They’re short, fast, and everywhere, and if you’re not using Instagram Reels yet, your audience is probably watching someone else’s.

Trends shift, attention spans shrink, and what works today might flop tomorrow. 

To grow your brand or reach new people on Instagram in 2025, you need to understand how Reels work, and more importantly, how to make them work for you.

In this article, we’ll walk through what makes Reels tick in 2025, plus show you how to edit, post, and position them so they don’t just fill your feed, but actually do something for your brand.

What are Instagram Reels? 

Instagram Reels are short-form vertical videos designed to entertain and engage the audience. Launched in 2020 as a response to TikTok’s social takeover, they’ve become one of the platform’s most important tools.

Reels were Instagram’s pivot to bite-sized content that’s fast, creative, and easy to consume. 

While Stories disappear after 24 hours and IGTV focused on long-form video (before being retired in 2022), Reels sit in the sweet spot. They’re short enough to hold attention, but long enough to leave an impression and showcase what matters. 

Instagram Reels have their own tab and are regularly shown to users who’ve never seen your content before, which is why they’ve become Instagram’s top format for discoverability. They have that scrollability factor that keeps people watching, liking, and sharing for hours. 

Instagram now places Reels in multiple high-traffic places: 

• The dedicated Reels tab.
• Your main Instagram feed.
• The Explore page.
• Hashtag pages.
• In users’ DMs (Reels are the most-shared content type on Instagram).

For creators, Reels offer a way to grow quickly by jumping on trends, challenges, or showing off personality. For brands and businesses, they’re tailor-made for product demos, behind-the-scenes snippets, tutorials, testimonials, or UGC-style content that feels authentic and easy to watch.

In short, Reels are Instagram’s answer to modern content consumption — short, scrollable, and built for reach.

Instagram Reels specs and length (2025 update)

Creativity and entertainment alone won’t make your Reels go viral. The technical details matter too. Getting the specs right means your videos will look how they should, avoid being cropped, and meet Instagram’s latest requirements. 

How long can Instagram Reels be? 

Instagram Reels can be up to 90 seconds long when filmed directly in the app, and up to 15 minutes when uploaded from your camera roll. Instagram continues to favour short-form content, but longer Reels are effective for certain types of content, like tutorials, behind-the-scenes content, and storytelling. 

If you’re aiming for visibility on Explore or Reel tabs, keep your videos under 60 seconds for optimal performance. 

What format, dimensions, and file type does Instagram recommend?

• Aspect ratio: 9:16 (vertical video). 
• Resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels.
• File type: MP4 or MOV.
• Max. file size: 4GB.

With Reels, stick to vertical video. Horizontal Reels tend to feel off unless they’re styled intentionally, with framing or on-screen elements that make sense in a vertical feed.

Smart Tools to Help You Edit Faster

Instagram offers in-app editing tools like templates, auto-captions, music, and transitions to make it easier to polish videos. 

The app is fine for quick edits, but if you want more control and higher-quality Reels, tools like Canva offer features Instagram doesn’t.

Add custom fonts, branded colour palettes, logo placement, and reusable templates that help you stay consistent with every post. 

Your 2025 Instagram Video Guide

Read the guide

How to interact with Reels like a pro

Reels used to be all-or-nothing; you either watched them start to finish or swiped away. There was no pausing, no playback control, and limited options for saving or sharing. 

But Instagram has quietly added multiple ways to interact; you just have to know how. From pausing and saving to reposting or downloading, here’s how to take full control as a viewer (remember, it’s important to engage your audience as a creator, too).

How to pause Instagram Reels

Frustratingly, there’s no dedicated pause button. But, there’s a workaround. Tap and hold anywhere on the screen to pause a Reel. Lift your finger to resume playback. This only works in the Reels tab, not while watching Reels in your main feed. 

How to save Instagram Reels to watch later

Tap the three dots (...) in the bottom right corner of any Reel, then tap “Save”. This adds it to your Saved folder, which you can access from your profile menu under “Saved.” It’s perfect for bookmarking inspiration, tutorials, or competitor content. 

How to download Instagram Reels (with and without audio)

Instagram now lets users download most public Reels directly: 

• Tap the “Share” icon, then choose “Download.”
• The Reel saves to your device’s camera roll, usually with audio, unless the creator disabled it. 

If downloading isn’t available in-app, use screen recording or third-party tools. Just be mindful of copyright and always credit the original creator if you plan to share the content. 

How to repost Reels on Instagram (and give credit properly)

To repost a Reel, tap the “Share” icon and choose “Add to Story”, “Send via DM”, or “Share to Feed” (if resharing your own content). When reposting someone else’s Reel: 

• Tag them in the caption. 
• Use “Via @Creator” or similar. 
• Avoid cropping out watermarks or removing overlays. 

New: Reply with a Reel and a free editing app

Instagram is testing a “Reply with a Reel” feature and a new built-in video editor called Edits, designed to rival apps like CapCut. It’s built for creators who want to streamline transitions, sync music more easily, and speed up the storytelling process. And it’ll be completely free when it rolls out.

Both features are expected to launch publicly in 2025 and could become powerful new tools for creators and marketers alike.

How to make Instagram Reels that get noticed 

Instagram Reels have completely reshaped how people interact on the platform. As of 2025, over 2 billion users engage with Reels monthly, and a staggering 200 billion Reels are viewed daily across Instagram and Facebook.

That’s a lot of competition.

If your Reel doesn’t catch attention immediately, it’ll be buried in the scroll. To stand out, you need to hook viewers in the first few seconds, use trends intentionally, and build content that feels effortless to watch but strategic behind the scenes.

Here’s how to do it.

• Start with the hook: You’ve got seconds to earn a user’s attention, and the opening frame does most of the work. Start with movement or a clear focal point (like a face or close-up shot). Avoid starting with static wide angles or long intros. Viewers will swipe before the story begins.
  
  In fact, many creators have success beginning their Reels with the end of the video. Show the finished product, the payoff, or the “after” shot in the first 1–2 seconds. Then rewind and show how you got there.
  
  This approach works especially well for tutorials, behind-the-scenes clips, and transformations because it triggers curiosity without requiring context.

• Use trending audio: This gives your Reel algorithmic lift, but don’t use it just for its own sake. Make sure the sound aligns with your message, tone, and most importantly, the content. 

Use Instagram’s music library or tap into the “Saved” audio options to find clips you’ve heard more than once in your own feed, which is a strong sign of traction. 

• Layer in text, captions, and calls to action: Text isn’t just for accessibility. It helps viewers follow along, boosts retention, and keeps your message clear even without sound. 

Most users watch Reels with the sound off at first, so adding on-screen captions or key phrases helps your message land regardless. Include a simple CTA at the end, like “Follow for more”, “Link in bio”, or even a branded slogan or hashtag. 

• Use user-generated content (UGC), storytelling, or trends: Some of the best-performing Reels don’t look like ads. Rather, they come across as everyday content. UGC clips, behind-the-scenes shots, or quick before-and-after videos often outperform polished campaigns.
  
  If you’re following a trend, add a twist or voiceover to make it yours. Authenticity wins every time. 

Best time to post Instagram Reels for engagement 

Everyone wants to know the magic time to post. But here’s the truth: there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.

Sure, general patterns exist.

For example, Saturday mornings often see high engagement, especially as users catch up on social content they missed during the week. Mid-morning (around 9 AM to 11 AM local time) tends to be strong across most weekdays, and some brands find sweet spots during early evening scroll sessions.

But your best time to post? That depends entirely on your audience.

Factors like location, time zone, habits, content type, and industry all play a role in how and when your followers engage. What works for a fashion brand in London might fall flat for a fitness coach in California.

That’s why data beats guesswork.

Use your Instagram Insights or a platform like Sendible to track when your audience is most active. Experiment with posting Reels during those windows. Sendible’s optimal time feature takes the guesswork out by recommending the best time to post based on your unique engagement patterns.

If you want to go deeper, use Sendible’s analytics dashboard to track which Reels are getting the most views, saves, and clicks. Then refine your timing strategy over time.

The bottom line is that success isn’t about following a generic rule. It’s about understanding your audience and showing up when they’re actually paying attention.

How Instagram Reels fit into your marketing strategy 

Instagram Reels are one of the most effective ways to grow, get discovered, and tell your brand’s story. They’re used by everyone from small creators to major brands.

If you want to grow your audience, reach new people, or bring your brand’s story to life, Reels should be one of your first moves, not an afterthought.

Your shortcut to new audiences

Source: DemandSage

Reels are designed for reach. Unlike feed posts that primarily hit your existing audience, Reels are actively pushed to new viewers via the Explore page, Reels tab, and even the Facebook cross-posting feature.

This means your content can land in front of people who’ve never interacted with your brand (without paying a cent). 

Use Reels to show, not tell

Reels are perfect for:

• Product showcases (how it works, what it looks like, what it solves). 
• Quick tutorials or how-tos. 
• Customer testimonials and UGC. 
• Behind-the-scenes moments that show your brand’s personality. 

The short format makes Reels feel more casual and digestible, making them ideal for building trust and forming relationships with your audience without feeling salesy. 

Fuel engagement and follower growth

High-performing Reels often result in more saves, shares, and profile visits, which can translate into meaningful follower growth over time. Plus, Instagram’s algorithm rewards Reels that spark interaction, so more engagement means more growth.

How can Sendible help with Instagram Reels?

Reels move fast, but creating them shouldn't feel rushed or scattered. From planning and collaboration to design and analytics, Sendible gives you the structure to create consistently engaging Reels that fit your brand and your schedule.

• Create standout visuals with Sendible’s Canva integration to design Reels, thumbnails, overlays or graphics within your dashboard. 
• Keep assets organised in your content library for easy access to templates, edited visuals, and high-performing content. 
• Collaborate and get sign-offs in one team workflow, by sharing drafts, collecting feedback, and getting approvals from necessary team members without switching platforms (ideal for managing multiple clients). 
• Schedule Reels at the right time using Sendible’s scheduler and optimal time features to post when your audience is most active and engaged. 
• Write faster and more engaging captions that fit your tone with Sendible’s AI Assist. 
• Track Reel performance with built-in analytics to see which Reels are getting views, saves, shares, and clicks, and adjust your strategy with real-time insights.

Start a 14-day free trial with Sendible and turn Reels into a repeatable, data-driven part of your content strategy.