Elevate Your Instagram: 10 Tips to Optimizing Instagram Video Posts

Maximize Your Visibility and Engagement

Instagram is a powerful platform for visual storytelling. Engaging video content is a great way to attract your audience and grow your brand. But with so much competition on the platform, it can take a lot of work to stand out and get your videos seen. In this blog post, we'll share tips and tricks for optimizing your Instagram video posts to help you increase engagement, boost reach, and drive more conversions.

The Four Video Formats Available on Instagram: Which One is Right for You?

The platform has four video formats available: Stories, Reels, Live, and Instagram feed videos. Many wonder how to make an Instagram video engaging to get the maximum number of views. It's the question that every brand wants to know the clear answer to. There's no golden rule, but some basic elements can help your video get popular.

• 3 seconds rule
  Ensure you grab your viewers' attention in the first three seconds. It's a time when you can stop your audience from scrolling.
  ‍
• Hashtags and captions
  Include a compelling caption and the right hashtags. Hashtags help increase the video's visibility by making it discoverable to users searching for content related to those hashtags. It also increases the chances of being seen by a larger audience. Also, a well-written caption and appropriate hashtags can help increase video engagement. Users are more likely to engage with a video if they understand what it's about. They also want to feel it is relevant to them, and it's the key to making your content discoverable.
  ‍
• Timing is everything
  Choose the right time to post your video content on Instagram. According to Hubspot research, the best days to post on Instagram are Saturdays (for B2C brands) and Fridays (for B2B brands) between 6 - 9 pm and 3 - 6 pm or 9 - 12 pm. The worst time to post is on Mondays in the early mornings (6–9 am), lunchtimes (12–3 pm), and late evenings (9 pm-12 am). Remember - it's the general, optimal timing for posting on Instagram. But the most important is to test it by yourself to see when your audience is the most active.
  ‍
• Choose the right video format (mobile-friendly)
  Choosing the right video format for your Instagram videos is crucial for maximizing reach and engagement. Instagram offers four video formats - Stories, Reels, Live, and Instagram feed videos - each with its own unique features and audience. It's important to choose the format that best aligns with your brand and the message you want to convey to your audience. Additionally, make sure to optimize your videos for mobile viewing. It's significant since the majority of Instagram users access the platform via their smartphones.
  ‍
• Bring value to build a loyal following
  Engage and bring value. By consistently bringing value to your audience, you can create a loyal following of people who are invested in your brand. They are also more likely to continue following you in the future. Also - when your audience finds your videos valuable, they will be more likely to share them with their own followers. It can also help increase the reach of your videos.
  ‍
• Stand out in the crowd
  Provide a unique and absorbing experience: your video may be funny, innovative, disruptive, dramatic, cute, or educating. Any feature you can think of within your brand identity; make sure it's not bland and repeatable!
  ‍
• Create an emotional connection with music and captions
  Use powerful/popular music and captions. Using trending music while posting a video on Instagram can effectively increase engagement. It also makes the video more searchable and shareable and creates an emotional connection with the audience. Remember - music is a powerful tool that evokes emotions and creates a certain mood or atmosphere. Choosing the right music for your video can help set the tone and create a more engaging experience for your audience. Don't forget about captions. Nowadays, many people watch IG videos on mute while in the office environment, on public transportation, or at boring parties… ;). Make sure that they still get your message!
  ‍
• Consistency is key
  Be consistent in posting. Consistently posting on Instagram can help you build an audience over time. It's because your followers can expect to see new content from you regularly. Also, Instagram's algorithm favors accounts that post frequently and consistently. That's why being consistent on IG can help you improve your visibility on the platform.
  ‍
• Keep it short and sweet
  It's also important to keep in mind the length of your Instagram videos. Research has shown that videos under 60 seconds tend to perform better than longer videos. This is because people are more likely to watch a short engaging videos all the way through, rather than lose interest halfway through a longer video.
  ‍
• 3 Q's: quality, quality, quality
  Another important aspect to consider is the quality of your videos. Instagram is a highly visual platform, so it's important to make sure your videos are visually appealing and high-quality. This means investing in good equipment and lighting, as well as editing your videos to make sure they look polished and professional. If your videos look low-quality, it can turn off potential viewers and make it less likely that they will engage with your content.

By taking the time to optimize your Instagram video posts using these tips, you can increase your chances of standing out on the platform and growing your brand. Remember, the key is to be creative. But remember also about the consistency in your approach and to always focus on providing value to your audience.

‍