How To Find Trending Audio on Instagram To Help You Rank

Have you ever been watching Instagram Reels and noticed that a lot of different creators are using the same audio? 

When this happens, it likely means that that song or soundbite is trending on the app, and any video that uses it will be easier to discover through searches, the Reels feed, and the Explore page. 

Thus, knowing which audio is trending at any given time is a smart engagement-driving strategy!

Let’s explore 9 methods for how to find trending audio on Instagram, so that you can take advantage of the power of popular songs to grow your brand.

What is Trending Audio on Instagram?

But first, what is trending audio, and how does it achieve that status?

When a song or soundbite is trending on Instagram, that usually indicates that a massive number of users are using it in their content, talking about it, and/or searching for it on the app.

These surges in popularity – also known as trends – are often started by popular digital creators with tons of loyal followers and strong spheres of influence. However, it’s also possible for someone who’s entirely unknown to post a Reel that goes viral, causing an audio track to start trending.

One example of audio that trends every year on Instagram is the song, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas,” by singer-songwriter Micheal Bublé. Thousands of creators utilize that track in Reels and Stories that show the snowy weather where they live, their holiday-themed home decor and baked goods, and other Yuletide fun leading up to the Christmas season.

How To Find Trending Instagram Audio

If you’re wondering how to find trending sounds on Instagram, you have a few options open to you. Below are nine ways that we suggest you use to keep up to date on the newest, most buzzworthy tracks on Instagram.

1. Check Out Instagram’s Reels Trends

The easiest way to see which audio is trending is to check the Reels Trends section of your app.

To find Reels Trends, go to your profile in the Instagram mobile app and select the Professional Dashboard action button. Next, tap Reels Trends and select Audio. This filter will show you which Reels are trending based on the audio that they use. In other words, you’ll be able to find out what audio is most popular at the moment.

2. Look for an Arrow Next to a Song

Another quick way to check for trending Instagram Reels songs is, when you’re watching Reels, to look for an arrow symbol. If you see an arrow next to the title of the audio track at the bottom of the Reel, that indicates that it’s popular. 

Furthermore, if you tap on the track, you can see all the videos that other users have made with it so far. This will help you determine the context of the trend, so that you know how best to use the audio in your own content.

3. Check Suggestions when Creating Reels

What if you’re getting ready to post a Reel and you need to find trending audio for it quickly? 

In that case, Instagram’s For You section in their audio library is your friend! 

To access the audio library when you’re creating a Reel, tap the musical note at the top of the screen. The For you section is underneath the search bar and the Featured songs, and it will show you trending songs that Instagram thinks you would be interested in based on your activity.

4. Scroll through Your Instagram Reels Feed

Scrolling through your Instagram Reels feed is actually a great way to gauge which audio is being used a lot and is therefore likely to be trending. As you swipe, keep your ears open and make a note of which tracks you hear over and over. 

It should be easy to tell which audio is trending the most because you’ll see many Reels – sometimes several in a row – using it.

But the main reason we like this method is it allows you to multitask. You’re researching trending tracks and being entertained at the same time!

5. Check Instagram’s @creators account

One of the keys to utilizing trending audio to the fullest advantage is getting in on it in its early stages. To find out about trends as they come out, who better to turn to than Instagram itself? 

Specifically, we’re talking about @creators, an account that’s owned and operated by the team at Instagram. Think of it as an official resource where you can find inspiration for new posts and, most important of all, trends reports. 

Trends reports showcase the newest short-form video trends that Instagram influencers are buzzing about. Viewing these posts as they come out can help you stay aware and get ahead of the content game.

The @creators account also features advice and tutorials from real digital creators. You can learn a lot by adding them to your follow list!

6. Browse Popular Spotify Playlists

Did you know that there are playlists on Spotify that are dedicated to the top trending Instagram Reels songs? Well, now you do! For example, one playlist called Instagram Reels – Top Trending 2023 appears to update at least a couple of times a week. 

If you’re a Spotify user already, you can save that playlist to your library (or search for more like it using the Spotify search bar). If you don’t have an account, you can still view the playlist for free; you’ll just have to create a free account if you want to listen to it (with ads).

7. Seek Inspiration from Popular Content Creators

If there’s a song trending, undoubtedly other popular content creators have uploaded their version of it already. 

With that in mind, make sure you’re following accounts like Julian Bass (@thejulianbass), Karen X (@karenxcheng), Steven Wommack (@stevenwommack), and other Instagram creators with high follower counts. Keep a close eye on their content and what audio they choose for their soundtracks. Let their choices inspire your own.

8. Follow Trending Reels Instagram Accounts

Some accounts on Instagram are famous for producing trending Reels. 

One of these that you may recognize is Khaby Lame (@khaby00), whose video Learn from Khaby has garnered a whopping 289 million views to date. In fact, his Reels frequently get millions of views and likes, which is why his account is such a great one to watch for trending audio. If he uses a new sound or song, it’s bound to start a new trend!

Follow these types of trending Reels accounts, so that you can observe their audio choices and be among the first creators to copy them.

9. Get Inspired on TikTok 

For our last strategy, we want you to think about getting inspired by the audio trends on TikTok. 

This may seem counterintuitive since TikTok and Instagram are two different social media platforms. But in reality, Instagram launched Reels to compete with TikTok, which promotes a similar type of content. This means that their creators and trends tend to overlap (Khaby Lame, for example, went viral and rose to fame on TikTok first before he gained millions of followers on Instagram). 

If you notice that a certain type of audio is trending on TikTok, chances are high that it’s popular on Instagram, too – or will be soon!

Get Your Instagram Reel Trending With Viralyft

Adding trending audio to your Instagram Reel can definitely help you go viral, but so can high levels of engagement. With Viralyft’s plans for Instagram Reels views, likes, and comments in place, your content can swiftly rise among the ranks to take the spotlight as a trending video on the platform. 

Combined, the above strategies are sure to help you become an Instagram star!

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