How to Scale with Instagram Reels

When you created your brand’s Instagram account, we know you didn’t do it just for fun. The whole point of your Instagram (and all of your social media profiles) is to help you scale your business. But it can be easy to plateau and stay around a certain number of followers, never seeing steady growth. 

One of the best ways to scale your brand and grow on Instagram is with Reels! Studies have shown that Reels actually generate 67% more engagement than standard Instagram videos. Ever since Instagram Reels came onto the scene, creators have been getting major results by incorporating them into their social media strategies. And that’s why we’re here… with all of our best tips on how to scale with Reels!

How to Scale with Reels

Create for your target audience

When it comes to creating Reels (or really any social media content), it’s vital to know who your target audience is and what kind of content they want to see. Once you know that, the challenge is to deliver it to them in a way that’s on-brand and accessible.

One of the best things about Reels is that they’re inherently more consumable than other content, since they’re short and informal and not overly-produced. You can take advantage of this format and use it to be personable and catchy.

Provide valuable content

If you want to scale with Reels, you also need to go beyond using your content simply to promote your business. The most successful Reels are usually ones that provide valuable and educational content for their target audience.

That’s why tips and how-to Reels are so effective. No matter what industry you’re in, you have some kind of advice or expertise that will benefit your followers. So share knowledge that’s specific to your niche!

Make sure it’s native (or at least looks that way)

The only way you’re going to optimize the reach of your Instagram Reels is by making sure that they were created/edited natively in the Instagram platform… or look like they were 🤫 

Instagram made it clear a while ago that they’re no longer pushing out Reels to the Explore page (the best way to get discovered by people who don’t currently follow you) if they include a watermark from another platform. NOW, this doesn’t mean you can’t repurpose TikTok content for Instagram. You just have to get creative and remove that pesky watermark. We’ve shared four ways to do that here.

Add text & subtitles

In order to truly scale with Reels, you also want to make sure that your content is appealing to the algorithm. Instagram’s algorithm currently prioritizes content that checks certain boxes, so one of the best ways to make sure your Reels perform optimally is to include text. You can include text on-screen that references what your video is about (and includes your CTA). This text can be added directly through the Instagram Reels editor.

But it’s also important to add subtitles, if you want your video to be more accessible, eye-catching, and favored by Instgram’s algorithm. Luckily, it’s easy to add subtitles with just a couple of clicks when you use Zubtitle’s state-of-the-art software. For more information on adding text/subtitles to your Instagram Reel (and a full walkthrough of both), check out this blog post. 

Use branded thumbnails

Next time you’re on Instagram, pay attention to what Reels look like when you’re on someone’s profile. Anytime you post a Reel, you have the option to select a frame from your video to use as the thumbnail that will show up on your grid. But that doesn’t always look fantastic or fit with the overall aesthetic of your profile. 

That’s why you’ll notice that some of the best creators on Instagram use custom thumbnails. All you have to do is create a template in an editing program (like Canva) and add a new photo/text every time you create a Reel. It gives your grid a more branded, cohesive look — plus, it makes it much easier for followers to know what each Reels is about, so they can scroll through and find videos they want, making it way easier to drive views from your profile. Check out Danny Morel for an example of a very cohesive, easily searchable grid. 

How have you learned to scale with Reels? Tell us in the comments!

And don’t forget — if you want to add captions to your Instagram Reels with Zubtitle, you can sign up for a free account today and start creating!

And if you want to learn more about scaling on social media, check out this video (and our Instagram):