Instagram reels are a serious business now!
It’s 2022 and you are lounging in your comfy PJs and scrolling through your Instagram. What are you looking at? Reels, definitely!
After the launch in 2020, Instagram Reels have gathered more than enough attention in just a couple of years. Influencers and brands of all sizes have gone ga-ga over this format of content. But that’s not even the best part about Reels! Instagram Reels have given every small and medium business owner a very convenient and accessible tool to reach the masses and build a brand with no to minimal budget!
So, let’s find out all the Whats, Whys, and Hows of Instagram Reels.
What are Instagram Reels?
Reels don’t just mean random, funny videos. They are a powerful tool to capture the attention of your target audience and expand your reach. With this super-easy, 15-60 seconds format, now everyone can make video content unlike a few years ago!
And why are they so popular?
Can any of us deny the guilty pleasure of wasting our time endlessly scrolling through Instagram Reels? We’ve all been there, mate!
According to a study conducted in 2016, the average human attention span has now decreased to 8 seconds (even less than a Goldfish’s attention span!). Such low levels of attention span in the majority of the human population mean that everyone is always looking for new information. Jumping topics has thus become a pass-time activity for humans and short video formats fit right into the criteria.
So, how do I use Insta Reels to grow my brand?
The most important step to growing a brand to its full potential is to reach your target audience. More reach means better marketing. And as a consequence of good marketing, your brand starts to grow.
With enormous reach, Insta Reels are one of the easiest, most convenient, and budget-friendly tools to attract attention. Showcase your products or tell your story; well-planned and executed Reels can easily become the most viewed Reels on Instagram and reach millions of people in a day or two.
Own a brand? Here are some basic ideas to start making Reels on Instagram!
Showcase products
The 15-second time frame on Instagram Reels is the perfect time to give your audience a sneak peek of your products. Even for brands that aren’t primarily product-based, Reels can be a good way to showcase the services they provide.
Reel Ideas:
- Show one product only
You can record a video for each one of your products. Your Reels can become a video catalog of all your products.
- Product Fashion Show
Select a few of your products and show them one by one in one video.
- Bestsellers
Why not show your best-selling pieces? This will help new people see what your most popular pieces are, and motivate them to buy them too!
- Favorites
Share your favorite products, tips, finds, or anything else you’d like to highlight.
- Show sizes
Do you sell products that have different sizes? Record a video of you showing the different sizes you offer. It helps people make a choice and get an idea of how big or small the product is next to a person.
- Sneak Peek
Share a sneak peek of a product, service, or post coming up.
- Promote a giveaway
Are you doing a giveaway in another post on your feed? People use Reels on Instagram to promote their giveaways. This way they can get more reach, more eyes on their post, and also remind people that the giveaway is still open.
- Coming soon!
Make an announcement. Tell people what’s coming soon so they get excited.
BTS
The best way to make your brand more relatable to your audience is to make them feel like a part of the process. Reels can be used to give them a glimpse of what goes behind the curtain. Remember the mantra ‘everything is content’ and shoot all the funny, clumsy moments during your day. Aesthetic packaging ASMR videos or vlog-styled ‘a day in the life of’ Reels on Instagram can be a good starting point to make your brand stand out.
Reel Ideas:
- Day in the life / Behind the scenes
Film snippets of what a day in your life looks like, or what your behind-the-scenes look like.
- Show your workspace
A lot of people like to also show their workspace. They pan over the whole room and show their favorite parts of the room and tools of the trade (anything from stationery, furniture, calendar, and laptop).
- What people think versus what it’s like Vs what it actually looks like
Bust people’s assumptions about one part of your business or life. This can become a series on your account.
- Show your workspace
A lot of people like to also show their workspace. They pan over the whole room and show their favorite parts of the room and tools of the trade (anything from stationery, furniture, calendar, and laptop).
- Packing orders
Have a product-based business? Record a video of your packing orders.
- The Making Of
This is another great Instagram Reel idea for product-based business owners: Film your process of making something.
- Before and After
Want to see the final results? You can show a quick video of the “before” and then another video of the end product (the after).
- Transformation
Share a transformation, results, or makeover.
Educate your audience
Products like diabetic-friendly snacks or sustainable stationery can be marketed as the solution to certain concerns. Thus, a great way to position your brand is to educate your audience about these concerns through short, sharable Reels with bite-sized information. You can also use Reels to educate potential customers about your product, its benefits, and usability, e.g. by creating 30-sec how-to guides or answering FAQs.
Reel Ideas:
- Quick Tip
Make a list of a bunch of tips you want to share.
- Mistakes
Share some common mistakes you see people do and share how to fix them.
- 3 Reasons Why
Share 3 reasons why your followers should know/do something (3 reasons why you should cut down on fried snacks)
- Myth Busting
This is an amazing Instagram Reels idea for businesses: “Myth versus Truth”. Bust those myths! This can be a series on your account.
- What people can expect from you
Want people to follow you? Share what type of content people can expect to see from you.
- Tutorial showcasing your product
One of the most useful Instagram Reels ideas for a business is to create a quick tutorial of you using your product.
- Recreating a look using your products
These kinds of Instagram Reels videos can make you go viral. Can you recreate the look of a celebrity with your product/service/offer?
- Different ways to use/style a product
Choose one of your products and show different ways you can use or style it.
- Share the news
Is there big news in your industry? Or your latest blog post? Use the “Green Screen” effect on Instagram to show the screenshot of the news behind you.
Making people laugh
The value of entertainment in this era is undeniable. Humor is one of the most effective elements you can incorporate into your marketing strategy. Making relatable and funny Reels can be a way to start your humor marketing strategy on social media. Precisely funny content also creates more positive associations with your brand and makes it more memorable for your audience.
Reel Ideas:
- Imitate your clients
Want to have a bit of fun? Imitate things your client says to you. Make it fun!
- Funny ‘small-business problems’
Show your audience the kind of challenges a small business owner goes through funnily, and let them laugh!
- Keep it simple
Just start recording videos of things around you, places, people, things you do, or an event.
- Challenge
Create an Instagram Reels challenge that your followers can join. Choose a song. Choose the best Instagram Reels challenge you can find. Challenge them to replicate it using your product or tip.
Tell a story
Establish your brand’s story with Reels. Support it with glimpses of your vision and values in quirky ways. Create an engaging story for your audience to retain and remember once in a while. For example, doing a ‘story time’ Reels with a story about your overcoming a challenge in your business can be a way to inspire your audience and connect. The short video format of Reels can also be used to showcase testimonials more engagingly!
Reel Ideas:
- Business evolution
Share the evolution of your business. You can share videos of different stages of your business (from months/years ago). Or you can film a video of yourself now and share the story of your business.
- Testimonials
Do you receive testimonials from your clients/customers? Share their kind words.
- Introduce yourself
If you’re not sure where to start, this is a great first Instagram Reels idea to post on your account.
- Meet the team
Introduce your team members (even if you’re a team of one!)
Only a couple of years ago, it was hard to see why this format of content marketing will become the crowd favorite for influencers and brands.
But now, despite the size of your brand, Reels are convenient and free to use as a marketing tool. And fortunately enough, it actually works! From telling your story to connecting with your audience, Insta Reels can do it all for you.
Make sure to do your audience research and create relatable content accordingly. Keep the Reels aesthetically pleasing, pack them carefully with precise information, and watch your business grow online!
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