Reels are short-form vertical videos on Instagram and Facebook, ranging from 15 to 90 seconds.
Definition
Reels are short-form vertical videos on Instagram and Facebook, ranging from 15 to 90 seconds. They're Instagram's answer to TikTok, designed for discovery through the Reels tab and Explore page.
Reels reach 2-3x more people than static posts. Instagram's algorithm actively promotes short video to compete with TikTok.
Reels are shown to non-followers through the Reels tab and Explore page, making them the best format for attracting new audience.
Instagram has publicly stated Reels is a priority format. Creating Reels signals to the algorithm that you are producing high-value content.
A small business with 2,000 followers posts a 30-second Reel showing their product being made. It reaches 25,000 accounts — 12x their follower count — because the algorithm distributed it to relevant non-followers. The same content as a static post would have reached 400-600 people.
Key Takeaway: Reels reach non-followers at a rate no other Instagram format can match — making them the single best format for account growth.
Keep Reels under 30 seconds for maximum completion rate, which the algorithm rewards.
Use trending audio to get a discovery boost — but make sure it's relevant to your content.
Post Reels consistently (3-5 per week) rather than sporadically for best algorithmic performance.
Put this knowledge to work
Schedule, analyze, and optimize your social media with ScheduleWave. Free for 7 days.
On This Page
Category
13 terms in this category
Stories
Stories are short-lived content (typically 24 hours) that appear at the top of the app on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
YouTube Shorts
YouTube Shorts are vertical videos of up to 60 seconds that appear in a dedicated feed within YouTube.
TikTok FYP (For You Page)
The For You Page (FYP) is TikTok's main content feed where the algorithm delivers personalized videos to each user based on their watching behavior, interactions, video details, and device settings.
Watch Time
Watch time is the total amount of time viewers spend watching your video content.
Join 500+ businesses already using ScheduleWave to save hours every week.