Recorded Video on Instagram: What to Create and How to Upload

By Chioma Iwunze-Ibiam

Video is enjoying something of a boom on Instagram. While the most recent data shows static images remain the most common type of post, much of the change—and growth—on the platform seems to focus on videos which ranks second in customer engagement. Two of the platform’s newest features—reels and live streaming—present new opportunities for video content. And while the question of video engagement is still up for debate, investors seem convinced of its potential.

Data from Social Media Examiner. Image from MarketingCharts.

That said, video trends seem to favor spontaneity and, well, being live—which can present a challenge to marketers, considering the confined nature of life in a pandemic. But not to fear. There are many ways to integrate pre-recorded videos into your marketing strategy while achieving great results. Even IG Live can be used to broadcast premade videos in real time. Keep reading for more ideas on using recorded videos on Instagram and how to upload them.

Video Posts

Basic video posts (i.e. which show up on people’s newsfeeds) are the simplest way to use video and, according to a report by Wibbitz, remain the most-viewed type of video content. With Instagram’s support for shares and saves, most creators have shifted toward newsfeed posts with long-term value and relevance—striving for so-called evergreen content. Tutorials (i.e. how-to videos) are the most popular type of video content, Wibbitz noted, followed by behind-the-scenes videos, webinars, interviews, news coverage, and creative inspiration.

When recording and editing your in-feed videos, take a cue from brands like Buzzfeed Tasty. Tasty mastered social media video early on, and while their productions aren’t the flashiest, they demonstrate a lot of the basics: intriguing thumbnails (left) to catch attention and good use of captions (right), great cinematography and other visual effects, so that they don’t have to rely on sound. Remember: Instagram doesn’t auto-play audio and many users never turn it on; your video should work even if users don’t hear anything.

Uploading videos to your feed is straightforward: tap on the plus button at the bottom of the interface, then select a video from your device. Alternatively, you can use a third-party program to upload videos or schedule them for later posting. Take note of the in-feed video specifications:

• Format: MP4
• Duration: 3 seconds to 60 seconds
• Aspect ratio: from 1.91:1 to 4:5

Reels

Instagram reels are short (15 seconds or less) video clips, or series of clips, that resemble the typical videos of their rival platform, Tiktok. Reels show up in the newsfeed, but they also show up on a separate tab in both the Explore section and users’ profiles. So while reels show up in the newsfeed, it’s easy enough to browse them as a category on their own.

Since reels are more or less a Tik Tok imitation, it’s best to take your cue from Tiktok marketing trends, as far as content goes—just keep in mind where they show up on Instagram itself.

Uploading reels is fairly simple: When you’re creating a post, look for the reels icon and tap it, then choose a video from your device. Reels has fairly robust editing features (though not quite at Tiktok’s level… yet) so there’s a lot you can do from there. Take note of the specs for reel videos:

• Format: MP4
• Duration: up to 15 seconds
• Aspect ratio: 9:16 recommended

Stories

The temporary video feature that Instagram mimicked from Snapchat have enjoyed considerable popularity since they were introduced. According to data from Instagram Business, 50% of users have been influenced to buy a product after seeing a story about it, and 58% have become more interested in a brand after seeing one of their stories. In addition, 72% of shoppers do their research online first before buying a product.

These days, most brands use stories in two ways: 1) providing users with frequent, unobtrusive content (stories don’t clog up a newsfeed); and 2) pinning them to their profile through highlights. The sequential format of stories — where users can easily tap to the next segment — combined with a wide variety of stickers, makes them ideal for engaging users.

Screencaps from Converse (@converse)

For example, Converse used videos in their stories to promote their new line of designs. As part of their campaign, they introduced a new filter, and used three videos in series to introduce it, demonstrate a sample of it, and call their users to action. Users could easily tap through these to get to the CTA faster, while still picking up all the important details (unlike with a single, uncut video). By saving it as a highlight to their profile, they kept it around for more than 24 hours, too.

To upload stories, tap on the camera icon next to the stories marquee, then select a video from your device. From there you can edit it, add stickers, etc. Since stories run in fullscreen, it’s helpful to edit them post-processing apps specialized for Instagram. Some apps even let you edit in batches for scheduling later on. Take note of these video specs:

• Format: MP4
• Duration: up to 15 seconds
• Aspect ratio: 9:16 and 4:5 recommended

Instagram Live

Yes, it is possible to stream pre-recorded videos on Instagram live. There are some benefits to this, like Instagram alerting your followers that you’re live, and the option to engage users in real time. That said, the process does have a bit of a learning curve—though it’s smooth sailing once you’ve done it a few times.

The short version is this. First, you need to pick a streaming program. You’ve got quite a few options here, like Open Broadcaster Software (OBS), which is open source and free, but rather bare-bones and DIY. Other programs have more bells and whistles, but with price tags to match. The other thing you’ll need is a streaming key, which is how the streaming platform finds its way to your account. You can use Yellow Duck for this. (These are all third-party software, so proceed with care.)

Live Streaming works well with nearly any type of content, since the main difference is how you build up the event around it. That said, the streaming program you use may limit your ability to interact with your audience, so adjust accordingly. Also keep the following specs in mind when shooting and editing:

• Format: MP4
• Duration: up to 60 minutes
• Aspect ratio: 9:16 (or similar vertical ratios)

Pro Tip: Since Instagram is the biggest visually-based social network in the world, it’s important to know the proper dimensions to use when uploading images and videos on the platform. Take the time to check out resources on the internet on Instagram’s size guide.

And more?

These are the options you have for posting pre-recorded videos on Instagram —strictly speaking, anyway. As Instagram’s built-in features expand and as more video-editing apps develop, we may see more ways to edit movement into static images, or make further use of videos in reels or stories. But for now, take stock of your options and start filming.