How To Create Trial Reels on Instagram (And Why Small Business Owners Should Use Them)

Instagram

Jun 5

If you have a smaller Instagram account, you should be using Trial Reels. Trial Reels push your content out to non-followers, so that you can A/B test a piece of content and/or actively reach new audiences.

What are Instagram Trial Reels?

Instagram Trial Reels is a feature that lets you publish a reel to non-followers before (or instead of) posting it to your main feed. The reel is shown to people who don't already follow you, so you can test content performance or actively reach new audiences without affecting your existing feed.

Why should small business owners use Trial Reels?

Trial Reels serve two purposes that directly benefit small business owners:

A/B testing content. Before committing a reel to your main grid, you can see how a non-follower audience responds to it. Low engagement? Rethink it. Strong engagement? Share it with everyone.
Organic audience growth. Because the reel is pushed to people who don't follow you, it functions as an unpaid discovery tool. For small businesses without a large ad budget, this is a meaningful way to expand reach.

Most small business owners are not using this feature yet, which means it represents a genuine competitive advantage while adoption is still low.

How to create a Trial Reel on Instagram

Steps:

Open Instagram and create your reel as you normally would. Add clips, music, text overlays, and closed captions.
When you finish editing, scroll down through the posting options.
Toggle on "Trial Reels." This will distribute the reel to non-followers instead of your main feed.
Tap "Share" to publish.

How to share a Trial Reel to your main feed (if it performs well)

If your Trial Reel gets strong engagement and you want to share it with your existing followers:

Go to your profile and tap the Reels tab.
If you have active trial reels, a preview will appear in the upper left corner of your grid.
Tap it, then select the reel you want to promote.
Tap "Share with Everyone" at the bottom of the screen.

The reel will then appear on your main feed for your followers to see.

Frequently asked questions about Instagram Trial Reels

Do Trial Reels show up on your profile grid?

No. Trial Reels are only shown to non-followers while in trial mode. They appear separately in your Reels tab under a dedicated trial section, visible only to you.

Can you run a Trial Reel and a regular reel at the same time?

Yes. Trial Reels and standard reels are independent. You can test content quietly while continuing to post to your main feed as usual.

Does using Trial Reels affect your reach or algorithm standing?

Instagram has not confirmed any negative impact on accounts that use Trial Reels. Because the feature is native to Instagram's platform, it is designed to work within their content distribution system.

Who can see a Trial Reel?

Non-followers who Instagram's algorithm surfaces the content to. Your current followers do not see it unless you choose to share it with everyone.

When should a small business use Trial Reels?

Use Trial Reels when you want to test a new content format, a new hook style, or a promotional message before committing it to your main feed, or when you want to reach new potential customers without paid advertising.

The bottom line

Instagram Trial Reels give small business owners a low-risk way to test content and reach new audiences organically. The feature takes under a minute to enable and adds a meaningful feedback loop to your content strategy before anything goes live to your main following.

If you want more practical tips like this, Marta offers group coaching and accountability through Accountabilibuddies, a membership program for small business owners working on their