ICYMI, the secret’s out: Instagram is favoring creators who post Instagram Reels regularly. If you want to grow your IG, you’ve got to diversify.

Simply put, Instagram’s itching to dethrone TikTok as king of short-form video. To get more users viewing and uploading Reels, Instagram’s algorithm is boosting creators who post lots of Reels.

Creators who use Reels are more likely to be featured on the Explore and Reels tabs in the IG app. When your content is highlighted on Explore, your reach on the platform can explode overnight!

For example, MagicLinks creator Alyssa McKay grew her Instagram from 250,000 to 806,000 between August 2020 – January 2021. How’d she do it? She uploads Instagram Reels on the regular. McKay was already huge on TikTok (6.9 million & counting!), so creating more short-form video content for Reels was a cinch.

Many influencers repost their TikToks on Instagram Reels. It’s quick ‘n’ easy, and ensures fans who don’t follow all your channels see your latest stuff. You should, however, aim for at least 50% of your Reels to be original-to-Instagram content; nobody likes seeing the same videos over and over!

MagicLinks pro Julia Havens’ Insta has a perf mix of TikTok reposts and original Reels to attract new followers – and keep her current fans happy!

Unfortunately, Instagram has yet to fully incorporate Reels analytics into their Insights tab. All is not lost, though! Use your Reels’ impressions, shares, comments, and likes to get a feel for which Reels perform better. These stats are valuable when pitching your channels to brands for sponsorship – NEVER ignore them!

Instagram Reels are crucial to your page’s growth and reach on IG. Whether you create original content, or repost TikToks or bits of your YouTube videos, it’s an important part of your content diversification plan. Shoot for 4 to 7 Reels weekly, and you just might see your sub count skyrocket!

Cover images courtesy of MagicLinks influencers @gabxxrielle, @maya_galore, and @beautybygera.