Short-form video content is an effective way to engage audiences on social media. These shareable, often funny videos stand out while users scroll through their feeds. With more than 1.4 billion users around the globe, Instagram marketing remains a popular way to reach potential customers, and the platform’s Reels feature allows your brand to post entertaining short-form videos. 

With that said, everyone wants free Instagram views. But, how do you get them? With the right strategy, of course.

Let’s discuss how to get more views on Instagram Reels.

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1. Create Short and Impactful Content

Short and impactful content is key to catching the attention of Instagram users. To hook them, you might post a question or an interesting statement. Once they’re engaged, you can continue telling them about your brand, product, or mission. 

The quicker you deliver value, the more likely your audience is to stick around, and that early engagement tells Instagram your content’s worth watching. Adding impactful elements to the beginning of your video is more likely to generate interest and compel viewers to stick with your video until the end. 

• How To Make a Reel on Instagram: Step-By-Step Guide

2. Trend Riding and Challenges

Riding social media video trends still works for getting more Instagram views, but only if you add something original. In 2025, the same old audio clip isn’t enough to earn reach. But you’ll still want to be strategic when you’re riding trends or challenges, only taking advantage of ones that are relevant to your brand. 

Avoid jumping on a trend just because it’s popular. You could risk damaging your brand by posting an incompatible Instagram Reel in response to a trending topic. Research trending challenges before you participate to make sure they are appropriate for your company and will attract your target audience. 

3. Collaborate With Influencers

Every industry has its share of influential people. Those who run these accounts can connect you with their audiences, helping grow your brand’s following. Make sure you seek out relevant influencers who share your brand’s values to create a genuine connection between them and your audience. Use Instagram’s branded content tools to tag collaborations, access built-in analytics, and keep every partnership measurable.

For example, if you’re creating Instagram Reels for a landscaping company, pairing up with an influencer in the finance industry would likely seem out of place to your followers. Instead, you would look for designers, horticulturists, and other influencers who would make sense representing your brand. 

4. Hook Viewers Early

The first few seconds of a Reel are make-or-break—this is when viewers decide whether to keep watching or keep scrolling. That’s why your hook needs to hit fast and hit hard: if it doesn’t grab attention immediately, your audience is gone before the Instagram algorithm even has a chance to work.

Effective hooks often use bold visuals, on-screen text, or a surprising moment to stop the scroll. Even something as simple as a question posed directly to your ideal customer can boost watch time and signal relevance to Instagram’s recommendation engine.

5. Use Instagram’s Music Library

Adding music to a video makes the post more immersive and memorable. Think about brands with catchy jingles in their commercials. The song gets lodged into your head, and you end up remembering the brand. 

Don’t worry — you don’t have to create a custom jingle (though you can if you want!). Instead, you can use popular tunes in your Instagram Reels to boost engagement.

Business accounts still face audio restrictions, so stick to Instagram’s royalty-free library or use licensed tracks to stay in the clear. Since Instagram has an agreement with artists in its library, you can use the audio as long as you tag the maker. If the agreement changes, Instagram will mute the audio for you. You can go back in and change the song if this happens. Look through trending songs and find the ones that best fit your brand and your video’s aesthetic. 

6. Post at Optimal Times, Consistently

Even if you do manage to go viral, your audience will forget you if you subsequently fade away from the platform. The Instagram algorithm highlights accounts with frequent posts, meaning people are more likely to find your video through a search if you’re posting regularly. 

Consistency is also more appealing to your audience. By posting regularly, you give your followers more content to react to and a better idea of who you are as a brand. As you’re getting started, mix up your topics to keep viewers on their toes. Instead of posting an entire series of behind-the-scenes Reels, you can post one behind-the-scenes Reel, one thought leadership video, and a quick product demo to see what works best. By watching a variety of content, your audience gets new information and finds new ways to engage with you. 

But don’t forget, timing still matters, especially in an algorithm-driven world. Use Instagram’s creator insights to post when your followers are most active. Early engagement is still the #1 signal for Reels distribution.

The best time to post on Instagram depends on the day of the week. You may have to experiment with it a bit to see how your audience responds, but it’s worth the effort.

7. Leverage Hashtags Strategically

Hashtags still help, but keyword-rich captions and on-screen text now matter more. Instagram reads them all to recommend content in search. Find the hashtags that fit best with your captions. Social listening tools can help you search for hashtags across platforms and highlight the most effective ones for your brand. 

8. Interact Actively With Your Community

By engaging with your followers, you can build a deeper relationship with them. Having a strong connection to your audience improves brand loyalty and inspires your audience to share your posts. These two-way conversations can also help you improve your products and services and learn what resonates with your audience. You can also keep the conversation going with Instagram’s newer features like broadcast channels and creator DMs. These are great for building community without leaving the app.

Learn how to appeal to target audiences on different platforms to attain the best results. On Instagram, audiences often respond to educational content that’s also entertaining. They also want to see native content, rather than a post that looks like it’s been recycled from another platform like TikTok.

9. Storytelling With a Series

While it is important to vary your content, you can also capture an audience by telling a consistent story using a series of Reels. If you’re posting behind-the-scenes content, for example, you can make a series of videos exploring different parts of your business. 

Before shooting your videos, plan out your series. First, determine the purpose behind your series. What do you want to tell your audience? 

Brainstorm your topic and make a storyboard showcasing how each video fits together. Develop a solid plot with a strong arc to keep your viewers interested. Create main characters your audience will relate to and care about. Once you have your series fleshed out, plan out your videos and shoot them. Instagram now surfaces series-style Reels more prominently in Explore, giving episodic content a better shot at repeat views.

A series can serve as a great promotional tool. Post your videos consistently over a short period to draw viewers in. You can lure in the audience with one video and then post a few teasers before releasing the next video in the series. 

10. Turn Viewers Into Followers With a Call-to-Follow

The best way to get free Instagram views over time? Turn one-time viewers into repeat followers.

Adding a quick, on-screen call-to-follow near the end of your Reel can boost retention and turn passive viewers into engaged community members. It’s a simple but often-overlooked tactic, and it’s totally free. The more followers you have, the more consistently your Reels will get early traction, which is exactly what the Instagram algorithm looks for.

• Instagram Video Ad Specs & Placements Guide

Creating Instagram Videos at Scale

Getting started with Instagram Reels can be daunting, but you don’t have to set up a professional studio to create Instagram Reels. With help from creative partners, you can make effective ads that perform. 

QuickFrame’s video production platform connects you with creators who know how to build high-performing Instagram content, designed for engagement, built to scale. We can connect you with makers who understand Instagram best practices to create Reels that stand out from the crowd and engage your target audience.

Contact us today to learn more about Instagram video production. 

Free Instagram Views: Final Thoughts

According to Meta, there are over 140 billion Reels played across Instagram and Facebook each day. This gives you an incredible opportunity to connect with current and potential customers, drive more engagement, and grow your audience.