An important tip for Instagram creators: don’t make 90-second Reels.

"Reels longer than 90 seconds can harm your reach on the app."

Why should you take this seriously? This statement comes directly from the Instagram content team. They shared this information at a creators event in New York, where Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri highlighted various points about the platform, the algorithm, and their plans. In a presentation by Mosseri and the team, it was shown that Reels longer than 90 seconds could hinder distribution.

Most of the tips they provided were quite standard, such as generating authentic engagement and posting at the right times. But here are a few interesting points that you should take a moment to consider:

First, they mentioned that posting simultaneously on other platforms can have benefits, likely due to increased content, branding, and traffic all at once. On the other hand, Instagram warned that posting content that you didn’t create yourself (e.g., content with watermarks, engagement-bait, and low-quality content) can harm your reach. And of course, Reels that are longer than 90 seconds.

You might wonder: why would Instagram allow Reels of 90 seconds if it doesn't work well? Here’s some background: the maximum length for Reels created within the app is 90 seconds, but you can upload longer videos. Instagram has tried launching Reels of 3 minutes and 10 minutes, but that doesn't seem to work very well.

Anyway, this is a relevant point that could impact how you post on Instagram (and your content calendar).

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