The average Instagram reel receives around 1500 views. However, the number of views a reel gets can vary greatly depending on factors like the account’s number of followers, engagement rate, usage of hashtags and trends, etc. Influencers and creators with large followings tend to get much higher views compared to personal accounts of average users.
Views depend on account size and type
Instagram reels views differ significantly based on the account. Influencers and creators with hundreds of thousands or millions of followers tend to easily get views in the hundreds of thousands or millions. For example, an influencer with 1 million followers can expect to get over 500,000 views on an average performing reel. On the other hand, most regular users with just a few thousand followers get only a couple of hundred or thousand views.
Business and brand accounts also get higher traction on reels compared to personal profiles. Paid partnerships and promotions done by brands further help increase reel views. Additionally, verified accounts and profiles with strong expertise in a niche like travel, fashion, etc. see better engagement on reels in their field.
Using hashtags and trends boosts views
Leveraging trending audios, hashtags and Instagram effects can give a significant boost to reel views. Jumping on viral trends like dance challenges early when they are gaining traction allows creators to get their reels in front of a huge audience already searching for that hashtag or audio.
Accounts part of engagement groups and pods also exchange views on reels leading to higher numbers. So creators collaborating with others in their niche helps increase visibility. Some services even allow buying reel views, though Instagram does not allow or endorse this.
Engagement rate matters more than just followers
While a larger follower count leads to more views, the engagement rate is a bigger factor. An account with 100k followers but only 1% engagement rate will get lower reel views than a 50k follower account with 10% engagement. This is because only a small portion of followers actively interact.
So it is important for accounts to build an audience that engages regularly with their content. This means focusing on video formats the audience responds well to instead of just amassing followers. A small dedicated community drives more reel views than a huge inactive one.
Reels have shelf life of around 3 days
The Instagram algorithm pushes new reels aggressively for around the first 36 hours. This helps give them a chance to gain views and engagement. In the first 24 hours is when a reel potentially goes viral seeing a sudden surge in views.
Gradually reel distribution declines if it does not have strong performance metrics. Still most reels continue getting additional views for 2-3 days before plateauing. So the shelf life is not too long, creators need to stay active and keep posting to stay relevant.
Best practices for getting more reel views
Here are some tips creators should follow to maximize views on their Instagram reels:
- Post at optimal times based on audience activity patterns
- Use relevant and viral audios, hashtags, effects
- Create reels based on trends and challenges
- Cross-promote reels across other social media
- Run reels ads to reach new audiences
- Engage with viewers through captions and comments
- Collaborate with others to leverage each other’s audiences
- Analyze performance data to create better reels
- Post reels consistently to stay top of mind
Typical reel view patterns
Here’s how reel view counts progress for different account types in the first few days:
- Micro influencer (5k-20k followers) – Gets 200-500 views in 12 hours, 600-1200 views in 24 hours, 800-2000 total views over 3 days
- Mid-size influencer (20k-50k followers) – 600-1000 views in 12 hours, 1500-3000 views in 24 hours, 3000-7000 total views over 3 days
- Macro influencer (50k-500k followers) – 1000-5000 views in 12 hours, 5000-10000 views in 24 hours, 10000-50000 total views over 3 days
- Mega influencer (500k-5M followers) – 5000-20000 views in 12 hours, 20000-100000 views in 24 hours, 50000-500000 total views over 3 days
- Celebrity/public figure (1M+ followers) – 10000-100000 views in 12 hours, 50000-500000 views in 24 hours, 100000-5M total views over 3 days
- Personal account (500-2000 followers) – 20-100 views in 12 hours, 50-200 views in 24 hours, 100-500 total views over 3 days
But these are just general estimates. Viral reels can far exceed these view counts while poor performing ones can fall way below. The key is optimizing content, captions, hashtags and timing to boost visibility and engagement.
Getting on the Explore page is the key
The Explore page is one of the biggest sources of traffic for Instagram reels. Getting regularly featured here ensures creators get views from the entire Instagram audience, beyond just their own followers.
The criteria for Explore inclusion is high engagement, shares and comments in the first few hours of posting. So creating viral worthy reels with hooks that make people want to interact gives the best chance.
Accounts should analyze their best performing reels to identify styles, topics and formats that resonate most with their audience. Doubling down on those and hitting trends at the right time will get more reels on Explore.
Consistency and persistence pay off
While getting one viral reel with millions of views can happen with some luck, building a sustaining audience requires consistency. Creators need to post reels frequently and consistently to stay top of mind.
It also takes testing and analyzing different styles of reels to recognize what works. Audiences respond better to some formats like tutorials, POV, commentary compared to others. Finding the right mix and tone of content takes trial and error.
View counts might seem low initially but steady persistence pays off over weeks and months. As the account authority builds up with more quality reels, Instagram starts recommending it more through Explore and suggested views.
Optimize your reels
Here are some optimization tips to adopt to maximize views on reels:
- Film reels in highest resolution and aspect ratio
- Use attractive thumbnails to build intrigue
- Pick sounds and songs trending in your niche
- Focus on quickly communicating the hook and value
- Use strategic hashtags but don’t overdo it
- Add relevant captions to provide context
- Interact and respond to all comments
- Check insights to analyze best timings and topics
- Promote reels through stories, feed posts and other channels
Partner with brands and influencers
Running branded content campaigns and collaborations is an excellent way for creators to access larger budgets and audiences. The right brand partnerships help get reels in front of new demographics.
Similarly, co-creating content and cross-promoting with other influencers in the same space allows tapping into each other’s audiences. The followers of one creator discover new talents to follow while also driving views.
However, branded content should add value for the audience instead of just pushing sales messaging. And collaborations should involve influencers with synergistic content styles and aesthetics.
Consider paid advertising
Putting some budget behind reels in the form of Instagram and Facebook ads can be highly beneficial. This puts the reels in front of wider custom audiences beyond just existing followers.
Ads allow targeting by demographics, interests, behaviors and more. Budgets can start small, as little as $5-10 per day. Detailed analytics provide data on ideal audiences to reach.
Instagram also provides a Reels Play bonus offering free ad credit for reels based on their performance. This makes it very cost-effective for new creators.
Conclusion
Getting high views on Instagram reels requires commitment, optimization and perseverance. But it opens up huge opportunities for influencer marketing, brand promotions and monetization.
Following Instagram best practices, leveraging trends and collaborations, and analyzing performance metrics allows creators build strong engaging audiences over time.
While views vary a lot based on account size and types, most reels tend to get the bulk of their views within the first 1-3 days. Maximizing impact during this critical window is key to success with Instagram reels.