Instagram Reels; Do You Really Need Them?

We won’t explain what Instagram is, unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last decade, then you’ll have heard of it! Reels is one of Instagram’s latest crazes, and although first introduced in late 2019 in Brazil, Reels are very much still on-trend. Think TikTok but on Instagram! So what is an Instagram Reel? The Reels feature is a new way to create and discover short, entertaining videos on Instagram. You can edit and record 15-30 second multi clips with audio, music, text, filters, and other creative effects.

Creating Your First Reel

Audio – You can use your own original audio or search for a song from the Instagram music library.

Speed – You can choose to speed up or slow down certain parts of your clips. Lately, the slow-down motions are becoming a trend as it offers lots of opportunities to be creative. However, make sure you’re only slowing down something you really want to enhance for extra attention. No one wants to see you brushing your hair in slow motion!

AR Effects – There are plenty of effects in the gallery created by Instagram and other creators you can use to spice up your clips. You can choose from various categories like World AR, Selfies, Funny, Mood, Appearance and more.

If you want to be even more creative with your content, try using one of the design apps listed below to help you create entertaining and trending reels.

Canva (our personal favourite)
Mojo
Veed.Io
After Effects
InShot

Sharing Reels

Reels has its only little section on your profile. Above your grid, you’ll see a little square with a play icon inside; here is where your reels will display. However, for even more reach, you can post reels to your grid and, you could also share them to your story giving your content the chance to be discovered by a wider audience.

If you choose to share your Reel to your grid, make sure you choose a cover image that will make it stand out, and, of course, you’ll want to add a creative caption. We all know the power of hashtags on Instagram, so it comes as no surprise that you’re allowed to add up to 30 hashtags to your Reels.

How Can You Benefit From Instagram Reels?

Spread brand awareness in an engaging form – Unlike Instagram stories, which last 15 seconds, reels allow you to upload 15-30 second videos giving you more time to capture your audience. Due to the creative features that Reels offer, music, text, filters etc, Instagram Reels are far more entertaining than a post or story. So whether it’s about a product launch, your latest blog or a makeup tutorial, you should utilize Reels.

Get your content on the Explore Page – Like any other Instagram post, Reels give you the brilliant opportunity to get featured on the Explore page. Having your video on the Explore page will not only increase awareness but also drive more traffic and potential leads. If you come up with a rocking reel, you could also push people to your link in Bio or any other desired call to action for your business.

Increase engagement from your audience – Instagram has redesigned its home screen, putting Reels front and centre, making high Reel view counts an easy achievement. For that reason, Reels have become a key frontier for organic reach on the app. It’s a no brainer; the more people you reach with your Reels, the higher your chances are of increasing your followers.

Repurpose content among other platforms – We mentioned sharing your reels to your stories, but you could also repurpose this content for Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok. By doing this, your chances of gaining new followers are higher, and you’ll receive more unique viewers across multiple platforms.

What Type of Content Should You Share?

Create a tutorial – How-to videos are the most known methods of generating engaging content. Implementing these videos enables you to share educational content, which should be the starting point of your marketing strategy. Sharing this type of content positions you as an expert on the topic and gives you an authoritative voice within your community.

If you’re a nutritionist, you may want to share a step by step recipe with your followers; if you have a travel business, you could share some travel tips. Perhaps you’re a clothing retailer; you could show your audience how to style a scarf in 5 different ways. There are plenty of opportunities to provide value to your audience.

Behind the Scenes – The best way to humanize your brand is to show your audience a sneak peek of what goes on behind the scenes. You may want to share how you create a product or how you provide a service in a way that they can learn more from you. People love bloopers, so feel free to show them funny moments in your work, even when unpleasant events occur. Let’s admit it, mistakes happen, especially when you are recording videos. Instead of feeling tired or discouraged, turn them in your favour. They may well be entertaining, and your chances of going viral are higher.

Showcase Products – Did you know that Instagram Reels are now shoppable? It means that you can showcase your products and tag them directly. Well, this is an excellent opportunity to increase traffic and sales to your IG shop. Another good option would be adding some before/after clips. People want to see results and how they can benefit from using your product or service.

User-generated content – There’s no better way of presenting your products than your customers. Whenever your customers mention your brand in their profiles, always repost it on your feed as a testimonial. People tend to have more trust in products that are reviewed or have feedback from their peers. You could also consider creating employee spotlight Reels. Edit some clips showing your employees celebrating their first year in your company or other achievements they may have accomplished both in and out of work. Show your audience that you are a friendly company and value your staff’s efforts and achievements.

That's A Wrap!

We hope you found this informative, but if you’re still stuck, why not shoot us a DM? We’d love to help you. We suggest you begin posting reels once per week, then increase as you see fit. We know you are going to fall in love with using Reels and their results, of course!