Oriane Wyon
SEM/SMM Specialist
With the new TikTok trend, the social network Instagram has created the functionality of Instagram Reels. They are now the preferred format for content creators, just like stories.
Reels play an important role in the marketing strategy of your company.
Internet users are more and more solicited on the web, between ads, articles, photos or videos. Catching their attention, while keeping them engaged, is a real challenge for brands. Thus, the web giants are constantly innovating to seduce them and keep their subscribers on their platform.
Users appreciate them for their attractive and striking look. Reels have the advantage of standing out and catching attention thanks to the videos and the effects that are incorporated in them.
What are Reels?
Reels are a feature of Instagram inspired by the videos of the social network Tik Tok.
They are short videos accompanied by music or a custom background sound. They allow you to make video montages composed of clips put end to end, from 15 to 30 seconds long, with audio, text and music.
In addition to being shared on the news feed to the IG community, they can be shared in stories, on your profile wall, in a dedicated section and in the explore tab.
Why use Reels in your strategy?
Like many content creators, it has become the go-to communication medium.
You may be wondering if it is really important to use them. The answer is a big YES! This is not just a trend, the digital world is evolving faster and faster and consumer expectations are becoming more and more demanding. Indeed, internet users are quickly bored with the same images on Instagram.
To catch their attention, you have to innovate. Brands, influencers and creators, who adopted Reels in their beginnings, quickly reaped the rewards.
Instagram’s algorithm favors accounts that regularly post dynamic content. It’s not uncommon to see engagement from a real 3X higher than a classic image.
So instead of presenting your service/product in a photo, why not do it with a Reel, to reach your audience, which can become loyal customers.
How to create a Reel?
To create your Reel, go to the platform, on your camera as if you wanted to record a story. Go to the Reels function and start recording your clips.
Yellow icon allows you to add music to your reel. There is quite a variety of sound choices in the IG library. Pink icon, gives you the option to choose between a 30 or 60 seconds recording.
Blue icon gives you the choice of speed. You can slow down or speed up some sections of the reel.
Green icon allows you to put filters on your video.
Red icon helps you to start a countdown to record your video remotely.
Best practices for an engaging Reel
Analysis: Before creating and publishing your reel, it is recommended to analyze what is done on the platform. Get inspired by the latest trends and check out your competitors.
Storytelling: Before you start filming, take the time to define your objective. What is the purpose of this reel? How will you achieve it? What is the theme? Ask yourself about your value proposition. What will this video bring to my audience? It could be an idea for a look with your product or additional information about your items. Once you have your answers, you can start scripting shot by shot. Remember, you have 30 to 60 seconds to sell your message and value.
Trendy music: To get the most engagement, it can be beneficial to use the popular music of the moment. To know the most popular sounds, you can scroll for a few minutes to analyze and understand how the music is used on the reels.
Little advice: When you see the arrow in the bottom right corner of the music, it means that the music is trending. Instagram tells you how many times that song has been used.
Transition: In order not to overwhelm the viewer’s eye, it is best to make transitions for your different shots. For example, if you want to shoot different looks. Here is an example with a reel on the account of @kellyfinance
10 ideas for engaging Reels
Now, you may be wondering what Reel to do, so here’s an infographic with 10 real ideas you can easily implement to grow your brand.
Bottom line: If real people aren’t yet featured on your Instagram account, it’s time to do so. Incorporating reels into your strategy is a must if you want to grow and increase your online presence.