Instagram Video Editing Checklist: The 10 Things to Check Before Every Post
Use this before posting every single video. (See: hire a video editor.) If even one of these is missing, fix it first. This is the difference between 300 views and 30,000.
The 10-Point Checklist
✓ TEXT HOOK in first 3 seconds
5 words max. Bold. High contrast. This is the single most important element, if someone doesn’t read it, they’re already gone. No hook = no watch time.✓ MOST EXCITING MOMENT FIRST
Don’t build up slowly. Open with the payoff or the tension. If your best moment is at 0:45, move it to 0:03. Audience patience is zero.✓ SILENCES REMOVED
Every gap of more than 0.5 seconds should be cut. Use Descript to automate this. Dead air is the number one reason people swipe away in the first 5 seconds.✓ NEW VISUAL EVERY 2–4 SECONDS
If anything stays on screen longer than 4 seconds without movement or a new cut, add a cut or insert a B-roll shot. Eyes need new information constantly.✓ SUBJECT IN UPPER CENTER FRAME
Not bottom half. Text overlays and captions live at the bottom third. Your face or main subject needs breathing room at the top. If you’re shooting talking head, position above the midpoint.✓ EVERY WORD EARNS ITS PLACE
Watch it back with the sound off first, then with sound. Remove any sentence that doesn’t add new information or emotion. If you can cut 10 seconds without losing meaning, cut them.✓ ONE POINT ONLY
If the video tries to teach 3 things, cut it to 1. “5 tips for better videos” will always underperform “The single thing that doubled my views.” Complexity kills watch time.✓ TEXT IS READABLE
Font size large enough for phone screens (remember most people view in feed, not fullscreen). High contrast, white on dark or black on light. No more than 6 words per line. If you have to squint, it’s too small.✓ AUDIO IS CLEAR AND LOUD
Voice should be at least 70% of total volume. No background noise. No echo. Slight clipping at the peaks is fine, quiet audio is not. If someone has their phone on 30% volume, they should still hear you clearly.✓ CTA IS CLEAR
The last 5 seconds should tell viewers exactly what to do next. One action only. Examples: “Comment AUDIT and I’ll review your profile.” “Follow for one daily post that books clients.” “Link in bio to get the full system.” Vague CTAs produce zero action.
Bonus Checks
- Loop ending: Does the last second connect back to the first? Videos that loop cleanly get rewatched, and rewatches signal quality to the algorithm.
- Music: Subtle, not distracting, matches the energy of the content. If the music competes with your voice, remove it.
- Caption: Written out, not just the video content repeated. The caption is a second chance to hook people who read before watching.
How to Use This Checklist
Three ways to use it:
- Print it and tape it next to your editing setup. Run through it before every export.
- Save it as a phone bookmark so you can check off each item before hitting post.
- Send it to your editor as a quality standard. Tell them: this is the minimum bar before any video comes to me for review. It removes subjective debates and creates a shared benchmark.
Most people skip the checklist when they’re in a rush. Those are the videos that underperform. The checklist takes 5 minutes. Use it every time.
Want the Full Editing System?
This checklist is step one. For the full editing process, from hooks to pacing to what makes a reel go viral, go to the free video editing training and the complete guide on how to edit Reels for Instagram. (See: Instagram Reels strategy.)
Or book a call to have me look at your content directly.