Level Up Your Marketing Strategy With Instagram Reels.
Since launching in August 2020, Instagram Reels has become the go-to place for inspiring short-form video. From DIY home makeovers and effortlessly co-ordinated dance routines to bold make-up tutorials, it’s easy to see why people have embraced this new video-based platform. So how do you use it within your marketing strategy? Let’s dig a little deeper…
Firstly, what is it?
Instagram describes Reels as “the spot to create, share and discover fun short videos!”. Similar to Stories, Reels has a number of editing tools including: Audio, AR effects, timer & countdown, align and speed, which all help towards creating the ultimate video.
Reels have their own home on Instagram, just next to the explore page. This is designed as a continual feed in vertical format and completely customised to you. You’ll find the same functionalities here as feed posts, i.e the like, comment, share and save buttons.
How to use it
Step 1 – Jump onto Trends
Reels are the place where trends come to life! From selecting a popular music track to learning the steps to a new dance, there’s so many achievable trends that can make your content more relatable, sharable, and hopefully viral.
Thinking of using a trending track like Ciara’s Level Up or a sparkly AR filter? This can increase reach and plays, as your Reel may appear on dedicated pages when someone clicks on that song or effect.
Better yet, try and create your own trend. Harness the power of your existing followers and think of an original idea that’s fun and allows people to replicate and get involved!
Step 2 – Think About Your Content
In recent times, there’s been a shift from ‘me-centric’ to ‘we-centric‘ content, meaning people love to see unpolished, more authentic videos from brands. Reels is the perfect place for this. Give your brand a personal feel with behind-the-scenes clips like packing orders, meeting the team or a tour through a store. After all, one in five online shoppers say they feel stronger connections to brands that give them a look inside their business.
Want to further connect with your audience? Think about the type of content they would interact with most. For one of our clients, Nöa & Nani, sharing bedroom transformation videos from customers worked best. This showcased their product in a real way and appealed to their target audience of mums and dads.
The best type of content inspires your audience. How to’s, dance routines, pranks… you name it, there’s an engaged audience for it!
Step 3 – Include Hashtags
Definitely use hashtags in your Reels. Just like a normal feed post, you can use up to 30, however we recommend sticking to 4-5 relevant hashtags. This will ensure your Reel gets more views…views = account discovery = followers.
Step 4 – Share, share, share!
So, you’ve created your first Reel, now what? Get ready to share. Before you publish you can add your caption, we recommend something short and sweet so there’s no need to tap the ‘more’ button. You can add your hashtags and tag people or brand partners at this point too. For those with a shopping catalogue on Instagram, this is where you tag any products that appear. 81% of people use Instagram to research products and services, so this is a MUST for e-commerce businesses, ensuring a smooth shopping experience from content to product.
Want to get maximum exposure for your Reel? Always share to your feed and stories. In doing this, your followers will see your content. Instagram gives you the opportunity to choose the cover and crop the image, so it doesn’t ruin your feed aesthetic. If you don’t share to your feed, it will go into the dedicated reels tab, where it will be seen and discovered by the wider Instagram community.
Step 5 – Turn it into an ad
The moment we have all been waiting for… Reels adverts are here! We couldn’t wait to jump onto this, so we swiftly created a Reel optimised for reach for one of our clients and the results were amazing! In just 24 hours we reached 28.7k people at a cost of 14p per 1,000 people. Instagram Chief Operating Officer, Justin Osofsky said about the update, “We see Reels as a great way for people to discover new content on Instagram, and so ads are a natural fit. Brands of all sizes can take advantage of this new creative format in an environment where people are already being entertained.”
With this in mind, remember to take into account all the above points when creating adverts for Reels. Trends, behind-the-scenes content, how-to’s, anything that will inspire your audience will work to promote your business in a new and creative way. So, when are you making your first Reel?
Get in touch if you would like help with your social media strategy, we would love to help!
https://blog.hootsuite.com/instagram-statistics/
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CQgARC8FxZ9/
https://business.instagram.com/blog/introducing-instagram-reels-ads?locale=en_GB