How I Make Instagram Reels That Actually Get Views
Let me save you the two years it took me to figure this out. A beautiful dish is not enough. I’ve posted gorgeous plates that died at 900 views and rough-looking ones that hit 20,000. The difference was never the food. It was the first two seconds.
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Here’s the system I use now on every reel.
01
Open on the money shot, never the ingredients
The finished, saucy, cheese-pulling hero shot goes in frame one. That’s the single biggest lever I’ve found — the same recipe filmed two ways doubled its reach purely because one opened on a bright close-up and the other on a dim wide shot. Show people the payoff before you show them the work.
02
Give them a reason to stay — out loud and on screen
A recipe name is a label, not a hook. “Curry meatballs” is a label. “This might be the best thing I’ve made all year” is a hook. Say your hook out loud in the first line, and mirror it in six words or fewer of on-screen text (most people watch muted, so the words matter as much as the audio). Aim the hook at the viewer’s payoff, not your own journey.
03
Film the money shots first — food dies in about a minute
Before anything else, get two takes each of: the hero (45°, filling the frame), the pour in slow motion, the cheese pull or melt, and the forkful lift. Those clips carry the whole video. Everything else is B-roll.
04
Keep the phone steady and the light natural
Shoot by a big window with the food facing the light, kill the yellow overhead bulbs, wipe your lens, and mount the phone so it’s rock-steady. Tap and hold to lock focus and exposure. My full gear list is in My iPhone Camera Gear.
05
Edit for retention
I cut every reel on the phone — fast cuts, real cooking sound under a quiet trending audio track, and a pattern interrupt right where people tend to drop off. Skip the big licensed pop songs; they can quietly cap your distribution. More on that in The Apps I Edit With.
06
End with one clear ask
Close on the final bite and a single call to action — “comment RECIPE and I’ll send it to you” pulls the most reach and grows my email list at the same time.
Crave, close, clear
Make them crave it in frame one, keep it close and bright, and keep the message clear enough to work on mute.
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