How to Add Music to Instagram Posts to Increase Engagement

While there is the shadow of a permanent ban looming over TikTok, it is business as usual for Instagram in 2025.

Instagram continues to stay one of the most popular social media outlets for businesses, content creators, and consumers.

However, the sheer volume of content on the platform means it is inevitably becoming harder for those who create content to stand out.

When you think you have a unique content idea, 20 other content creators are already doing it.

Fortunately, there is a unique way you can get the right eyes on your content, even if your niche is not as unique.

If you add music to your posts, it immediately enhances your audience’s experience with your content. Even better, it makes your posts more sharable, which is what you want.

If you can integrate trending sounds and songs into your posts, you will get your followers to sit up and pay attention.

So, if you have not used music in your Instagram content before, you are potentially missing out on a lot of engagement.

Why Adding Music to Instagram Posts Increases Engagement

Why does adding music make a difference in Instagram engagement? Because:

Music instantly grabs attention

For example, if you play Macarena over a specific post, Millennials will watch simply for the nostalgia.

If your audience is Gen Z and you play APT., you have the same effect, but not because of nostalgia.

Instead, you are tapping into a trending song that has already been covered by AI cats everywhere.

Music creates an emotional connection

Do you know how you always want to cry when watching rescue cat and dog videos on Instagram?

In most cases, it is more about background music than the visuals. The right music makes the visual more emotional, instantly connecting with audiences.

Music encourages users to share and save

You want your audience to save your posts and share them with others. If you include a popular song or sound in it, it is more likely that they will.

Music makes your posts more discoverable

Ideally, you want more and more Instagram users to discover your content.

If you use trending audio, the Instagram algorithm will favor your posts, making them more visible.

Music makes your content memorable

Your followers associate music with experiences. They may remember a song or sound from a long time ago.

If your post includes audio that brings back positive memories, it makes your content more impactful.

Adding Music to Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels are one of the platform’s most popular features. Reels are also one of the best ways to add music to your posts.

Reels already have a high engagement rate because they are short and sweet. Adding music to them gives them the X factor you need for more engagement.

To add music to your reels, launch the app and upload the video you want to share. Tap on the music sticker, which should appear at the top. Select the song you want to use and add it to your reel.

The music sticker is customizable, so you can change its color and appearance to suit your post. You can also use it to change the part of the song you want to use.

How to Add Music to Instagram Stories

You can also add music to your Instagram stories.

Open Story Mode and select the Music option if your story needs multiple photos. Choose the song you want from your library or find new tracks on Instagram.

When this is done, you can add the photos you want to use, text, and other elements.

If you want to add music and lyrics to your story, select Music, add your photos, and then add the lyric text.

Should you want to add music that plays longer than 15 seconds, choose your song and extend the playback time. With extended playback time, you can still add lyrics if you want to.

Adding music to your story is also possible using your Spotify account. Open the Spotify app and choose the song you want to use.

Open your Instagram profile in another tab and switch to Stories. You will see the Music option at the top of your screen. When you select that, you will see the ‘Connect to Spotify' option.’

You will have to log into your Spotify account and select the song. It should start playing after you select it.

You can add other elements to your story, including photos and stickers.

Adding Music to Regular Instagram Posts

You can also add music and sounds to regular Instagram posts.

Open the app and click on +. Add the photo for your post and select Next. Click on the Music icon and browse the songs and tracks.

Choose the section of the song you want to use by sliding the bar at the bottom of the screen. Select the duration of the song by clicking ‘30’.

When this part is done, you can add the captions and text you want to include and post.

Another way to add music to your post is by opening the app and selecting the content you want to post.

When you want to add your caption, select Add Music. You can now choose the song, duration, section, and post.

Best Practices for Using Music on Instagram

Following best practices when adding music to your Instagram content is important. This will help you maximize the engagement you get on the platform.

Firstly, it is always better to use trending audio or songs.

Take APT. as an example. The song is extremely popular and elevates content across social media.

At the same time, your music must match your content. So, APT. will not work as a background tune for serious content.

Always keep your song selections legal by using only Instagram-approved and licensed music.

You can also experiment with different music styles to see what resonates most with your audience.

Adding Music to Instagram Posts Is an Essential Strategy

If you want your Instagram content to make a real impact in 2025, adding music to your posts will help.

By following the above steps and best practices, you can quickly optimize your Instagram strategy for success.