Creating Before/After Instagram Reels With BeFunky
Instagram Reels allow you to record and edit 15-second multi-clip videos with audio, effects, and new creative tools. These Reels can last up to 60 seconds, but it is best to create short Reels between 7-11 seconds. You can easily make these with videos or with photos that you already have in your phone’s camera roll.
Instagram Reels are worth your effort because they generate 40-60% more viewers than Posts. The reason is, they are designed to be addictive – scrolling until we find a rewarding 10-15 second video increases our dopamine responses. Simply put, you should be taking advantage of this and make Reels in order to grow your social media following.
If you are feeling lost and like you don’t know where to begin, one of the easiest Reels you can make is a before/after Reel. If you are new to Reels, this is a simple option so you can dip your toes into making Reels. If you are an avid Reel maker, take a look at some of the examples below to inspire you or encourage you to revive some of your old Reels. Let’s take a look at some before/after Reel examples and then make one ourselves with BeFunky’s Photo Editor.
Get Inspired With These Reel Audio Ideas
Finding a good audio clip is one of the hardest things to do when making Instagram Reels. We are taking out the hard work by including some in the examples below. If you are looking for some more audio clips for other Reels you are wanting to do, check out this article.
Quick and Simple Before/After Reels
These kinds of Reels are the quickest to do and usually only take one or two photos. If you are looking for a few different audio clips to find for these, try this, this, or this. You can do anything from showing off the progress of your pregnancy, showing a makeover you did on yourself or someone else, or showing your cake masterpiece at the beginning and then the end! This is also a great audio clip to use for a montage Reel.
Before/After Reels Showing Off
Showing the process of your project is a great way to reveal its before and after. This is a great audio to use, as well as this for home renovation projects, interior decorating projects, nail technicians, and hairdressers!
Inspirational Before/After Reels
If you have a profile that talks about deep things but you still want to do before/after Reels, try finding inspirational audio like this or this. These can also be deep, fun (like with this, or this audio clip), or inspirational depending on how you use the audio.
How to Create a Before/After Instagram Reel
Creating a before/after Reel is super simple and straightforward. You can make valuable, engaging content simply by using a single image you already have on hand. We are going to use this audio clip, so we will only need two images and are going to showcase the before/after of a photo we’ve edited! When you are ready, open BeFunky’s Graphic Designer. Note that you can also create your before/after Reel directly from the BeFunky mobile app!
Once here, select Blank Canvas from the menu and then select Social Media Story 1080x1920.
Trust me, this is going to make the process a whole lot easier starting with Graphic Designer and then editing the photo within this. This will allow your photo’s crop to line up perfectly, without having to do it by hand later.
Step 1: Upload Your 'Before' Image
From the Image Manager menu on the left, select Computer and then upload the photo you want to edit. You can also drag and drop your photo from your computer directly into the Image Manager. Once you do this, click on the photo and then select Add as Layer to add it to your canvas.
Resize the image by selecting the photo and then dragging the corners outward. You want to then drag the image around on your artboard until you have the composition you want.
Step 2: Save the Image
This may seem counter-intuitive, but you need to save the unedited ‘before’ image at the beginning with the correct composition. At the top of the screen, select Save and then Computer.
Make sure to name your file by including 'before' in the name so you can remember which is first.
Step 3: Make Some Edits
Once you’ve saved your first image, select your photo and then click Edit Image in the Image Properties menu that appears. This will allow you to edit the photo in BeFunky’s Photo Editor, without ever leaving the Graphic Designer. Once here, go to the Edit tab in the left-hand menu.
We are going to go to the Levels tool, as I like to use this to edit both highlights (Max Input) and shadows (Max Output) at once. This tool gives me a little more control. Adjust the sliders for the other options as well. I do this tool to set the baseline exposure of my image and then use other editing tools after. When you are finished with the Levels tool, select Apply.
Next, add some color to your image to make it pop. We want the before/after image to be drastically beautiful so that your audience can see the best results. Go to Color and adjust both Saturation and Temperature. Make sure when editing a portrait, the person’s skin tone looks the most even and realistic.
We are going to Sharpen the image, add Clarity, and Vibrance, making sure that after each step you set it by selecting Apply.
Step 4: Save Your 'After' Image
When you are finished with your edits, select Done Editing Image in the top left-hand corner of your screen to go back to the Graphic Designer.
Once you arrive back in the Photo Editor, make sure to select Save and then Computer just like in Step 2.
Step 5: Create the Reel
When you are ready to upload your photos and create your before/after Reel on Instagram, open the app and follow these steps under Make an Instagram Reel. Remember to save the audio clip from above in order to achieve this before/after Reel.
Creating Before/After Instagram Reels Is Easy With BeFunky
Creating Instagram Reels is smart and it is simple to do with BeFunky’s Graphic Designer and Photo Editor, especially if you follow the tutorial above. With one image, you can create valuable Reels that are engaged with more than 40% compared to your other static content. All you need is ten to fifteen minutes, and you’ll be able to create the content that you interact with on a daily basis.
