Are you sharing Instagram Reels but not seeing a huge change in your audience? If you’re ready to start actually growing your following and audience on Instagram Reels, today’s blog is for you! I’m sharing a few Instagram Reels Hacks and my EXACT strategy to increase your engagement so that you can grow your audience and reach more people through your Reels! Reels can be a great way to grow your Instagram account if you’re using them smartly – so let’s get started. 

Before we jump in, make sure you download my free instagram reels cover photo templates HERE! 

Push your Instagram Reels to your feed!

I always recommend pushing your Instagram Reels to your feed because it allows you to get a little boost from your current followers. By publishing to your feed, you’re not simply relying on your Reel being found by someone else later. If you add a custom cover photo, you can keep the look of your feed cohesive, too! 

Post Consistently!

Right now, I am posting 1 or 2 Reels every day. By being consistent, Instagram more quickly gets an idea of who my target audience is and who would like my content! The more you post, the faster you’ll grow – if you’re looking to see GROWTH from reels, I recommend posting at least once per day. 

A note about this… it could change as Instagram Reels continue to change in the months to come, but right now, this is how I’m seeing the best engagement!

Use Hashtags in Your Reel!

So, I’ve played with putting hashtags IN the post vs. in the comments of a reel and haven’t seen a difference yet… it’s hard to tell without any further insights from Instagram, unfortunately. And, we don’t have those insights as of right now. But, I still recommend adding hashtags anyway. WHen you add them IN the Reel, you have a better chance of it coming up when people search that hashtag. Remember, as always with hashtags, to choose tags that really make sense with the reel – not just random ones. And, go ahead and put some in the comments too. You can still use up to 30 hashtags, like on your posts, too! 

Have a Targeted Ideal Audience!

If you’re a business owner or have a niche, stick to that niche! Seriously!! Especially at first, this will help you to grow MORE quickly and have more engagement on your Reels. Your Reels should still make SENSE for your brand. If they do, your audience is more likely to follow back to your profile and then hit “follow”! And don’t forget to make your Reels useful for those following you – people LOVE when they get something helpful from you!

Engage Back With Commenters

As with anything on Instagram, If you want to increase your comments/engagement on Reels, COMMENT BACK to those who comment on your videos! No matter how big or small your audience is, actually talking with them is HUGE for growing your engagement and audience. If you have a smaller audience to start, the beauty of that truly is that you’ll have the TIME to comment back. Make it a priority! 

Instagram Reels can be a great way to increase traffic to your profile when used smartly. I think it’s such a FUN addition to Instagram’s platform and I hope you’re enjoying using it too! Don’t forget to grab a copy of those custom Instagram Reels covers and have a good time making these short form videos!!