Want to boost your Instagram reach with Reels but don’t know how? Using trending audio is certainly a great way to start. But what are trending sounds, where do you find them, and how do you know which ones are taking off? Here are our top tips…

What Are Trending Sounds on Reels?

When a sound or song is “trending” on Reels, it essentially means it’s growing in popularity — indicated by a tiny arrow next to the audio’s name.

While Instagram hasn’t confirmed what makes a sound a trend, we would guess that it’s all about momentum.

So, if an audio is suddenly being consistently used or saved, the likelihood of it getting an arrow is high — regardless of how old it is.

Can Business Accounts Use Trending Reels Sounds? 

Among commercial music limitations and copyright concerns, finding Reels audio for Instagram Business accounts can be tricky — but not impossible.

Understanding the legalities is key to creating successful Reels (and avoiding copyright infringement). If you have a personal or creator profile on Instagram, you have access to a massive library of Reels sounds, but if you’re seeing ‘This sound isn’t licensed for commercial use’, it’s because you haven’t obtained a license to use music from recording artists.

Luckily, anything that’s labeled “Original audio” on Instagram is fair game for Business profiles — meaning you’ll still have access to tons of trending sounds.

That said, not all “Original audio” is necessarily stock music — it could include remixes or mashups.

Our Tips to Find Trending Songs & Sounds for Your Instagram Reels 

Scroll Your Instagram Reels Feed

If you’re already spending time watching Reels, keeping an eye out for trending sounds should be no problem. Open up Instagram and scroll the Reels explore page until you spot the tiny arrow we mentioned earlier.

When you tap the trending sound, you can see where the sound comes from, how many Reels have been made with it, and all the Reels that have used it. Jackpot!

Ready to film? Tap the “Use audio” button to start creating with the trending sound.

TIP: If you like the sound but aren’t ready to film, save the audio so you can come back to it later.

Browse Instagram’s Weekly Trend Report 

The @creators account on Instagram is a valuable resource for staying in the know with Reels. Every Friday, Instagram shares the top Instagram Reels trends for creators. And if that isn’t already a huge plus, @creators frequently posts general Instagram tips, too — including facts about the algorithm.

Get Inspired on TikTok 

It might sound obvious, we know — but scrolling your TikTok for you page can be a great source for Reels inspiration. If you want to jump on a trend that’s a little more niche, open up TikTok and type “trending sounds” in the search bar. Filter videos to “this week” and you’ve just unlocked TikTok’s from creators sharing the top trending sounds and how you can use them.

Browse Instagram Reels Templates

With Instagram Reels Templates, you can easily plug and drop your content into time-stamped templates — with the audio already attached. While you can find templates by scrolling the Reels feed, you can find trending templates via the Reels video editor. While we can’t promise these templates always use trending audio, they typically use songs that are slowly heating up on the feed!

Good luck and happy creating!

Not too keen on doing the heavy lifting yourself? Our team at SCS are experienced social media creators with access to all the tools to help you crack the reels algorithms. Contact us today for a chat!