SAN FRANCISCO, May 14 ― Instagram has unveiled a few tips aimed at helping users to get their message across effectively on the social network. Among the many “do's and don'ts,” the platform recommends avoiding posting Reels longer than 90 seconds.

Some of social media's general rules go something like be more authentic, post regularly and keep it brief. Creators and the platforms themselves often share various tips and tricks to optimise one's chances with the algorithms. Content creators looking to boost engagement on their accounts are often on the lookout for such tips, which they integrate into their approach. At a recent conference in New York, social media giant Meta shared four “do's” and five “don'ts” for the app.

Thanks to photos taken at the conference and shared on the Threads social network, internet users found out that overly long Reels, the short video format the app developed to compete with TikTok, don't help attract more engagement.

That may have come as a surprise to many users as the social network recently announced longer durations for this format of up to ten minutes, just like its Chinese competitor.

While content creators should take care to make Reels that are shorter than 90 seconds for maximum impact, they must also pay attention to the quality of their video. According to Instagram, low-quality videos should be avoided.

To save time, some creators reuse the same video on TikTok and Instagram. However, be careful not to use a video with the watermark of the competing application, which is usually applied automatically when a video is published on the app. The presence of a competing social network's “watermark” on a Reel will hinder its success on Meta's platform.

Avoid publishing content you didn't create, or blatantly requesting your audience to interact with the content through “likes” or comments. This is a practice frequently seen among content creators with commercial content, for instance in the context of a contest.

Instead, focus on authentic content, adapt your programming according to your followers' online presence, and stick to a regular publication schedule. ― ETX Studio