Are you using Reels in your social media strategy? If not, you might be missing a trick! By the end of 2022, it is predicted that 82% of the content we consume online will be through video!
Short-form video is the most popular and effective social media format for growing your account. It’s time to get on-board!
What is a Reel?
1. A Reel is a video lasting up to 60 secs
2. They are Instagram’s version of TikTok
3. Reels offer a set of editing tools that allow users to create engaging and fun video footage
4. They can include multiple video clips, filters, captions, interactive backgrounds, stickers and much more
5. A scrollable tab full of trending Reels can be accessed through the Reels icon at the bottom of the Instagram app’s homepage.
What are the benefits of Reels?
1. Unlike stories, Reels don’t disappear after 24 hours
2. Reels have a long shelf life: they are the longest lasting content type available on Instagram today. The shelf life of a static post or long-form video is roughly 1-2 days of reach. In comparison, Reels will continue to reach new people for days, sometimes even weeks after you post them.
3. They are addictive (if you’ve ever watched Reels you’ll know this!).
4. They are a great way to show your personality; often the best reels are pure fun!
5. Reels are everywhere: they are posted to their own feed, they can be posted to your grid and to stories. They appear in the explore page and the hashtags feed pages.
6. They improve the discoverability of your page by reaching a new audience.
7. They are super relevant right now and Instagram are really pushing them.
8. They generate lots of engagement. My best one so far had 20.5k views.
Reel ideas for the less camera-confident amongst us!
Does the idea of filming a Reel still fill you with dread? I feel your pain! But there are Reel ideas that don’t include singing, dancing or pointing! Phew!
1. Introduce yourself: Just talk to camera to introduce yourself or your product.
2. Tutorial: Teach something. This can work as a talking head or you could film a loom video (where you can record your camera and desktop simultaneously) with you talking through the instructions.
3. Showcase your product or service with a selection of images: This works well if you have a product to sell or a restaurant with lots of delicious food pictures to share. You can make these easily using an app such as MoShow, InShot,
Tempo or Canva.
4. Show the book you are reading and pull out some key quotes or key things you have learnt.
5. Give a tour of your office space, café or shop front.
Reels time-saving tips
1. Plan ahead: I like to have a list of ideas and audio ready to go before I start filming.
2. Pick the right time: I often book in time to film before a night out when I’ve done my hair and makeup (although this does sometimes make me late for drinks!). There’s no point filming when you feel like . Believe me I’ve tried and they did not go well!
3. Repurpose old content: Look at your previous posts, which of these might work as a Reel.
4. Save Reels and audios you like when you see them: I dread to think how many hours I have lost searching for a Reel I remember seeing which I forgot to save!
5. Batch film: Record a load of Reels at the same time (just change your top so you don’t look the same in them all!) and save to your drafts. Then add the captions another day.
6. Play around with filters and invest in a ring light. These will make you look and feel better, helping you come across as more confident on screen.
A last few points to note
1. Facebook has just added Reels: you can post to Facebook at the same time as Instagram if you choose to.
2. Currently you can’t schedule Reels (much to my disappointment!)
3. Reels often use trending audio: when you go to save the audio from an Instagram Reel, you might see an arrow that looks like it’s pointing to the top right of your screen. This means the audio is trending. The trick is to catch the right audio when it’s starting to trend and before it goes viral, so that your version doesn’t get lost in the crowd.
4. If you are looking to grow your account and want to attract the right type of followers, keeping Reels related to your niche is important. However, that’s not to say you can’t show a bit of your personal life. My best performing Reels tend to have my dog in!
5. Always download your draft Reels to your camera roll (just in case they get lost in Instagram!). You can add audio back in later if you are using it.
Good luck with your Reels! If you have any questions or need any inspiration, please get in touch with sam@marketingpace.com.
For the latest social media tips and tricks follow @marketing_pace on Instagram.
