Creating and Publishing Instagram Reels with the Social Planner
Instagram Reels are a powerful tool for creating short, engaging video content that can help you reach new audiences and promote your brand. The Social Planner within your CRM allows you to create and publish Reels directly to your connected Instagram accounts.
Before You Begin: Prerequisites
To use this feature, you must meet the following requirements:
- You must have an Instagram Professional account (either Business or Creator) connected to your CRM. Publishing Reels to personal accounts is not supported.
- It is recommended to upload any images or videos you plan to use to your Media Library before starting the creation process.
How to Create an Instagram Reel
Follow these steps to create and schedule a Reel.
Step 1: Start a New Post
Navigate to the Marketing tab, select Social Planner, and then click New Post.
Step 2: Select Your Instagram Account
Under the Publish section, choose the Instagram Professional account where you want the Reel to appear. The Reels option will only be visible if you select an Instagram account. You can select multiple Instagram accounts if needed.
Step 3: Choose Reels as the Content Type
Select Reels as your Instagram content type from the available options.
Step 4: Build Your Reel
Upload the media for your Reel. You can include up to 10 images or video clips. Arrange them in your preferred order.
Step 5: Publish or Schedule
You can choose to Post Now, Schedule for Later, or save the Reel as a draft. Scheduled posts will appear in the Scheduled Posts tab within the Social Planner.
Important Note on Captions: Instagram's system calculates caption length differently than the CRM's editor. Some special characters and emojis may count as multiple characters on Instagram's side. Even if your caption is under the limit in the Social Planner, it could be rejected by Instagram for exceeding the character limit.
Reels Visibility: Feed vs. Reels Tab
By default, Reels are published to both your main Instagram Feed and the dedicated Reels tab. If you wish to publish a Reel to the Reels tab only, you must turn OFF the option for sharing to the Feed during the composition step.
Supported Content Specifications
Ensure your media meets the following requirements for a smooth publishing experience:
- Video File: Maximum size of 1GB. Supported formats are MOV or MP4.
- Thumbnail Image: Maximum size of 8MB.
- Aspect Ratio: Recommended dimension is 9:16 (portrait).
- Duration: Minimum 3 seconds, maximum 15 minutes.
- Resolution: The maximum horizontal resolution (width) is 1920 pixels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Instagram Reels with any Instagram account?
No. This feature is only available for Instagram Professional accounts (Business or Creator).
What types of content can I include in an Instagram Reel?
You can combine up to 10 images or video clips to create a single Reel.
Is there a time limit for Instagram Reels?
Yes. Reels must be between 3 seconds and 15 minutes long.
Can I schedule my Instagram Reel for later publication?
Yes. You can use the Schedule for Later option to set a specific date and time for your Reel to be published.
Can I use Instagram Reels for personal or creator accounts?
You can use a Creator account, as it is a type of Professional account. Personal accounts are not supported for publishing Reels through the Social Planner.
Where will my Reel be posted?
By default, Reels are posted to both your Instagram Feed and the Reels tab. You can change this during creation to post only to the Reels tab.
Is there a limit to how many Reels I can create?
No, there is no set limit within the Social Planner. You can create as many Reels as you like.