In August 2020, Instagram rolled out a new feature called Instagram Reels. This new feature is essentially short-form video content similar to TikTok in that Instagram users can record and edit together 15 to 30-second video clips. These clips can be shared to IG stories, explore feed, and a new feature called the Reels tab on a user’s (or businesses’) profile. You may be wondering how you can use this new feature for your business. Below we will have four ways to use Instagram Reels for your business. But before we go further, always remember that marketing is all about efficiency, and Reels is just another platform to showcase your products and services.
1. Share Educational Content
Sharing educational content is a great way to use Instagram Reels for your business. If you are a photographer, for example, you can teach your audience how to get the perfect photo or if you’re a fashion designer, you can showcase how to style a skirt in 5 different ways. Sharing educational content doesn’t have to be boring; you can be very creative as you educate people on your products and services. When posting educational content, keep in mind that most people are not going to read long captions. Therefore, it is important to make sure the key point in your post is in the audio and any text overlay on the video so the viewer sees it and hears it.
2. Show your products
Instagram Reels is a great opportunity for brands and businesses looking to drive awareness and sales from the platform. You can create content that displays products being released later in the year or show your product being used. The best part about Reels is that the videos are shared on the Reels Explore Page, so users who don’t follow you will see your content, which is great to reach new customers.
Along with this, you can create product review content. You can do this by showing actual customers using your products. For these product reviews, you can use user-generated content (you can upload videos and photos as a Reel and take your own). The best part about Instagram Reels is that it allows you to get creative around how you show your reviews. You can use the effects, music, and countdown timer features to create native-looking reviews that entertain your followers.
3. Behind the Scenes Content
Behind the Scenes, content builds the relationships between you and your customers. For example, if you own a home design business, you can use Instagram Reels to show behind the scenes content of you choosing decor and furniture. This type of content can act as a bridge between brand and customer, making you more human and giving potential customers someone to relate to. The best part about Instagram Reels is that you don’t have to save your personality for other platforms, now you can showcase it all on your Instagram. All your followers have to do is slide over to the Instagram Reels tab to see the behind the scenes clips and get a glimpse into who you are as a person.
4. Share your Story
There is something special about your company story and believe it or not people want to hear it. You can create content that shares where you started and how you got to where you are now. This type of content is personable, relatable, and it builds relationships. It gives people that are scared to start a business hope that they too can start a business. It also shows your audience that you are an everyday person that did something extraordinary and that they can do something extraordinary as well. There is power in a great story, and now you can use Instagram Reels to share it in a fun and dynamic way.
Final Thoughts
Instagram Reels is a great new feature on Instagram that you can use to showcase your expertise, show off products, and get followers interested in who you are. But just like any other platform, it is important to test and check. Test out the new content and check the metrics to see how well your audience likes it. There is no doubt that as you learn more about Instagram Reels, you will find what works best for you and grow your audience simply by making and sharing content.
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