If you're wondering how to post an entire reel on Instagram Story, you're not the only one! Sharing a whole reel to your Story is not exactly straightforward! That's why we're diving into what Instagram Reels and Stories are, going step-by-step on how to share your Reel on your Story.
How do you put a whole Reel on Instagram Story?
Instagram posts are no longer limited to photos or smaller videos. The Instagram Reel is a full-screen video that offers a more "immersive" experience, allowing you to better connect with your audience. While Reels are shared to the feed, there are benefits to sharing the entire Reel on your Instagram Story, which we're about to delve into.
Preparing your Reel for Instagram Story:
Share Reels to your Instagram Stories, making sure the full Reel is properly prepared:
- Create a Reel that is within 15 seconds in length to fit the Story format. It's important to note that if you want to add a Reel to your story that's over 15 seconds, it will just cut off at the 15-second mark.
- Add captions or text to enhance your Reel.
- Consider trimming or editing your Instagram Reel to highlight the most important parts.
Adding a Reel to your Instagram Story:
To upload a full Reel to your Instagram Story, follow these steps:
- Open the Instagram app and click the Reels icon located between the "Tagged" and "Feed" icons.
- Select the full Reels on Instagram you want to post.
- Tap on the three dots at the bottom-right corner of the Reel.
- Customize your Story by adding stickers, text, or drawings.
- Select "Share to Story", "Share to Facebook Story", or "Close Friends" from the options.
- Tap on "Your Story" to post the Reel to your Story.
Customizing your Story with Reel Features:
Instagram offers various features to enhance your Story with the added Reel:
- Use the "Sticker" feature to add interactive elements like polls, questions, or quizzes to engage your audience.
- Try out the "Music" sticker to add background music that complements your Reels on the Instagram app.
- Make sure to use the "Text" tool to include captions, descriptions, or call-to-action messages on your new post.
Engaging your audience with interactive elements:
Reels on Instagram with interactive elements often see better engagement:
- Encourage viewers to swipe up or click to view the original Reel. This is especially important for longer Reels that are trimmed to just 15 seconds when shared to Stories.
- Use the "Poll" sticker on your own Reel to gather opinions or feedback on your Instagram videos from your audience.
- Implement the "Questions" sticker to invite your audience to ask you questions!
Best practices for sharing Reels on Stories:
To optimize your Reel's visibility and engagement on Instagram app Stories, consider the following tips:
- Use native editing tools and trending audio
- Add text captions or subtitles (it's been estimated that around 80% of IG users scroll without sound!)
- Share Reels with video editing features, effects, or filters to stand out.
Understanding Instagram Reels and Stories
What are Instagram Reels?
Instagram Reels are a relatively new addition to the platform, launched in August 2020. They are short clips that allow the original creator to record and edit multiple clips together. Full Reels can be accessed by tapping on the Reels icon on a user's profile page.
Instagram has a vast library of songs to use, or you can use your own original audio (though this is no longer limited to just video posts and Stories).
Reels are videos that you can record either inside or outside the Instagram app, and share on the platform.
Reel video can be as short as 5 seconds, but you can also share longer videos of up to 15 minutes if you upload a video file recorded outside of the native app (from your camera roll).
They often feature music, text, and effects to enhance creativity and appear on the Instagram feed.
Instagram Stories, on the other hand, are ephemeral content that disappears after 24 hours. Share Reels to Instagram and Facebook Stories to leverage the best of both formats to engage your audience.
What are Instagram Stories?
Instagram Stories have been around since 2016 and have become a platform staple. They are 15-second photo or video collections that disappear after 24 hours. Stories can be accessed by tapping on a user's profile icon (if you see a pinkish ring around their profile photo).
One of the unique aspects of Stories is the ability to add interactive elements, such as polls, questions, and quizzes. Stories are also a great way to share a behind-the-scenes look at your life or business, with video content you may not feel is worth posting to your feed.
We love Reels because it's often easier to engage, as users can directly "react" or respond to your Story.
Overall, Instagram Reels and Stories are two powerful video features that allow users to engage with their followers in new and exciting ways.
Preparing your reel for your Story
Creating or selecting a Reel
The first step to sharing your Reel on your Story is to open the Instagram app, and then record or select a video you want to share. If you haven't created a Reel yet, head over to the Reels tab on your Instagram profile. From there, tap the "+" or plus icon to start creating a new Reel for your Instagram account.
Editing your Reel
Once you've created your own Reel, it's time to edit it before posting to your Instagram Story. You can trim your clips, add music, add stickers, and create unique transitions with your video.
When editing your Reel, you want to make sure that it flows well. Each clip should seamlessly transition into the next, creating a cohesive story. You also want to make sure that the music and effects you choose complement the content of your Reel.
Another important aspect of editing your Reel is ensuring that it's the right length. Keep in mind that shorter Reels tend to perform better, so aim for around 15-30 seconds.
Adding music and effects
One of the key features of Instagram Reels is the ability to add music and effects. Instagram offers a library of songs and sound effects, which can make it a bit more interesting for your viewers to watch.
Select just the right section of a song to align with your vision for Reels on Instagram, whether they're short videos or you have a long Reel post in mind.
Step-by-step guide to sharing a Reel on your Story
Sharing your Reel video on your Instagram Story is a simple process:
- Open Instagram Reel and tap the paper airplane icon.
- Customize your Story's appearance by adding stickers, text, or drawings.
- Select "Add to Story" and tap the "Share" icon to upload the video. You will also have the option of sharing to Facebook stories and other platforms.
- Post your Instagram or Facebook Story or tap the "Share" icon (long videos will be trimmed automatically)!
Post Reels to increase engagement and connect with your followers!
Customizing your Story's appearance
Your Instagram Story is an extension of your brand, so take some time to customize its appearance. Don't forget to use your brand's colors and fonts to maintain consistency.
Additionally, you can use Instagram's built-in editing tools to enhance your Story's appearance. You can adjust the brightness, contrast, filter, and saturation of your video to make it look more visually appealing.
Tagging friends and adding hashtags
Tagging friends and adding relevant hashtags to your Story can help increase engagement and visibility. When you open up the Instagram app and tag someone in your Story, they'll receive a notification and may even re-share your Story with their followers (resulting in potentially more followers for you!).
Adding relevant hashtags to your Story can also help increase visibility by popping up on the Explore Page, reaching potential new followers.
Tips for maximizing engagement with your Reel on your Story
Choosing the right time to post
Timing is everything on social media. It's important to post your Story when your audience is most active and in front of their screen.
Engaging with your audience
Once you've posted your video, engage with your audience. Respond to comments and DMs to show your followers that they matter. Create a community around content!
Instagram Insights
Pay attention to your Instagram Insights to determine the optimal posting time/when your audience is most active (we've found that noon is usually a good rule of thumb). Refer back to this when posting future Stories.
Ready to share your Reel on your Story?
Now that you know how to share Reels on Instagram Stories, it's time to get creative!
Use these tips to make video clips more engaging, reaching a wider audience! By following these tips, you'll become a marketing master, save time, and give your Reel the chance it deserves at success.
FAQs
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