Watch Reels for Inspiration.
See what other creators are making. I click on the Reels tab and watch Reels almost everyday. I love seeing what other people come up with. Watching Reels consistently also keeps me engaged, inspired, and up-to-date on the latest trends. It helps give me ideas for what to do next.

Always be prepared for technical glitches.
More times than I can count, I will be ready to post my Reel and IG crashes and I need to start over. Even though Reels are short, it’s always a good idea to save your Reel as a draft once you start putting some time into it. This way, if IG crashes, you are able to pick up where you left off without starting from scratch. And even after you’ve saved your draft, make sure your Reels cover and profile grid image is saved to the frame you want before you hit publish. 

You do not have to shoot video directly from the Instagram Reels built-in camera.
In fact, it’s better that you don’t. I always use my phone’s camera/video to shoot the footage and then upload each clip manually into the Reel I’m creating. This allows for pre-editing of your clips that aren’t offered within the app, such as stabilizing the videos (so footage isn’t jumpy) or lightening up the video (if it is too dark) or bumping up the contrast and saturation (to make your videos more colorful and lively). Be sure to shoot your video in a vertical orientation (9:16).

Think like a DJ when it comes to music selection and editing. 
It’s true that selecting a track that is currently trending will give you a better reach (see how in the next tip), but in addition to what music you are selecting, how you are editing the track makes your Reel overall much more compelling, so: edit your Reel like you are a DJ! What does that mean? ‘Beat match’ your bass or snares with your clip transitions. The flow of your Reel will be much nicer when there is a rhythm with the music and the clip transitions.

Choose trending music.
Find trending music by looking for the arrow in the bottom left-hand corner of the Reel. You can always save the audio to use later.

Include on-screen text and closed captions.
Highlight certain areas of your Reel by placing text directly on your video. If you or someone is speaking in the Reel, include closed captions for those that don’t have their sound turned on. Make sure this text is centralized within your Reel so that it doesn’t get jumbled under the IG’s icon overlays (comment/like/field buttons) or when it is automatically cropped on your feed (which is significantly shorter than the original 9:16 aspect ratio). Avoid the TikTok Watermark (if also using TikTok)
Both TikTok and Reels are slightly different in terms of creative freedom. IG has confirmed that they deprioritize Reels that are visibly recycled from other apps, meaning they’re less likely to appear in the IG Explore Page and the Reels tab. There are watermark removal apps to eliminate that floating TikTok logo you see on videos, but keep in mind that third-party apps can compromise quality. With that said, the best strategy is to create and post content directly to Instagram or TikTok even if you use the same footage for both.

Drive traffic by encouraging viewers to head to your #linkinbio.
Include a clear CTA that encourages folks to head to your link in bio. This can be directly on the Reel video or a call-out within your copy/video caption.

Have fun!
This is one of the most important aspects of making a Reel! Making a Reel is a great opportunity to be creative and have fun.