How can you use reels in your marketing strategy?

Love them or hate them, Instagram Reels are here to stay. Many of us (including me) are not comfortable with using Reels on Instagram. Some of us think they’re frivolous and not meant for serious businesses. Plus why use reels when you can use IG stories or IGTV? Because of these reasons, Instagram Reels may not have a place in your business or content marketing strategy.  But here’s why that should change. ⬇⬇

Let’s start by understanding what exactly Instagram Reels are.

To cut a long story short, Instagram Reels is Instagram’s latest video feature. Using Reels, Instagram users can record and edit a full 3- to 30-second video (or a number of shorter videos clipped together). 

Unlike Instagram Stories, Instagram Reels have a permanent shelf life on your feed and don’t disappear after 24 hours. And unlike IGTV they require a much lower time and attention span from your audience.

Here are some quick highlights about reels:

• They’re short-form video content in full 9:16 portrait mode.
• They can be from 3–30 seconds in length.
• The Reel videos can be uploaded from your mobile device or filmed directly with the common reels/stories camera. 
• They can be filmed as one full video or clipped together from a series of videos.
• Music, audio, text, special effects, and stickers can be added to the video or clips to make them more engaging and fun.
• They’re pretty much everywhere!

No really.

Instagram Reels can be shared in Stories, Explore Feed, and the new Reels tab on the user’s profile. 

Here’s why you should use Instagram Reels as a part of your marketing strategy.

In a series of Instagram Stories from the @creators account, Instagram explained the Reels tab as a “place to watch short, fun videos, and helps your Reels get discovered by new audiences on a bigger, global stage.” 

Moreover..

• With their 30 second time limit and various editing options, Instagram Reels fill the gap of high-quality content that’s still informal, but requires a smaller attention span.
• Reels sit in the Explore page—a place that more than 50% of Instagram accounts use every month. If your reel is shown on this page, you have a huge chance to expose your brand to new followers.
• Because Reels is still fairly new, it’s not being monetized by Facebook. As a result you don’t have to compete with “sponsored reels or ad reels.” However that may change soon.
• Users are reporting higher reach and engagement on their reels than other Instagram content, even when using the same or similar content in different placements.
• Reels are easy to share, create and consume. Viewers can get to know your brand better without investing a lot of time.

When Instagram launched Instagram Stories in 2016, there were 150 million users. Now, a mere four years later, over 500 million users use stories every day. If this is any indication of the popularity of Instagram’s new features, it looks like Instagram Reels has a bright future ahead.

And now, to the meaty, juicy part…

Here’s how you can use Instagram Reels to get more clients.

I’ll start with the good news! You don’t have to spend hours and hours creating a single 15- to 30-second clip. Existing videos can be repurposed into short easily digestible clips. You can even use existing content or pick and choose content from your content buckets to create super short videos for Instagram reels. Canva is a great tool to do that.

You also don’t have to dance or play the fool to create Instagram Reel videos that are fun and entertaining. IG Reels are packed with features like special effects, music, stickers, audio, and more, that can make any video authentic and captivating.  

Here are 7 ideas from yours truly that’ll help you market your business online using Instagram Reels.

Share your latest launch, product, or service with Instagram Reels

Idea no. 1: Even if you can’t link your launch, product, or service to your Instagram Reel, you can still tell people what they can expect from your offer. Or how what you are offering will change their life. Canada-based Instagram coach @courtney.millerdigital did a great job explaining her latest offer in this IG Reel. You can click on the image to see the Reel in action. Get that inspo.😉

(okay there’s some dancing but you can easily avoid doing that)

Share authentic content that resonates with your target audience

When you build a community on Social Media it’s important to show them the “human” behind the brand. This increases your authenticity and the trust factor. Thus making people more inclined to interact with (or buy from) you. Here are some ways you can show your authenticity on IG Reels.

Idea no. 2: Show a before and after. 

Idea no. 3: Show some behind the scenes action (a digital designer can show how they pack up their order or a web designer can show a few elements of their design process)

Idea no. 4: Introduce your team members or get your clients to speak for you!

Here’s a before and after example from @pinchofhelp, a professional organizer with over 16M followers on Instagram.

Use Instagram Reels to share educational content

Posting educational content is a great place to start. You can give real value to your followers by giving them industry insights or information. Here’s how:

Idea no. 5: You can share the tips and tricks in your field

Idea no. 6: Share how-to videos

Idea no. 7: Create a listicle

Here’s an example of a listicle Reel from @kirstenwendlandt, made by clipping together pictures and using text. You can also talk them through using a quick and easy voiceover.

Instagram Reels is a great option if you want to explore new ways of creating content and if you’re trying to reach new audiences. Currently, likes, view counts, and comments are the only analytics available for IG reels. But expect that to change in the future. It’s still a good way to know your audience better.  So what do you think? Are you ready to hop on the Instagram Reels bandwagon yet? 

You don’t need to do it alone. If you need help growing your Instagram or other social platforms, the team at Amazing OBM would love to help. You can start by scheduling a FREE 30-minute consultation. We are happy to chat, offer you some valuable tips, and determine if we are a good fit for one another in future endeavors!