is known as a matter of opinion.

For instance, within the early 2000s, a bit collection named Jackass was widespread on MTV and even led to 9 function movies, however I simply have by no means been in a position to get behind it. At this time, social media is filled with equally questionable video content material that manages to seek out an viewers and achieve success. And that’s all that issues in the long run.

As a model and enterprise, the one individuals who want to love your movies are your target market or purchaser persona. The one option to know what’s “good” by their requirements — learn grows your model consciousness, will increase engagement, and aids enterprise — is by experimenting.

Our analysis reveals Instagram customers describe the content material they favored most as humorous, informative, or instructional, amongst different methods.

That will help you seize these sentiments in your Instagram movies, I’ll share 13 Instagram video greatest practices you can begin testing.

Be aware: If you need much more examples and steering on what to publish, try:

Instagram movies can deliver these human tales to life and have interaction your viewers on a deeper emotional stage. Customers join with relatable content material. In reality, our analysis reveals that relatable content material is the second-most efficient sort of video for undertaking advertising and marketing targets.

It helps folks envision themselves as a client of your services or products and perceive the worth it may provide them.

For instance, on this Instagram video, Microsoft showcases how a standard particular person may use their AI Copilot to meal prep of their on a regular basis life.

Whereas we often consider Microsoft software program and merchandise in conventional workplaces, this video expands the perceived scope of their influence. It helps much more folks see themselves within the model. It’s additionally only a fantastically shot and edited video.

One other option to spotlight human tales is thru case research (like Shopify does under), testimonials, or interviews with glad prospects.

Professional Tip: Be thoughtful of variety and inclusion.

Instagram is a worldwide platform that reaches folks from all walks of life.

Excited about variety and inclusivity might help attain a bigger viewers by trying previous preconceived notions of gender, age, race, earnings, sexuality, and many others. to focus on how your services or products can provide worth.

One model that has been a pacesetter on this house for years is Dove. I really like this Instagram video that includes a lady of a sure age plunging into blue water then nourishing her pores and skin with Dove merchandise.

It’s not simply enjoyable and inclusive, however aspirational. It prompts the thought, “Hm. Perhaps I may very well be dwelling my greatest life if I take advantage of Dove too.”

4. Tease what’s coming (New product launches, options, and many others.)

A good way to construct hype round upcoming merchandise or options is to publish them on Instagram.

You don’t should do a full-fledged business to make an influence. On this video, as an example, Slack shares product updates through a clip of their CEO delivering a keynote.

Sq. discusses new merchandise and options with a speaking head video.

None of those examples are excessive manufacturing worth or difficult, however all of them successfully present audiences what they will look ahead to from the upcoming releases.

Professional Tip: When posting movies about future merchandise or futures on Instagram, benefit from the “Remind me” function.

With this, individuals who see the video can faucet on the bell icon within the backside left of video to choose into receiving notifications reminding them of the upcoming launch. As soon as they do, they’ll obtain three notifications for the occasion:

• An exercise feed notification 24 hours earlier than the occasion.
• An exercise feed and push notification quarter-hour earlier than the occasion.
• An exercise feed and push notification on the time of the occasion.

The ultimate notification may even coincide with a follow-up piece of content material formally saying the brand new merchandise. (HubSpot’s social media instruments might help you schedule this.)

General, this can be a nice option to preserve your launch on the prime of your thoughts and construct pleasure.

Study extra about establishing occasion reminders on Instagram right here.

5. Share how one can use present merchandise.

Your present merchandise may very well be given comparable remedy. Potential prospects won’t concentrate on the extent of your catalog and even how one can use the whole lot the precise approach.

Bringing these merchandise or makes use of to their consideration as an alternative of leaving them to look or surprise not solely improves their person expertise however could even sway undecided consumers to make a purchase order.

Dyson Magnificence often teaches folks how one can use its instruments and haircare merchandise on its Instagram account utilizing video.

Google merely reveals somebody strolling by way of how one can generate an AI picture with its agent Gemini with a voiceover.

Demonstrations, hacks, and suggestions like these are different widespread kinds of Instagram movies, particularly for manufacturers. Extra on that shortly.

6. Carry consideration to promotions or gross sales.

In keeping with Capital One, 91% of Individuals search for reductions earlier than making a purchase order — and this serial couponer believes it. Everybody likes to economize, so don’t let your gross sales come and go quietly.

Use Instagram movies to focus on any promotions or gross sales you’re operating. Amazon does a terrific job with this for Prime Day. They even teamed up with widespread creator Zach King:

7. Make folks chortle.

The most well-liked content material on Instagram is humorous. Humor is relatable, shareworthy, and likewise memorable. Due to this, discovering methods to include related, on-brand humor into your Instagram video advertising and marketing may be extraordinarily beneficial to a enterprise.

Now, I do know: Being humorous is difficult. If it weren’t, there wouldn’t be so many failed comedians.

However don’t let this cease you.

Your humorous content material may be authentic (like Duolingo) or curated.

So long as the humor is related to your viewers, it will likely be appreciated.

8. Educate your viewers (i.e., how-tos, suggestions, hacks)

Folks comply with and belief manufacturers that provide actual worth, and few issues are extra beneficial than training lately.

Take a while to consider what your corporation or model can uniquely train your viewers.

What do they should learn about your trade or when making a purchase order determination? What information and experience are you able to provide to assist them obtain their targets or enhance their each day lives? Higher but, what insights are you able to share that nobody else can?

Form your Instagram advertising and marketing video technique round these subjects.

For instance, hair care model AAVRANI goes high-level, instructing folks what a clarifying shampoo is.

Although this isn’t instantly selling their product, it educates folks on what it’s and what it solves. It additionally offers them the possibility to say, “Hey, I believe I want that.”

At HubSpot, we’ve taken an analogous strategy, sharing electronic mail advertising and marketing suggestions anybody (HubSpot customers or not) may implement.

In the meantime, WIX zeros in on present customers, sharing “hacks” to get probably the most out of their instruments.

Whether or not you communicate to your providing or your house typically, sharing instructional movies positions you as an skilled and useful useful resource — one folks can belief, wish to comply with, and doubtlessly even work with.

Manufacturing Strategies

9. Improve your efforts with AI.

Let’s face it. Video advertising and marketing takes effort and time, and never each advertising and marketing staff has the mandatory sources. Fortunately, there are many AI instruments to complement your efforts and enable you to get extra finished with much less.

In keeping with our analysis, the #1 approach entrepreneurs at present use AI of their video technique is by serving to with captions, descriptions, and different text-based parts. Following carefully behind is enhancing visible results on movies. (Suppose filters and results on Instagram.)

However the potentialities don’t cease there. Utilizing instruments Canva’s AI video generator, you may convert textual content into skilled movies with just some clicks.

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10. Suppose short-form first

Whereas Instagram helps movies as much as 60 minutes lengthy, our analysis reveals that 71% of entrepreneurs say short-form video delivers the very best ROI. 66% additionally mentioned it will get probably the most engagement, whereas 60% mentioned it drives probably the most leads.

With this in thoughts, lean into shorter movies (30 seconds to 2 minutes). Whether or not your video is targeted on training or leisure, this size tends to be simply lengthy sufficient to maintain your viewers engaged but additionally wanting extra.

On this user-generated video, Amazon Prime reveals simply how candy and efficient brief video may be:

11. Take note of manufacturing high quality

One constructive of the COVID-19 pandemic is that lowered the enjoying area when it comes to social media video manufacturing. At this time, you don’t want fancy video, sound, or lighting tools or perhaps a studio. However that doesn’t imply you may neglect manufacturing high quality altogether.

How your video seems and sounds can closely have an effect on how your message is obtained and if folks even stick round to listen to/watch it. So, ensure that to place your greatest foot ahead.

When creating movies for Instagram, use instruments like a tripod, telephone stand, or perhaps a pop socket to maintain your telephone regular and keep away from shaky footage.

Discover a quiet house or use software program like krisp.ai to cut back noise and preserve your sound clear and centered on what must be heard.

Along with that…

Professional Tip: Comply with Instagram tech specs and necessities. When Instagram launched movies in 2013, they might solely be 15 seconds lengthy and seem within the feed. At this time, they’ve taken on an entire new life.

To make sure Instagram can share and show your content material as deliberate, ensure that your movies are optimized from a technical standpoint. This implies following Instagram’s technical specs and necessities. We’ll get into that shortly.

Engagement Ways

12. Collaborate with influential manufacturers and creators in your house.

Matter Communication discovered that 69% of shoppers belief data from influencers, mates, and household greater than manufacturers. In different phrases, word-of-mouth issues.

With this in thoughts, look into influencers, creators, and related companies your consumers comply with. Maybe you may collaborate with them to get in entrance of potential new followers, boosting your discoverability, attain, and social proof.

YETI does an admirable job with this of their video advertising and marketing on Instagram.

Right here, the producer posted a video of one in every of its ambassadors, Matt Pittman of @meatchurch, utilizing and recommending a YETI product to his 900k followers.

On this one, beverage guide Robert Björn Taylor shares a recipe ready in YETI’s Rambler™ Pitcher.

Each are sensible examples of how one can present the corporate’s merchandise in motion and attain a big, new viewers of potential prospects.

Professional Tip: As soon as revealed, be sure you and your collaborator make it “Instagram Official.” Tag them as a “collaborator” on the video. This manner it’ll seem on the grid and feeds of their followers along with yours, increasing your attain.

13. Share and encourage user-generated content material

As we talked about earlier, persons are extra prone to imagine what others say about you than what you say about your self. I imply, give it some thought: If I mentioned I’m the world’s greatest pastry chef, why ought to anybody imagine me?

Posting user-generated content material (UGC) movies successfully gives social proof of your claims and reveals appreciation for present prospects.

It is a staple of GoPro’s Instagram technique.

The tech firm often shares content material utilizing its merchandise on its Instagram profile, giving prospects publicity on the model’s giant platform and likewise highlighting what its merchandise are able to.

The awe-inspiring movies are additionally extraordinarily shareworthy.

Instagram Video Analytics & Optimization

As soon as your Instagram movies are revealed, how have you learnt in the event that they’re really undertaking what you need them to? You want information. Like all advertising and marketing endeavor, you may’t know if one thing is actually working until you measure it someway.

That is additionally a should for data-based optimization. Let’s undergo what these metrics needs to be, how one can observe them, and what to do with what you be taught.

Key Metrics for Instagram Video Advertising

Monitoring the precise metrics helps you perceive not simply how many individuals noticed your video, however how nicely it held consideration and drove motion. Primarily based on this information, you’ll know higher what it is advisable change or preserve the identical with the intention to obtain your targets. caption, video, et cetera to

Right here’s what you may observe:

Consciousness/Discovery

• Views / Performs: What number of occasions your video was performed (Reels depend a view after ~3 seconds).

• Benchmarks of fine efficiency:

• Natural Reels: 5–10% of your follower depend is stable
• Excessive-performing Reels: 20%+ of follower depend or sturdy non-follower attain

• Follower vs. Non-Follower Attain: Exhibits how discoverable your content material is.

• Wholesome progress content material: 40–70% non-follower attain
• Viral potential: 70%+ non-follower attain

Engagement:

• Watch Time & Common Watch Length: Signifies how lengthy viewers stayed engaged.

• Good: 40–60% of complete video size
• Wonderful: 70%+ (particularly for movies beneath 30 seconds)

• Completion Charge: Proportion of viewers who watched the whole video.

• <30%: Wants enchancment
• 30–50%: Robust
• 50%+: Excessive-performing

• Engagement Charge (Likes, Feedback, Shares, Saves): Measures how compelling your content material is. Saves and shares are additionally particularly sturdy alerts for algorithmic distribution.

• Good: 3–6%
• Wonderful: 7%+

Entry Instagram Video Insights

Instagram gives native analytics by way of Instagram Insights, accessible for Enterprise and Creator accounts.

To view video analytics:

1. Go to your profile and faucet Skilled Dashboard
   
2. Choose Insights
   
3. Faucet Content material You Shared
   
4. Select a selected Reel or video

Key Perception tabs to assessment:

• Overview: Attain, performs, interactions
• Viewers: Follower vs. non-follower views
• Retention Graph: Drop-off factors by second

It’s also possible to collect insights from many third-party instruments like Sprout Social and HubSpot. HubSpot Reporting, as an example, can present observe and analyze your viewers dimension progress, your interactions (engagement), clicks, shares, and impressions amongst different issues.

Professional tip: Evaluate insights 24 hours, 72 hours, and seven days after posting to know each early momentum and long-tail efficiency.

A/B Testing Instagram Movies

As entrepreneurs, we all know A/B testing as whenever you run variations of an asset on the identical time to see which performs greatest. You are able to do this for as much as 4 video captions and covers on Instagram, however provided that they’re being utilized in a Meta Advert.

In terms of natural Instagram video advertising and marketing, most particularly Reels, you employ “Trials.”

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Trials are exams customers with skilled accounts can use to look at how nicely a video performs with a random pattern viewers earlier than publishing it to their followers. The trial reel additionally gained’t present up of their profile’s reels tab or important grid until they determine to Share to everybody afterward.

In contrast to an official A/B check, many of the evaluation is guide with trials. You, because the creator, will iterate then take a look at your views, clicks, retention price, and different metrics to make hypotheses on what you can do to enhance these numbers based mostly in your targets.

As an example, for those who’re attempting to construct model consciousness, you’ll doubtless wish to see a excessive variety of views/performs. If this quantity is low, maybe there’s one thing concerning the thumbnail or hook that’s not grabbing folks’s consideration. Make some modifications and run one other trial.

Within the case of views, Trials does provide the choice to mechanically share the video if it grabs a variety of eyes within the first 72 hours.

There are a number of video compression instruments that can compress movies for you. For instance, UniConverter has a simple and free Instagram compression instrument.

In the meantime, Free Convert and Clipchamp mechanically take away sure information particulars of your video (lossy compression), but additionally will let you make a number of changes to satisfy your wants.

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As soon as these settings are saved, your publish shall be Instagram-ready. As a result of you may’t add movies on to Instagram through desktop, take into account a third-party app like HubSpot or Later. These will allow you to add and schedule the video to publish later.

It’s also possible to ship the video to your telephone and add it there.