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Instagram allows you to “mention” other accounts in posts and many users try to increase the reach and engagement rates of their own Reels by mentioning prominent people or brands. But is mentioning prominent accounts a useful way to increase the reach and engagement rates of your Reels? A recent study by Fanpage Karma sheds new light on this topic and offers some interesting insights.
Our study found that by mentioning a brand or, alternatively, a person can affect the performance of your Reels in different ways.
In this blog post
Mentioning well-known brands in Instagram Reels is not the best idea
While it may seem tempting to mention brands in your Reels in the hopes of attracting more attention, the results of the study suggest that’s not the case. In fact, somewhat surprisingly, mentioning brands reduces audience interactions by 12% and reach by as much as 19%.
Mentioning people increases interactions and reach of Reels
Alternatively, the study shows that mentioning other people has a positive effect on your Instagram Reels. On average, mentioning people increases viewer interactions by 37% and reach by 17%.
Size and verification matter when it comes to mentions
Not all mentions are created equal, however. Therefore, the study distinguishes between verified accounts and unverified accounts, as well as between large accounts with over 1 million followers and smaller accounts.
Mentioning large Instagram accounts: Your chance for higher engagement on your Reels
The study shows that large accounts with over 1 million followers have 28% higher interactions than smaller accounts. However, reach is, surprisingly, slightly lower (-3%).
Mentioning verified Instagram accounts: the key to greater reach
Importantly, mentioning verified accounts can also increase your engagement rates. Our study shows that mentioning a verified account in your Reels can increase your engagement rates by an average of 28% and your reach by 8%.
Conclusion: choose your mentions wisely
Although mentioning other accounts in your Instagram Reels can increase reach and engagement rates, the effectiveness depends largely on the type of account you mention. It is overall advisable to mention both large and verified personal accounts to increase the reach and engagement rates of your Reels. On the other hand, it is also advisable to avoid brand mentions.
Use this knowledge to produce Reels that your fans love. Test out different strategies and see what works best for your specific audience. In fact, you can do it today with a free trial of Fanpage Karma.
Interested in discovering more? Take a look at our other tips on Instagram Reels.
