With the new pressure that's been placed on video content creation on Instagram, savvy social media users should be taking advantage of any low effort Reels trends or video creation hacks. That's why we're so excited about this "Convert to Reel" feature! It's also a brilliant way for Instagram to help transition video resistant users from something they're already conditioned to do (post to their story and add to a highlight) to a relatively new feature (Reels creation). And get this - the new "Convert to Reel" feature lets you create a Reel with only 5 taps on your iPhone. We're going to teach you how.
How to Easily to a Highlight into a Reel
1. Select the highlight that you want to turn into a Reel, and then tap the 3 dots in the bottom right corner.
2. Then select "Convert to Reel". Now Instagram will sync the first 10 clips from your highlight to a trending sound.
3. You can scroll through the sounds and pick one that matches the vibe of the highlight. Watch the video below to see the magic Instagram worked with our BTS highlight.
4. At this point, you can either select the arrow at the bottom right corner or select "Skip" in the bottom left. When you select "Skip" it takes you to the next stage of the Reels editor, but the clips are all cut to one second a piece and they have their original audio with no music. If you select the arrow in the bottom right corner, you'll be taken to the next stage of the Reels editor and the music sync will still be applied to your clips. You can add text and GIFs to your Reel at this point, or simply click "Next".
5. And now you're ready to add your caption and hashtags. Yup. It's that easy.
We don't love that Instagram automatically selects the first 10 clips of the highlight. Others are reporting that they have the option to switch out clips and remove clips from Instagram's automatic edit, but those options aren't showing up on our account.
This feature is perfect for travel highlights, BTS highlights, and so many more. When you utilize this feature, make sure you're choosing a highlight that is full of videos - not photos. Reels made up solely of photos only do well when it's a trending audio that flips through photos extremely quickly. The automatic music sync on the "Convert to Reel" feature will not achieve the speed needed to make photos engaging in video format.
Because content creation can be so draining, it's extremely important to take advantage of the moments when we can work smarter - not harder. Be sure to post at least one reel this week that utilizes the ease of the new "Convert to Reel" feature.
