How Instagram Reels Can Boost Your Engagement?

Shergroup

2 years ago

It’s essential for a business to be in front of customers where they are, rather than where we want them to be. With one billion monthly active users, you can bet that a significant number of your customers use Instagram.

When you consider that video content encourages increased interaction, connection, and trust, it’s no surprise that Instagram Reels has become a popular marketing tool for businesses.

Instagram reels for Businesses

Instagram Reels are currently one of the most popular social media forms. Once again, Instagram noticed that a competitor was gaining traction with a unique content format (TikTok), and they stepped up their game to provide a product that their fans would enjoy.

Reels open up new possibilities for businesses and marketers on Instagram, which has long been a vital channel for them. The format is quite engaging, and it has a lot of reach and discoverability, which can help marketers build their audiences quickly.

When it comes to leveraging Instagram Reels for business, there’s a lot to gain. We’ll go over everything you need to know about the format in this piece, including how to create outstanding Reels that will help you discover your target audience.

What are Instagram Reels?

Instagram Reels are vertical, short-form videos that can last up to 60 seconds. It’s an in-app video creation tool similar to TikTok.

Users can record and edit video and music clips set to music, then share them on their Feed, Stories, and the Reels explore page on Instagram.

In August 2020, Instagram launched Reels in 50 countries, including India. Users all throughout the country are utilising Instagram Reels to promote their businesses and products.

Instagram Reels have been a fantastic tool for marketers and businesses to flex their creative muscles and provide a visual experience beyond a grid post since its inception.

Reels differs from other Instagram apps in that instead of viewing Reels from accounts they follow, users may see Reels from all Instagram profiles on the Reels tab.

Why use Instagram Reels for your Business?

First and foremost, every firm that uses Instagram Reels for promos and advertisements claims it’s fantastic. Your audience is looking for to-the-point content. And Instagram Reels provide you with an opportunity to be creative while being relevant. It’s a quick and convenient way to engage your audience and deliver your message. So, what’s stopping you?

And some major benefits of Instagram Reels are |

Better Visibility | Instagram Reels is an alternate way (apart from IGTV, Live and Stories) to reach your target audience.

Better Shareability | Reels, unlike Stories, won’t vanish after 24 hours. Users will be able to view and share them for a longer time.

Better Discoverability | In the Explore tab, a public Reels video emerges, spreading your material to a large number of people who aren’t your following. The videos can also be found on pages dedicated to the music, hashtags, and special effects used in the video.

Also, as Reel is a new feature, Instagram will want more people to use it to produce content. As a result, Instagram will help Reels films reach a wider audience. And you must take advantage of the situation by spinning as many relevant Reels as possible.

How does the Instagram Reel algorithm work?

Reels, like every other feature on Instagram and other social media platforms, follow a bespoke programme or, to put it another way, a set of rules known as an algorithm. There isn’t a lot known about the Reels algorithm, but here’s what we do know:

The Reels algorithm supports creative, lively, and experimental content.
It is a big fan of videos with massive potential for going viral.
It will make content with logos or visible watermarks from third-party apps like TikTok undiscoverable.
Directly recycled content from third-party apps will not perform optimally on Reels.
The Reels algorithm frowns at content largely covered by texts.
It supports content that uses original audio or music from the Instagram music library.
Reels don’t support paid content just yet.
Low-quality videos don’t stand a chance of going viral or generating substantial engagements on Reels.
And, of course, it doesn’t support any content that does not abide by Instagram’s Community Guidelines.

How to use Instagram Reels for businesses?

Now that you know how useful Reels can be for small businesses, here are nine Instagram Reels ideas to kick-start business content creation –

1. Showcase new products

With clever captions and AR overlays, you can promote your products and services. You can make Reels whether you’re selling electronics, clothes, or anything else. You can either discuss the advantages or demonstrate how something works. You may provide extensive insights into your products and services by combining photos and video samples.

2. Answer common questions

To answer target customers’ pain points, service-based businesses can make bite-sized how-to films. If you provide home security services, for example, you might discuss the numerous ways to secure a property. If you deliver pizza, Reels on how to make a pizza taste better in 15 seconds (the secret sauce is the ‘sauce’) can help.

3. Provide helpful tips

Sharing useful ideas is another interesting approach to using Instagram Reels for businesses. These suggestions can be related to your services or to challenges that your target audience may encounter in general. You may also share amusing DIY videos with your consumers to assist them. You may lead your audience to solutions through a sequence of Reels.

4. Suggest use cases

Then, in addition to talking about shoes, you can propose clothes that go well in various colours. Alternatively, you may imply that your immaculate printing service can help customers find their dream career, relationship, or home. You can also assemble user-generated Reels to demonstrate how, for example, your sweets aid in the formation of friendships. Be imaginative, but honest.

5. Collaborate with influencers

Influencer marketing can help to raise product awareness. You can also enlist the help of relevant influencers to develop and share content on your behalf.

Influencers can write quick reviews or talk about how your product can help them. You can also work with influencers to promote a helpful YouTube video, podcast, or blog that you’ve developed. Such advertisements will increase your reputation and authenticity while also educating your target audience.

6. Post-behind-the-scenes videos

Behind-the-scenes content gives your company a human touch. You can also share such videos using Instagram Reels. You can provide a glimpse of your workplace (or business) or how your team collaborates to complete tasks. You can also share off-work Reels of family time, company lunches, or trips on occasion.

7. Share exclusive deals/sales

You can use Reels to advertise your product’s discounted sale offerings. You can also form partnerships with other small businesses to give substantial discounts on their goods and services. Clothing stores can collaborate with jewellery stores, bookstores with gift shops, etc. Collaborations like these will increase trust among your audience and other businesses.

8. Tease upcoming events

Instagram Reels can help spread the word about future workshops, training sessions, and other events quickly. Giving sneak peeks into new product launches might pique people’s interest and attract new followers.

9. Get into the trend

With Instagram Reels, you have a few options for becoming popular (and possibly viral). You can get noticed by using popular hashtags, audio snippets, or augmented reality effects.

So, look at the Reels on the Discover tab to see whether there’s a content format that’s hot right now. Use a structure if you think it will resonate with your audience. With Instagram Reels, it’s one of the quickest (but not the easiest) ways to grow your brand.

How to create Instagram Reels?

It takes four steps to make an Instagram Reel. And, in most situations, your film would go live in just three minutes. These are the steps to take |

Step 1 | Open Reels camera

To enter Reels mode in your Instagram stories, go to your profile, tap on the plus sign, and select Reels.

Step 2 | Choose your settings

There, you’ll have options for special effects, audio, length, speed, effects, touch-up, and timer. (You can also add audio and effects later)

Music | Adds an audio track of your choice from other Reels users or the app’s library.

Length | Choose 15, 30 or 60 seconds.

Speed | Slow down or speed up your video.

Effects | Add filters and stickers; you can also use any of the filters you have previously created.

Touch up | For that smooth skin look.

Timer | Set a timer for hands-free video recording.

After you hit the Record button, you’ll see a 3-2-1 countdown before you start recording.

Step 3 | Record, preview and edit each clip

When you’re done with the setup, you’re ready to create a Reels video. You can either record or upload an existing video from your mobile. Only 15 – 60 second clips will be shared in one Reel. And when you finish recording/uploading your video, add text, GIFs and stickers as required. Once you’re done recording, hit preview in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen.

Once you hit preview, you’ll have additional editing options, as well as the original options if you didn’t choose them before recording.

Audio controls | adjust camera audio, add music (if you haven’t already).
Voiceover | record audio over the video.
Decorations | add GIFs, stickers, emojis, countdowns, labels, etc.
Pen | make lines, arrows, scribbles, or write something
Text | overlay text in different colours
Alignment | Align objects from the previous clip before recording the next one to create smooth transitions for moments, like changing clothes or new characters appearing in the video.

Step 4 | Publish your Reel

Once you are done recording and editing all of your clips, select the “Share To” button at the bottom right (as shown above), where you’ll be taken to the publishing screen. Here you can choose a cover, write a caption, add hashtags, and then publish your Reels.

Additional Tips on Using Instagram Reels

Now that you know why and how here are some more suggestions to help you get the most out of your Reels!

Post your Reels at specific times, not just randomly

This is something that a lot of people struggle with, and it’s why some Reels don’t produce as much content as they should.

Share your Reels when the majority of your audience is online, which you can determine by looking at Instagram Insights.

Hop on Reel trends early

There’s a general rule of thumb when it comes to Reels: the early the better. It’s pointless to make Reel content with cold notions.

So, as soon as you can, find new social media trends (slang, video, audio, or pretty much anything) that are relevant to your sector and incorporate them into your Reels. As a result, your content and Instagram page will gain a large number of early and long-term engagements from Instagram users.

Share Reel content on your Instagram Feed

Using Reel content to enhance your Instagram views and engagements is an easy tip. Furthermore, it ensures that your material is seen by your followers and target demographic, which is beneficial to sales.

Yes, the original thumbnail may clash with your Instagram aesthetic, but you can easily replace it with a cover photo that complements the rest of your feed.

Keep your texts centred

You may add text to your Reel movies – you already know that – but you must make sure that the content is in the right place.

Because Instagram reduces Reel material to a 4:5 ratio, you may wish to move your texts, stickers, gifs, and other information to the centre of the screen to avoid being cropped.

Don’t delete your Reels

We’ve all been there: a piece of content isn’t getting the attention it deserves, so we delete it. Don’t do that with your Instagram Reels, though.

Why?

It will accumulate views and engagements over time, and it may even go viral. What are the chances? Plus, that poor Reel video might have been fantastic for the few people who saw it. Don’t be a killjoy.

Summing-up

If Instagram is an important part of your marketing strategy, you should check out the Reels feature. It provides endless promotional possibilities, and your Reel material may be the next great thing on the internet. Early adopters will also be rewarded handsomely.

Reels is a relatively new marketing and content creation option, and by utilising its inherent potential, you’ll be doing yourself and your brand a favour.

Shergroup’s fantastic social media team will help you create some amazing Reel content for your audience that won’t take much time to go viral. We know how to push the right button to get maximum exposure for our clients. If you are looking for experts to help you lift your social media numbers, create engaging content for your audience and get you more visibility for your brand then contact us today. Our business solutions advisors will share all the important details with you and help you decide on the best package.