How to Post Instagram Reels for Maximum Exposure (8/9)

So you’ve got your reel ready to go—now what? Posting isn’t just about hitting “share” and hoping for the best. You need to optimize every little thing to maximize exposure and engagement. Let’s break it down.

Step 1: Uploading Your Reel

1. Open Instagram, hit the + button, and select your reel.
2. Adjust the frame if needed, then hit Next.

Step 2: Choosing the Right Music

• Click on the Music button at the top.
• Go to your saved bookmarks and pick a song that matches the vibe of your video.
• Why trending audio? Because it boosts discoverability—Instagram’s algorithm favors reels with trending sounds.
• Pro Tip: Spend 20 minutes bookmarking trending songs so you always have a go-to library. I usually rotate 3-5 tracks across my videos to keep things simple.

Step 3: Adding a Thumbnail

• Upload the custom thumbnail you created in CapCut.
• Adjust it so it looks good on your profile grid—don’t let key elements get cropped.

Step 4: Writing the Perfect Caption

What do you say in the description?

• Keep it simple and relevant to your journey.
• Start with a hook (the main theme of your video). Example:
  • “Time management is my biggest flaw. 😩”
  • “Day 73 of 75 Hard—I’m exhausted, but I’m still pushing.”
• Then, add some context: What happened today? What challenge did you face? What insight did you have?
• If you don’t know what to write, dictate it on your phone—that’s what I do to keep things natural.

Step 5: Choosing Hashtags

• Use 5-10 relevant hashtags related to your niche.
• Find the best hashtags by searching them on Instagram and seeing which ones are actively used.
• Example for 75 Hard:
  • #75Hard
  • #75HardChallenge
  • #75HardProgress
  • #FitnessMotivation
  • #SelfImprovement

💡 DON’T spam random hashtags! Keep them focused on the same category. If you’re posting about fitness, don’t add #TurkeySandwich just because you ate one.

Step 6: Tagging People (The Right Way)

• Only tag people who are actually relevant to your video.
• Good tagging strategy:
  • People in your video
  • Someone who inspired the content
  • A creator whose challenge you’re participating in
• Bad tagging strategy:
  • Random influencers
  • 50 different brands
  • Hoping for a shoutout

Step 7: Other Settings & Final Adjustments

• Tag Products? Probably not necessary.
• Add Message Button? Skip it.
• Audience? Everyone.
• Add Topics? Be specific—this helps categorize your video.
• Rename Audio? No need, since you’re using trending audio.
• Add Location? Yes—gives more exposure.
• Share to Facebook? Yes—more eyes on your reel.

Step 8: Sharing to Your Story (Extra Boost 🚀)

• After posting, go to your video and hit the share button → “Add to Story.”
• Add a quick caption that reinforces your hook. Example:
  • “Time management is killing my progress. Watch this.”
• Add one relevant hashtag in the story (you can hide it behind the video).

Why share to your story?

• It increases the lifespan of your post—people scrolling their stories later in the day will see it.
• It re-engages followers who might have missed it in their feed.

Final Thoughts: Maximizing Your Post’s Reach

Instagram success isn’t about one magic trick—it’s about stacking small advantages in your favor. Using trending audio, smart hashtags, sharing to stories, and optimizing captions all help push your content further.

These little details won’t make bad content go viral, but if you’re already making good content, they’ll help get it in front of more people.

Now go post that reel—and do it right. 🎬🔥