In the ever-evolving world of social media, mastering video formats for platforms like Instagram is essential for reaching your audience. Consider this : you create an engaging video for Instagram, only to find it flops because it’s the wrong size or format.
Frustrating, right? That’s why understanding the best video formats for Instagram is key to your social media success. This guide YouTube marketing tips will help you through the specifics of Instagram video formats, including Reels, Stories, and feed videos, so you can create content that captures attention and drives engagement. To help you achieve your goals, check out Crayo AI’s clip creator tool. This user-friendly tool streamlines the video editing process, allowing you to focus on what matters most: creating high-quality, engaging content.
Table Of Contents
- Benefits of Instagram Video Marketing
- Best Video Format for Instagram (All Types of Videos)
- Types of Instagram Videos
- 12 Expert Tips for Instagram Video Marketing
- Create Viral Shorts In Seconds With Crayo
Benefits of Instagram Video Marketing
1. Instagram is Primed for Discovery
Instagram offers an expansive audience with over 1 billion monthly active users, including 500 million daily users. This incredible reach means you can connect with potential customers who might not be familiar with your brand or products.
Almost 90% of Instagram users follow at least one business, making the platform an excellent resource for brand discovery. Instagram video content helps introduce your brand, showcase your personality, and engage new audiences. Video can ease buyer hesitations and guide them from considering a purchase to making a decision.
2. Boost Audience Engagement
Video content allows brands to connect with their audience more personally. Fostering this sense of connection can increase engagement, loyalty, and positive sentiment toward your brand. Use video to introduce your team, showcase your company culture, or highlight your latest products. Incorporate captions to make your content accessible to all viewers.
3. Convert Viewers into Customers
Video is a powerful tool for driving sales. Research shows that 93% of marketers credit social media videos for generating new customers. Instagram users, in particular, are influenced by video content: one-third of users say they become more interested in a brand after seeing it on Instagram Stories. Dynamic video content, such as tutorials or behind-the-scenes looks, helps engage your audience by showcasing your products. Educated consumers are more likely to make thoughtful purchases, increasing your chances of repeat business.
4. Video Content Drives Engagement
Despite the common misconception that static images outperform video on social media, research shows that video receives 49% more engagement than photos on Instagram. This engagement includes likes, shares, comments, and saves. However, many brands still prioritize photo posts over video. To maximize your Instagram strategy, use video to your advantage. The engagement boost can help expand your reach and introduce your brand to new audiences.
5. Instagram is Shifting to Video
Instagram is evolving into a video-first platform, underscoring the importance of developing a video marketing strategy. A recent study found that 32% of consumers visit a brand’s social media pages before visiting their website. This highlights the need for engaging and personable content that makes a strong first impression. Video content can help your brand stand out in a crowded digital space.
6. Video Has Longevity
Video content can enhance your marketing efforts long after the initial post. For example, Instagram’s Explore feature allows users to discover trending content, including Reels, weeks or months after they were shared. If your video receives strong engagement, it can resurface repeatedly on the platform, increasing brand visibility and awareness. This extended reach is a significant advantage over static content, which often loses traction shortly after posting.
7. Repurpose Content Across Platforms
Don’t let your high-quality video go to waste after one post. Extend its reach by sharing it on multiple platforms and in various formats. For instance, you can promote a Reel on Instagram by sharing a teaser clip on your Stories or posting it on TikTok to access a different audience. The more places your content appears, the greater your return on investment.
8. Video is Gaining Popularity
Video content is becoming increasingly important on Instagram as social media users spend more time on the platform. The average user dedicated 53 minutes daily to Instagram in 2021, compared to 30 minutes the previous year. While the pandemic may have influenced this increase, it underscores the need for brands to create engaging, entertaining content that captures users’ attention. In a fast-scrolling digital environment, video can help hold viewers’ focus and direct them to your brand.
9. Use Stories for Time-Sensitive Promotions
Instagram Stories are perfect for promoting limited-time offers or events, such as flash sales or product launches. Their 24-hour lifespan creates urgency, encouraging users to engage with your content immediately. Brands can also use Stories to reward their followers with early access to sales or exclusive content. These strategies help increase interaction with your video marketing, boosting engagement metrics.
10. Grow Your Email List
Live videos are an effective way to collect email addresses from your audience. Promote a live Q&A session and ask viewers to submit questions in advance. This allows you to request their permission to share their email addresses, helping you grow your database. Email marketing remains a valuable tool for reaching customers, and video can enhance your efforts on social media.
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Best Video Format for Instagram (All Types of Videos)
Instagram offers several options for sharing video content. Each format has specific requirements for size, length, and features. Understanding these formats will help you create compelling video content for the platform.
Instagram Video: The New Standard for Sharing Video Content
- Size & Dimensions: 1080 x 1350 Pixels
- Format: MP4, MOV (Recommended: H.264 Codec)
- Aspect Ratio: 4:5 (9:16 in Full-Screen Mode)
- Resolution: HD or 1080p
Instagram Video combines standard in-feed videos with what was previously IGTV. These videos appear in your feed and the Instagram Video tab. Videos can be up to 60 minutes long for most users, with ads limited to 15 seconds. Public videos remain visible unless deleted or made private.
Instagram Stories: Short-Lived but Highly Engaging
- Size & Dimensions: 1080 x 1920 Pixels
- Format: MP4, MOV, GIF
- Aspect Ratio: 9:16 (16:9 in Landscape Mode)
- Resolution: HD or 1080p
Stories are short videos that disappear from your public profile after 24 hours. They are among the most-watched content on Instagram. Each Story segment can be up to 15 seconds long, but Instagram automatically stitches longer videos into consecutive 15-second clips.
Instagram Reels: Short-Form Videos for Discovery
- Size & Dimensions: 1080 x 1920 Pixels
- Format: MP4, MOV, GIF
- Aspect Ratio: 9:16 (16:9 in Landscape Mode)
- Resolution: HD or 1080p
Reels are short-form videos designed for discovery. They appear in both the main feed and a dedicated Reels tab. They can be up to 90 seconds long and support music, graphics, and text overlays. Reels are Instagram’s answer to TikTok’s short video format.
Instagram Carousel Videos: A Swipeable Experience
- Size & Dimensions: 1080 x 1080 Pixels (Square) or 1080 x 1920 Pixels (Vertical)
- Format: MP4, MOV, GIF
- Aspect Ratio: 9:16 (16:9 in Landscape Mode)
- Resolution: HD or 1080p
Instagram carousel posts appear in the regular feed but contain multiple images or videos in one entry. Users can swipe within the posts to see the next piece of content.
Types of Instagram Videos
Instagram is constantly evolving, and so are its video options. To help you navigate the current video landscape, here are the types of Instagram videos you need to know about.
Instagram Feed Videos
Historically, Instagram videos combined IGTV and in-feed videos. Instagram feed videos are now joining these obsolete features as videos are posted as Reels (although videos still feature in a company’s IG feed). An exception is videos included in Instagram carousels, which can feature up to 10 photos and videos, and appear in the feed. Here's an example (and screenshot below) from RemoteBase.co on Instagram.
Instagram Live
Instagram Live enables you to broadcast videos to your followers in real-time. Followers can watch live while you’re streaming or catch it later as a Story. It takes courage to broadcast live as so many things can go wrong! However, it’s worth trying as live video is a highly engaging format, and enables you to be more ‘authentic’ and ‘in the moment’. You can show people sides of your brand they wouldn’t usually see. This type of video is ideal for:
- Brand events
- Product or service demos ‘A Day in the Life’ series
- Live tours
- Behind the scenes videos
- Live classes (e.g., a weekly yoga class or cookery class)
- Live Q&As with experts, company leaders or employees
You can make live videos interactive by inviting viewers to comment on the video or submit questions. Although you don’t want your live video to be too scripted, you do need to prepare for it carefully (making a video script outline could help you stay on track). Ensure you have a strong internet connection and aim to make your broadcast as clear, high-resolution, and stable as possible. Plus, ensure you have a straightforward narrative before you go live. Your live video should include an element of storytelling to engage a prospect or customer. And if things go wrong on the day, just incorporate the mistakes into the live experience!
Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories are short 15 to 60-second videos that disappear after 24 hours. This ephemeral content has become a popular way to showcase raw, casual, authentic, and quirky content, in contrast to the more polished in-feed marketing videos. Instagram Stories feel more accurate and less manicured.
The maximum length for an Instagram Story video is 6 seconds. However, you can create a series of Stories in a slideshow narrative. Photos in Stories appear for 7 seconds. Brands can post as many Stories as they like. Like TikTok video content, Stories display vertically, taking up the entire mobile screen.
There are 5 types of Stories you can use
- Standard - The default option for a Story, ‘Standard’ is an image or video that can include filters
- Create - You can add text or stickers; this format is excellent for asking questions or telling a story
- Boomerang - This format loops so the Story repeats constantly
- Dual - You can use front and back cameras to flip viewpoints to show an audience what you are doing, e.g., for a quick walkthrough.
- Layout - This can contain several images in a collage.
You can also enhance your Stories with stickers, text, filters, polls, and emojis. There’s also an Instagram Story Highlights section where you can keep Stories on your profile as a collection (e.g., testimonials or upcoming events). Stories are an excellent way for brands to experiment with different types of content, as unlike your feed, stories disappear in 24 hours. They are also an effective way to attract users’ attention and boost brand awareness.
This format taps into FOMO as people want to check out the video before it disappears. The Economist uses Instagram Stories to drive more traffic to the news articles published in its magazine and online. The news site uses the Stories Highlights function to promote content and encourage people to click through to read. By curating content, its Stories stay around for longer and can drive more engagement.
The Economist uses categories to make it easy for people to find content they may like, such as ‘Weekly Reads’, ‘The Future of AI’, ‘The Most Popular Reads of 2024’, and ‘Culture’. As a respected newspaper, the Economist has a known brand and sticks to it across Instagram. Posts use the same font, layout, eye-catching images, and clear titles to encourage people to click.
Instagram Video
Reels are Instagram’s take on the vertical video format popularized by TikTok. Unlike TikTok, Instagram has created full-screen, portrait-oriented videos. Videos you upload are automatically posted as Reels. This means there is no option to create a standard video post. The good news is that you can post longer and larger videos. Reels are multi-clip videos, between 15 seconds and 15 minutes.
However, Instagram caps video length based on how long a reel should be to perform well. So when filming in the app, you can choose 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 60 seconds, and 90 seconds. Anything over 90 seconds can be uploaded as a video, becoming a Reel. Reels are ideal for showcasing creative content using effects and music as they offer AR filters, timed text, and green screen mode.
Users can discover Reels in the ‘Reels’ tab on their profile, or the Explore tab of their Instagram feed. Reels are very popular with Millennial and Gen Z users. Reels is typically the top-performing video content on Instagram, with an average engagement rate of 1.48%, according to Social Insider research. However, engagement on Reels has decreased by 20%, so it’s essential to keep an eye on the popular trends and tap into Instagram’s Reels algorithm. It can be tempting to reuse your TikTok content for Reels.
However, remember that your Instagram followers are likely older than your TikTok followers. You can use Reels to showcase engaging aspects of the brand’s personality and include hashtags and product tags. Users often regard Reels content as more ‘authentic’ than professional video content.
Instagram Reels Case Study
Apple, the creator of the iPhone, can tap into the creations of Instagram users to showcase excellent Reels. User-generated content from artists, film directors, and photographers is featured on Apple’s Reels to show amazing videos demonstrating its technology. They are tagged #ShotoniPhone, which currently has over 30 million posts. Apple also commissions projects such as portraits and videos to showcase exceptional environments or people. This makes for a wealth of fantastic video content on Instagram.
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12 Expert Tips for Instagram Video Marketing
1. Leverage Crayo AI for Effortless Video Creation
Crayo AI streamlines the process of producing high-quality short videos. With Crayo, you can generate an unlimited number of short videos simultaneously. It automatically creates captions, adds effects, selects background music, and more.
This tool allows for rapid content creation, enabling you to transform ideas into shareable videos in minutes. Simply draft a prompt, customize the style, and export your video. Take advantage of the free trial on the Crayo homepage to explore its features—no account necessary.
2. Set Clear Goals for Your Video Marketing Efforts
Before launching a video marketing campaign, establish your objectives. Video content can boost brand awareness, drive conversions, and enhance social media engagement. To maximize effectiveness, determine specific, measurable goals aligning with your marketing strategy. Use the SMART framework to create clear targets that will guide your efforts and enable you to assess performance.
3. Create Buzz with a Video Teaser Campaign
Teaser videos generate excitement for upcoming products or events. These short clips, typically under 20 seconds, provide intriguing hints to spark curiosity. Develop a series of videos that reveal information incrementally as part of your teaser strategy. Promote these teasers across your Instagram channels and external platforms to build anticipation and drive engagement.
4. Identify Your Target Audience for Video Content
Understanding your audience is critical to effective video marketing. Research shows that many consumers are influenced to purchase after viewing brand videos. However, preferences regarding video content vary by demographics. For instance, younger audiences may favor short-form, relatable videos, while older groups prefer longer, informative formats. Tailor your video strategy to resonate with your specific audience segments.
5. Include Expert Guests in Live Streaming Events
Collaborating with industry experts can enhance your brand’s credibility and attract larger audiences. Invite respected figures to participate in your live streaming events or podcasts. Their involvement can drive interest in your content and help you reach new viewers. Additionally, leverage affiliate relationships to promote these collaborations and expand your reach.
6. Plan Your Video Content and Create Storyboards
Before producing any video, define the type of content you want to create. Analyze your audience’s preferences and campaign goals to determine the most effective formats. Explore competitive analysis tools to gather insights on your rivals’ successful video strategies. Once you identify your content types, develop detailed storyboards to outline each video’s structure, visuals, and messaging. This planning process will streamline production and improve content quality.
7. Repurpose Existing Video Content for Instagram
Maximize your content’s value by repurposing older videos for Instagram. This approach saves time and resources while allowing you to create fresh material. However, be strategic about how you reuse content. Select clips that align with current trends or create “then and now” comparisons to engage audiences. Thoughtful repurposing can extend the life of your content and enhance your marketing efforts.
8. Thoroughly Plan Your Video Production
Practical video pre-production sets the stage for successful shoots. During this phase, collaborate with stakeholders to finalize content concepts, gather feedback, and outline production logistics. Key steps include brainstorming creative ideas, developing comprehensive scripts that guide filming, and organizing all necessary elements, such as talent, equipment, and scheduling. Careful planning minimizes disruptions and helps your team stay focused on delivering high-quality video content.
9. Host Q&A Sessions to Educate and Engage Audiences
Question-and-answer sessions are valuable tools for promoting products and addressing consumer concerns. Use these formats to cover frequently asked questions, respond to real-time audience inquiries, or conduct interviews that reveal insights about your offerings. By creating informative and engaging Q&A content, you can boost awareness of your products and foster trust among potential customers.
10. Batch Produce Videos to Streamline Creation
Video production can be resource-intensive. To improve efficiency, generate multiple content ideas and create videos in batches. This approach streamlines filming and editing, enabling you to focus on maximizing the reach of your content. Additionally, consider tailoring specific videos for individual platforms while distributing them across various channels.
11. Promote Your Videos Across Multiple Platforms
Once you’ve created video content, share it widely to maximize visibility. Post your videos on all relevant social media platforms and embed them on your website. This includes integrating videos into blog posts, landing pages, and product pages. Research indicates that featuring videos on websites can improve SEO performance and enhance conversion rates, making broader distribution a smart strategy.
12. Utilize Instagram Video Ads to Drive Results
If you’re exploring new advertising options on Instagram, consider video ads. These formats account for more than half of all ads on the platform and can help your brand connect with consumers who prefer video content. To optimize performance, focus on capturing attention within the first few seconds of your ad. Engaging visuals and compelling messaging are essential to encouraging viewers to stop scrolling and interact with your content.
Create Viral Shorts In Seconds With Crayo
Crayo AI simplifies short video production. This platform generates unlimited Shorts in one go. Want to create engaging content quickly? Crayo AI transforms your ideas into Shorts in seconds. Enter an outline or prompt, customize styles with free templates, and export.
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