4 Tips For Taking Your Instagram Reels to the Next Level
Originally trialling to the Brazillian market in 2019, Reels are currently available for over 50 other countries including the US, the UK, Japan, Canada and Australia for iOS and Android users. Having your Reels featured on the Explore page, according to the platform, “offers anyone the chance to become a creator on Instagram and reach new audiences on a global stage”.
And Instagram Reels have been known to significantly grow accounts’ followings, with one content creator stating that when she posted a Reel a day, her followers grew by more than 2,800! And it wasn’t only her who saw this sort of growth as numerous Instagram users took to her comments to show the impact Reels have had on their accounts...
So, if you’re in need of some guidance and inspiration, this article will give you a Reel good insight into how to take your short video content to the next level.
DOWN TO THE BASICS
15-30 seconds is the timeframe that Instagram Reels have given you to create instaworthy content that visually appeals to your followers. A preview appears on news feeds and may be featured on Instagram’s explore page as well as on their very own ‘Reels’ feed. They are also located in a tab on your profile. This allows easy access for your followers as well as new visitors to your page.
To start shooting your Reels:
Press the + button, as you would with a normal post and select ‘Reel’.
You then have an array of options on the left-hand side to add music, the length and speed of the Reel, along with the ability to add effects, touch-ups and a timer.
Once you have adjusted the features to your liking you can begin filming! Press the middle button to begin and press it again to stop. Then you can film a sequence that is made up of multiple frames.
You then have the option to edit the Reel by deleting certain frames or trimming them.
You’re ready to post!
WHY REELS?
Alongside how easy they can be to create, Reels will attract your followers’ attention – Instagram’s algorithms are favouring original Reels, meaning higher visibility and higher engagement, which is why 70% of marketers are planning to increase their video content activity. Although there are similarities with TikTok, Reels’ 30 second time difference presents a huge opportunity for brands to really test their creativity and reach new audiences.
4 TIPS FOR TAKING YOUR REELS TO THE NEXT LEVEL
1. Repurpose Old Content
You may look to old video footage to create your Reels, whether this is from TikTok, IGTVs or YouTube videos. Although these are all perfectly reasonable and powerful sources of content, there are viable aspects to bear in mind when transferring this footage over: one being the TikTok watermark. If your TikTok watermark is left on, it can not only look messy, but can lead to Instagram's algorithm decreasing the chances of your Reel being seen and engaged with by your followers. There are multiple apps you can use to remove the watermark, one being SaveTok (you can watch a tutorial here). Once you’ve gotten the hang of it, this will also be a huge timesaver as you’ll only have to make your content once.
As mentioned, IGTVs are also a great way of sourcing your Reels - once compressed and shortened to the suitable length, that is. Make sure that when cropping your video, the core content pillar remains obvious and any calls to action aren’t missed out. Your Reel could act as a micro-clip, sending your followers to your IGTV tab on your profile - in this case, make it short and snappy (15 seconds) and make it evident in your caption where your audience can find the extended version.
2. Choice of Audio
If in doubt, music should be your go-to choice for a backing track. The trending sounds on Reels run somewhat parallel to the most popular tunes used on TikTok, so you can really utilise the similarities between the apps by checking TikTok’s ‘Sounds’ page as a starting point. There are numerous genres that are trending at any one time, so choosing appropriate music is vital to taking your Reels to the next level.
A great brand example is ASOS. Although the majority of their content is sourced from influencers and ambassadors, their audio is varied and really depicts the vibe they are going for.
If the purpose of your Reels are to educate, you could take a fun spin on the lyrics of trending audio and use written text to get your point across. These are quick and witty and a very easy watch for your audience to keep them engaged!
3. Combining Organic and Paid Social
It can be easy to get carried away with what’s trending elsewhere, but your priority is the value your followers are gaining from your Reels. This means that your content must be relevant to what your brand/account stands for, e.g. you wouldn’t expect to see the puppy level up challenge posted by Nike; it would seem irrelevant and forced in order to be perceived as current.
As seen in the ASOS’ TikToks, using influencers can work really well in seamlessly including paid media which appears as organic content. A really effective way of doing this is by your influencers and ambassadors answering common Q&As or giving their styling advice, as well as their top tips. Another great way is to incorporate User Generated Content (UGC) as this is honest, raw and a trustworthy source of information to your followers.
4. Get Creative
Now that you have your content shot and music selected, the finishing touches are needed. With there being over 50 billion Instagram posts so far, making your Reels stand out can seem impossible. Thankfully, it’s not! A fantastic way of visually showcasing your Reel skills is by captivating your audience with sleek transitions (how your video switches from one frame to another). Louis Vuitton have nailed this, with their Reels averaging at 7 million views! Their video transitions are smooth and super stylish, leaving you wanting to try it out yourself.
Another fabulous and easy way to add a splash of vibrancy to your visuals are filters, which Instagram generously provides as an ‘effect’. These effects are the filters that you have already saved to your account; if you haven’t got an appropriate one stored, you can source inspiration from the Reels explore page or on TikTok.
However, it’s worth noting that a huge portion of TikTokers heavily use filters e.g. green screen, inverted (zoom & flip) and expressify, so Reels could be a great opportunity to make your videos stand out simply by stripping them back. This will also ensure that your content differs to your TikTok strategy so that there’s no risk of repetition.
TO SUM IT UP:
Instagram’s algorithm is favouring original Reels content - make sure that if it is repurposed content Instagram won’t be able to tell.
Keep up-to-date with trending sounds and don’t be afraid to be the first to use a sound if it matches your video’s vibe.
It is vital for engagement and for your followers’ enjoyment to create organic content that stays true to your brand identity.
Creativity will be rewarded; test the waters with different effects and practice your transitions, but remember Reels are less filtered in comparison to TikTok.
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