How to Combine Instagram’s Remix Feature With Original Content for More Reach: Remix Instagram Reels Guide

Instagram’s ever-evolving features have created new and exciting opportunities for creators, brands, and small businesses alike. One standout addition is the Instagram Reels Remix feature, which allows users to remix any reel — placing their video next to the original to create dynamic and engaging content. Remix videos offer a creative way to interact with existing reels, encourage collaboration, and help users expand their reach to a wider audience.

Much like TikTok’s Duet feature, this functionality gives creators a chance to respond, comment, or collaborate visually with others by using videos on Instagram in a split-screen format. Whether you’re looking to showcase your expertise, jump on viral trends, or highlight a product or service, learning how to use Instagram’s remix feature effectively is key to increasing your reach on Instagram.

In this article, we’ll guide you through the best strategies to combine original reels with remix content, dive into content creation tips, and explore how to share content that truly resonates with your audience.

Understanding the Remix Feature on Instagram Reels

The Insta Reels Remix feature offers a unique and engaging way for users to create split-screen videos alongside an original reel. It’s a tool designed for collaboration, interaction, and community-building, allowing users to respond to, build upon, or creatively reinterpret videos on Instagram.

What Is a Remix Reel and How Does It Work?

A remix reel is a type of reels content where your new video appears side by side with another user’s existing reel. When you remix a reel, you’re essentially adding your perspective or commentary to it. This might look like a reaction video, a duet performance, or a humorous reinterpretation.

To create one, simply tap the three dots on the lower right of a public IG reel, then select “Remix this reel”. Once selected, you can record your video directly or upload pre-recorded video clips, customize the layout, adjust the speed of the video, and even use both the front and back cameras.

This feature currently applies to reels and does not yet include Instagram stories or photos on Instagram, but it’s an effective way to boost your Instagram presence by offering engaging, shareable video content.

How Reels Can Be Remixed to Encourage Engagement

Reels can be remixed in countless ways, making it easier for creators to offer content that resonates with a specific audience. By using the remix feature, you can spark conversations, highlight user-generated content, or interact with fellow creators to foster a sense of community.

Brands and creators alike are using this tool to showcase behind-the-scenes footage, share expert reactions, or respond to trends in real-time. For small businesses, remixes can highlight customer testimonials or feature influencer partnerships, which can significantly increase the likelihood of going viral and reaching new followers.

The creative possibilities are endless — whether you’re looking to collaborate with another creator’s video or simply offer your unique take. Not only does this engage with your audience, but it also positions your brand or profile within trending conversations on the Reels tab.

As a skincare brand owner, I started remixing reels from beauty influencers who reviewed similar products. Adding my own commentary and expert tips doubled my weekly profile visits.

How to Enable Remix and Use Instagram’s Remix Feature

Before you can begin using the Insta Reels Remix feature, it’s essential to ensure that remix permissions are enabled on your account. Whether you’re a creator, a brand, or running a small business, this step is crucial for collaboration and audience interaction.

How to Enable Remix on IG Reels

To allow others to remix your reels, you’ll need to adjust your settings:

1. Open Instagram and go to your profile.

2. Tap the three dots on the right of any reel you’ve created.

3. Select “Enable Remix” if it’s not already turned on.

4. To apply this to all content, go to Settings > Privacy > Reels and Remix, and toggle on “Allow for Reels”.

This ensures that your reels content is remixable by others, opening up opportunities for user-generated content, increased exposure, and engagement.

Steps to Remix a Reel on IG

To remix a reel, follow these simple steps:

1. Browse through Instagram Reels and find a video you want to interact with.

2. Tap the three dots on the bottom right corner of the reel.

3. Select “Remix this reel.”

4. Choose to record a new video or upload a pre-made clip.

5. Customize the layout (side-by-side or picture-in-picture).

6. Edit the audio, adjust the speed of the video, and add effects if desired.

7. Add a caption, hashtags, and tag relevant creators or brands.

8. Tap Share to publish it to your Instagram feed, Reels tab, or both.

This process is designed to be seamless, making it easier to engage with content that aligns with your niche.

Best Practices When Using the Remix Feature

• Create content that aligns with your brand or message.

• Always credit the original video or creator when remixing.

• Use the remix feature for collaboration, not confrontation.

• Take advantage of templates and trending audio to ride the algorithm.

• Post consistently and at optimal times to share reels more effectively.

• Engage with the audience by replying to comments or creating follow-up remixes.

When done right, remixing can increase your reach on Instagram, drive engagement, and help you go viral by tapping into trending conversations in real-time.

When I remixed a trending reel with a quick reaction and my own twist, it went semi-viral and brought in 1,200 new followers in just three days. Remixing changed the game for my IG strategy.

Creating Original Content That Complements a Remix

While the remix feature allows you to work with existing reels, your success with it often depends on the strength of your original video. Whether you’re remixing another creator’s content or planning to have others remix yours, creating compelling reels content is essential to standing out in the IG reels ecosystem.

Video Content Ideas for Remixing

To truly make your content remix-friendly (or effective as a remix), start with video content that encourages interaction. Here are a few ideas:

• Reaction-worthy content: Share surprising facts, trending news, or expert insights that invite responses from other creators.

• Challenges and tutorials: These types of video clips often encourage others to attempt, remix, or rework your content.

• Commentary formats: Use your remix to add your thoughts next to the original reel — this is especially effective with opinion pieces or viral takes.

• Educational reels: Share industry tips or hacks. Others may want to add their take through a remix reel to expand on your insights.

When you develop original content designed for interaction, it naturally leads to more collaborate opportunities — whether you’re remixing others or hoping they’ll remix you.

Using Templates to Keep Your Brand Consistent

Templates offer a powerful way to maintain consistency across your reels content while speeding up your content creation process. With Instagram’s newer features, you can use the remix feature along with a template to keep transitions, text overlays, and audio aligned with your brand’s identity.

Templates also help in:

• Reinforcing your product or service messaging

• Making it easier to produce content at scale

• Preserving visual identity even when working with user-generated content or another creator’s video

• Ensuring viewers recognize your style instantly when they browse through Instagram Reels

Remember: just because you’re using someone else’s content doesn’t mean you lose your brand’s voice. By pairing templates with strategic remixing, you’ll be able to maintain your creative direction while still joining larger, trending conversations.

Collaboration Strategies Using Instagram Reels Remix Feature

One of the most powerful uses of the Instagram Reels Remix feature is its ability to spark genuine collaboration between creators, influencers, and brands. By remixing each other’s content, users can create and share videos that benefit both parties — helping everyone involved to expand their reach, engage new audiences, and enhance their Instagram marketing strategies.

Partnering With Other Creators Through Remix

Remixing another creator’s reel is a low-effort, high-reward way to form content partnerships. Instead of planning full co-productions or campaigns, you can simply remix a reel to comment on, enhance, or react to someone else’s post.

Here are a few ideas to collaborate using remix:

• Expert takes: Add your own insights to an industry leader’s reel.

• Cross-niche reactions: Mix niches (e.g., a fitness trainer remixing a nutritionist’s post).

• Trend piggybacking: Use a viral reel as your base and offer your own spin.

• Audience swaps: Partner with creators who have a similar audience — remix each other’s reels to encourage follower cross-pollination.

It’s also smart to tag the original creator and engage with them in the comments. This increases the chance they’ll share your remix reel, giving it additional exposure.

Collaborative content like reels remixes leads to a 70% increase in reach when both users actively engage with the post.

How Small Businesses Can Use Remix for Reach

For small businesses, the reels remix tool can be a game-changer — particularly when it comes to showcasing your product or service in a more authentic, user-driven way.

Here’s how:

• Remix customer testimonials: If a customer posts a review or demo, remix it to thank them or add a behind-the-scenes look.

• Influencer reactions: Partner with influencers to remix your original reel, or remix their content to highlight how they use your offering.

• Answer FAQs visually: Use the remix format to respond to reels that pose questions relevant to your industry or niche.

• Show results: Remix “before” reels with your product’s “after” to show transformation or impact.

These types of reels content not only increase authenticity but also engage with your audience in a way that feels native to the platform.

When used thoughtfully, collaboration through remixing doesn’t just add to your content library — it increases the likelihood that your message reaches a wider audience and builds community around your brand.

In 2023, the fitness brand Sweat & Steel used the Instagram Reels Remix feature to launch a new workout band. They partnered with micro-influencers who remixed the brand’s demo reel with their own workouts. Within 4 weeks, the campaign generated over 3 million views, 12K conversions, and a 24% boost in follower count.

Sharing, Promoting, and Analyzing Your Remix Reels

Creating high-quality remix reels is only half the battle — the next step is making sure they reach the right audience. By understanding how to share reels, promote them effectively, and measure their impact, you can consistently grow your Instagram presence and refine your content creation strategy.

Tips to Share Reels for Maximum Visibility

Once your remix video is ready, it’s important to share it with your followers in a way that maximizes reach and engagement:

• Post to both the Reels tab and Instagram feed to increase discoverability.

• Add a relevant caption that encourages interaction (questions, calls to action, etc.).

• Use a mix of trending and niche-specific hashtags to appear in more search results.

• Tag the creator of the original reel you remixed — this can lead to reshares.

• Share your remix in Instagram Stories for additional visibility and engagement.

• Consider pinning your best-performing remix to the top of your reels tab.

Also, take advantage of new features like interactive stickers or music overlays when available — they often boost visibility as Instagram promotes new tools.

Remixed Instagram reels have a 43% higher average engagement rate compared to non-remixed content.

Tracking Performance of Remix Content on IG

Once your remix content is live, monitoring performance is key to improving over time. Use Instagram’s Insights tool to track:

• Views and reach: See how far your video content is traveling.

• Shares and saves: These are strong engagement signals and help improve algorithm ranking.

• Profile visits and follower growth from the post: Key metrics for measuring ROI.

• Engagement rate (likes + comments ÷ reach): Helps assess how well your content resonates.

If you’re remixing trending content or collaborating with other creators, you’ll likely see spikes in these numbers. Use this data to identify what types of reels content and collaboration strategies perform best.

Over time, your remix strategy should evolve based on what’s working — helping you create and share even better videos on Instagram, keep your audience engaged, and go viral more consistently.

Conclusion

The Instagram Reels Remix feature opens up exciting opportunities for creators, small businesses, and brands to interact with their audience in more creative ways. By combining original video content with engaging remix reels, you not only increase your chances of visibility on the platform — you also deepen your connections and spark meaningful collaboration.

Whether you’re using templates to maintain consistency, leveraging user-generated content, or simply looking for new ways to make your content stand out, remixing offers a powerful tool to boost your reach on Instagram. With the right strategy, a touch of creativity, and a willingness to collaborate, you can turn each remix reel into a stepping stone toward a stronger, more impactful Instagram presence.

Start exploring, start remixing — and let your content do the talking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you remix reels that are under 90 seconds?

Yes, you can remix reels that are under 90 seconds, which is the typical limit for most remixable content. Shorter reels often perform better due to higher completion rates, so keeping it brief can increase your chances of engagement when using the “Remix This Reel” option.

Is the Remix feature similar to TikTok’s Duet?

Absolutely. The Instagram Reels Remix feature is similar to TikTok’s Duet, allowing two videos to appear at the same time side by side. Both features encourage interaction between users and are used heavily by Instagram creators for commentary, reactions, and collaborations.

Can creators add their own video commentary when remixing?

Yes, creators can also add their own video commentary using voiceover or on-camera speech in the remix. Once you tap the camera icon, you can record your take and overlay it as commentary, making this a flexible tool for educational or opinion-driven type of content.

What are the privacy settings for remixing reels?

Not all reels can be remixed — only those set to remix public can be used this way. If the original creator has disabled remixing, you won’t see the option. You can adjust this setting per post or account-wide under your privacy settings, giving Instagram creators full control.

Are there multiple ways to create remix content on Instagram?

Yes, there are multiple ways to engage with remixing. You can use video footage from your library, respond to a trend, or remix reels directly by selecting content from the explore page. Instagram continues to evolve this tool to support a variety of creating reels styles.

Author Bio