Instagram has evolved from an online photo-sharing app into a platform that allows users to create, edit, and share videos.
These videos, whether shared as Instagram Stories or posts and Reels, add a dimension that static photos can’t achieve. Plus, creating Instagram videos is simple and inexpensive.
Budget videos often appear more authentic—and are therefore more effective—than expensive, high-production videos. You can shoot compelling brand videos on a smartphone and edit them with Instagram’s video editor, a computer, or a mobile app.
Need help getting started with Instagram? This beginner’s guide to creating a social media marketing strategy and this guide on how to get followers on Instagram are great starting points. Already on Instagram and ready to level up your video game? Read on.
Table of contents
Why Instagram video matters
Instagram video is an important content format to incorporate into your marketing mix. Reels and videos are the most engaging form of content on Instagram, with higher reach, and engagement rates up to 2% more than static content formats.
3 types of Instagram videos
There are three main Instagram video formats: Live, Reels, and Stories.
1. Live videos on Instagram
If you have an impromptu video idea that doesn’t require editing, or an idea best executed in real time, you can use the Instagram Live video feature. According to data from HubSpot, Instagram Live videos drive the highest ROI.
Instagram Live is an approachable, authentic way to build hype and share big news with your followers—like the launch of a new product.
Want to thank your audience for reaching a milestone or publish a quick reaction to industry news? Live videos let you respond in a timely fashion, since you don’t need to spend time editing them.
Film directly in the app and notify your followers of your livestream by going to Your story in the top left corner of the app and clicking Record.
Here are some tips and ideas for Instagram Live videos:
- Capture events like pop-up shops and show your followers what you’re up. Consider hosting workshops or tutorials on how to use your products.
- Use Instagram Live to collaborate with influencers, having them take over your brand’s live feed for a set period of time.
- Share the video to Instagram Stories afterward, so anyone who missed it can still enjoy it. You can also retrieve it from your archive.
- Turn on comments so your video becomes a live conversation piece.
Learn more: A verified Instagram account represents authenticity and builds trust. Check this guide on how to get verified on Instagram.
2. Reels on your Instagram feed
All video feed posts are automatically formatted as Reels. These are actually the most engaging type of Instagram post, earning an average engagement rate of 1.23%. They also lead to the most saves and are likelier to go viral than other formats.
Reels can help you expand your reach and get in front of new audiences, since Instagram features them in the Reels tab, in users’ main feeds, and in the Explore tab.
In the example below, organic clothing brand MATE the Label uses Reels to highlight its clothes in action, tagging the featured model and content creator.
Here are some tips and ideas for your Instagram Reels:
- Add sound effects, music, and stickers so your Reels stand out and represent your brand.
- Monetize your Reels by tagging featured products and making them easy to convert.
- Turn Reels into ads to boost visibility and maximize your content investment.
- Collaborate with influencers and customers to create Instagram Reels, shared to your own feed and to theirs.
Here are the specs for Instagram videos and Reels in your feed:
- File size: 4 GB max
- File type: MP4 or MOV recommended
- Max length: 90 seconds
- Orientation: square or landscape
- Aspect ratio: 1:91:1
📚Learn: How to Use Instagram Reels for Your Ecommerce Store
3. Videos on Instagram Stories
Stories are another powerful way to promote your brand. Unlike regular Instagram posts, Instagram Stories don’t post to your brand’s feed. Stories disappear after 24 hours unless you save them to your page’s highlights under your Instagram bio. You can access them in your archive if you want to use them later.
Instagram Stories are a great way to humanize your brand. They show up at the top of people’s feeds, taking advantage of prime real estate, and are interactive, offering features like polls, quizzes, and stickers that encourage engagement.
You can post a video you’ve previously shot to your Stories, or you can create a new Instagram video from the Stories tool in the app.
Here are some Instagram video tips for Stories:
- Keep your Stories to 15 seconds or less. Because an individual Instagram Story is less than 15 seconds long, the app will automatically break up longer videos into 15-second segments when you share them. To prevent an awkward cut at an important part of your video, cut segments that are 15 seconds or less beforehand.
- Add Instagram stickers, text, and filters before you share with your followers.
- Don’t worry about making Stories videos perfect. They only live for 24 hours, so they won’t take up a permanent spot on your feed.
The specifications for story videos are as follows:
- Max length per segment: 15 seconds
- Aspect ratio: 9:16 at 1080 pixels x 1920 pixels is the recommended resolution, however, you can resize your videos before posting them
How to create an Instagram video
You can film Instagram videos directly in Instagram, using a different camera app, or with an actual camera, but the final video—whether edited or raw—should be under a minute long.
Once you’re happy with it, upload your video the same way you’d add a photo to your feed:
- Click the + sign in the app.
- Select STORY or REEL from the sliding menu at the bottom of the screen.
- Choose the video from the appropriate folder on your device.
- Review the video and test filters, turn the audio on or off, trim the length of the clip, add music, tag other users, and select a frame for the cover image.
- Add a caption and do location tagging before posting.
At the final step, you can choose to share the video to your other linked social channels, just as you would with an Instagram photo.
Creating live videos for Instagram
Broadcasting live from Instagram is relatively straightforward. First, ensure you have a strong and reliable network connection. Then, follow these steps:
- Click the + sign in the app.
- Select LIVE from the sliding menu on the bottom.
- Add a title and tag relevant brand partners.
- Do a test broadcast with a limited audience.
- Hit the big circular button in the middle when you’re ready to go live.
Because Instagram Live is shot in real time, you won’t be able to edit or add captions at this point. However, you can create a “room” by inviting others to join your Instagram Live and broadcast alongside you. From there, you can see who has tuned in, read and share viewer questions, add filters, and control camera and audio settings.
Audience members can request to join during your Live—it’s up to you whether you’d like to add them. If you’d like to make edits after the Live feed, like text overlays or editing out awkward elements to the recorded video, you can make creative adjustments before resharing it to your profile.
Instagram video best practices
Now, let’s jump into best practices for using videos to promote your brand and products on Instagram.
Be authentic instead of overly produced and promotional
Businesses often share two main styles of videos on Instagram:
- Polished high-quality videos for advertising and brand awareness.
- Amateur videos that offer a peek behind the curtain so viewers can get to know the people using the products or creating the brand.
You’ll be happy to know most viewers have come to expect the second format—quick and easy videos you make yourself. Whether footage is shot at your office, on location at your latest pop-up shop, or at an event, lightly edited videos filmed on your mobile device are perfect for demonstrating that your brand is authentic and approachable.
See how plant-based supplement brand Ora Organic takes this approach with the Instagram video below. No over-the-top production, just a “homemade” video with a simple text overlay.
Post Instagram videos regularly
Consistency is key. Regularly posting helps you to refine your creative process, and keeps your brand top of mind for your audience. Mix up the types of Instagram videos you share, and the content you include within them. Some videos may be product-focused, while others may be aimed at sharing your brand story and building audience connections.
If you’re light on content, try sourcing videos from customers. See what kinds of posts and Stories they’ve tagged your brand in. Whether it’s customer reviews or video content where they’ve just tagged your product because it’s visible, your audience can help you source user-generated video content. Just be sure to give proper credit to the creator any time you share user-generated content. It’s also a good move to ask for permission first.
Ready to create a video posting schedule? Here’s how often to post on Instagram.
Tell a compelling brand story
Videos are an excellent medium for sharing brand stories, especially as consumers seek emotional connections with brands that share their values.
Fashion brand Kūla, for example, has humble but ethically motivated origins. Founder and designer Stephanie Fuentes-Aponte set out to create a sustainable handmade fashion brand with clothes that suit her personal style.
Stephanie has shared Kūla’s journey on Instagram from the beginning, offering behind-the-scenes glimpses, inspirations, fabric details, and milestones she hit along the way. When Kūla participated in a local fashion show, Stephanie had a wealth of videos to share to the brand’s feed and Stories to bring the experience to its followers.
Promote your brand and products
Since Instagram users discover new brands and products on the platform, tagging your products through Shopping on Instagram can help you turn video views into sales.
With Instagram’s in-app shopping feature, users can complete a purchase without actually leaving Instagram, so it’s important you’re set up to make sales. You can also drive viewers back to your website by guiding them to a link in bio on your business’s Instagram page.
When you use the Instagram–Shopify integration, the process is seamless. You can easily tag products in your videos, match your website’s aesthetic, and offer one-tap checkout—all while inventory syncs across your various commerce channels.
If you’re already making sales through Instagram, consider buying video ads to amplify your results. You can buy Instagram ads as Stories or posts that appear in users’ feeds. The easiest way to buy ads is to use content you’ve already shared organically, targeting a new audience by demographic, location, interests, or behaviors.
Instagram video tools
While Instagram has plenty of built-in tools for incorporating video into your content mix, there are also third-party tools for shooting, editing, and sharing.Here are some of the best Instagram video maker tools available:
- Descript. This mobile and desktop Instagram video editor lets you create professional-quality videos with powerful editing tools. Its free version is packed with features.
- Animoto. Animoto is a free web-based Instagram video maker that simplifies the process of turning photos and video clips into engaging Instagram videos. Upgrade to a paid tier for more features.
- Canva. Canva is a popular design platform offering video editing capabilities. It provides Instagram video templates, animations, and other tools for Instagram videos. There are free and paid versions available.
- InShot. InShot is a user-friendly mobile and Instagram video editor that offers basic editing tools, filters, music, and effects. It’s perfect for quickly formatting and editing. Use its Instagram video templates to get started.
Common Instagram video specs
For the best user experience, ensure your videos meet Instagram’s specifications.
Optimal video dimensions and aspect ratios
Optimal video dimensions vary by post type. Use video editing software with pre-set Instagram video templates, or follow these specifications:
- Feed and carousel videos
- Aspect ratio: 1:1 (square), 4:5 (vertical), 1.91:1 (landscape)
- Dimensions: 1080 x 1080 pixels (square), 1080 x 1350 (vertical), 1080 x 608 (landscape)
- Stories and Reels
- Aspect ratio: 9:16 (vertical)
- Dimensions: 1080 x 1920 pixels
Recommended video file formats
The recommended video file formats for an Instagram video are:
- MP4 (H.264): This is the most widely recommended format for all types of Instagram videos, including feed, Stories, Reels, and carousel videos.
- MOV: This format is also accepted by Instagram, though MP4 is preferred for its balance between quality and file size.
Maximum video lengths by Instagram format
The maximum video lengths for Instagram vary by post type. Here are the maximum lengths for each format:
- Feed videos: 60 seconds
- Stories: 15 seconds
- Reels: 90 seconds
- Live videos: 4 hours
- Carousel videos: 60 seconds per video within the carousel
Ideal video file size and compression tips
Optimizing videos for Instagram is a careful game of balancing quality with file size. For faster downloads, uploads and playbacks, aim for less than 4 GB—most videos, especially shorter ones, should be a few hundred megabytes or less.
Here are some tips:
- Use the right codec. Aim for a video codec of H.264 and an audio codec of AAC.
- Stick to recommended resolutions. Choose 1080 x 1920 for vertical videos and 1080 x 1080 for square ones. Avoid higher resolutions than necessary to keep file sizes manageable.
- Consider frame rate. 30 frames per second is standard and sufficient for most videos. Higher frame rates can increase file size without significantly improving viewing experience.
- Check video length. Trim unnecessary parts to keep videos concise and compact..
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Adjust bitrate. For standard definition videos, use a bitrate of around 3,500 kbps. For high definition, you can go up to 5,000 kbps. Use a lower bitrate for audio if your video doesn’t need high-quality sound. 128 kbps is usually sufficient.
Instagram video examples
Freestyle: Sharing expert tips through video
Diaper brand Freestyle regularly invites industry experts to collaborate on videos, sharing their tips and experiences with the brand’s audience.
Flamingo Estate: High-production quality videos to promote new products
Flamingo Estate uses incredibly high-quality footage to promote its latest products. The Reels are almost movie quality.
Inka: How-to videos with discount codes
Inka shares how-to videos that walk viewers through delicious recipes. At the end, it offers a 20% discount on its durable foodwares.
Otherland: Answering customer questions with video
Candle brand Otherland takes customer questions and turns them into video Q&As.
Can-Tini: Product-inspired animations
Drinks brand Can-Tini shows off its product in a fun, unique way through on-brand illustrated animations.
Ready to incorporate Instagram video into your marketing?
It’s never too late to start experimenting with your Instagram video marketing strategy, and you don’t need fancy camera equipment or a big budget.
Some of the best and most effective brand videos are shot on smartphones by people without video training, plus there are several Instagram video maker tools that can help. When you use the Shopify–Instagram integration, you can create a seamless checkout experience that builds customer relationships and drives sales.
Read more
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Instagram video FAQ
How long can Instagram videos be?
The maximum length of an Instagram depends on the format:
- Feed videos: 60 seconds.
- Stories: 15 seconds per story.
- Reels: 90 seconds.
- Live videos: 4 hours.
- Carousel videos: 60 seconds per video within the carousel.
How do I grow my ecommerce brand on Instagram with video?
You can grow your ecommerce brand on Instagram with video by creating Reels, posting consistently, broadcasting live, and integrating your Shopify store with the social media platform.
How do I use Instagram video for ecommerce sales?
You can use Instagram video for ecommerce sales by connecting your Shopify store to your account and tagging products, offering seamless checkout, and leveraging other video tips outlined in this post.
Can you download Instagram videos?
You can run an Instagram video download in a couple of ways. In addition to saving Stories to your camera roll, you can also click the three dots on your feed videos and download them from there. Alternatively, you can use a web-based Instagram video downloader tool to download Instagram videos without installing software.
