Instagram Reels remain a key format for businesses seeking visibility and engagement in 2026, according to a guide published by Hootsuite. The short-form vertical videos can appear in the Reels feed, Explore and users’ feeds, offering brands a way to reach people who do not already follow them.
The guide says Instagram’s recommendations take several viewer actions into account, including watch time and whether people finish a video. Shares, saves, rewatches and visits to a creator’s profile can also inform how Reels are ranked. It therefore recommends opening with an attention-grabbing moment in the first one or two seconds rather than a slow introduction.
Hootsuite advises brands to balance timely formats, such as videos using trending audio, with content that remains useful over time. Tutorials, product demonstrations, behind-the-scenes footage, interviews and customer-created videos are among the formats suggested. Educational Reels may encourage saves, while entertaining videos can be shared more widely.
Other recommendations include using captions for viewers watching without sound, adding clear calls to action where appropriate, and publishing consistently at times when an account’s audience is active. The guide also cautions against watermarks from other apps and low-resolution uploads. It recommends vertical video at 1080 by 1920 pixels, while noting that Reels can run for up to three minutes.
Businesses can create Reels in Instagram by recording or uploading video, editing clips and adding audio, text or effects, then choosing a cover and publishing or saving a draft. Reels can also be scheduled through Instagram’s publishing options. Hootsuite’s guide describes using its Perch scheduling tool as another option for setting a publication time.
Sources: Hootsuite Blog.