Instagram Reels is, in essence, Instagram’s version of TikTok; the hugely popular video-sharing platform that has been experiencing rapid growth over the past few years. TikTok primarily has a younger audience, with the bulk of video content based around entertainment and humour. With this comes the opportunity for businesses and brands to use it to their advantage from a marketing perspective and Instagram quickly jumped on that trend.
Where can you see Instagram Reels?
Businesses can view the ‘Reels’ section on the Explore page on Instagram, or via a hashtag. You tap on the video to see a full-screen version of it, and can then scroll/swipe to see more videos that Instagram thinks will spark your interest.
Getting Started with Instagram Reels
Create Creative Original Content
If you want to increase your business’s visibility on the Instagram Reels tab, creating original content is the key. With millions of creators and brands sharing Instagram Reels daily, you need to stand out from the crowd. The biggest success stories are content pieces based on educational and entertaining Reels, but with your unique twist on it. By putting your stamp on the content, you can take any existing idea and create something fresh and engaging from your perspective – and make it relatable.
Instagram has made it even easier to create that original content by using Reels Templates. This allows you to quickly copy clip timings of an existing Reel and add your videos or photos into the time slot while then aligning with the music. It couldn’t be more simple.
Avoid the TikTok watermark
Instagram has confirmed via its Creators account, that it prioritises videos that aren’t visibly recycled from third-party apps. By downloading a video from TikTok and uploading it into Instagram Reels, the TikTok watermark is visible or blurred in the videos. Instagram has been open about the fact that recycled content including that watermark will be less likely to appear in the Instagram Explore Page and the Reels tab.
With this in mind, the best strategy is to create content directly in Instagram Reels. If all else fails, you can use a watermark removal app to remove the TikTok watermark from your video – but know that third-party apps can compromise quality.
Capitalise on Trends
It can be very obvious if you scroll Instagram Reels daily that the same songs, particular audio clips or a dance trend constantly pop up. Once you spot this trend click on the music to see how many other creators have used the audio. For inspiration scroll through the videos to get an idea of what the trend is about. Once you have an idea of how to put your spin on that content, use that trending audio or sound quickly while it’s popular to try and land yourself on the Discovery Pages of Instagram.
Include on screen text
We know around 69 % of people view videos with the sound off in public places and 25 % watch with the sound off in private places. As many as 80% of consumers said they were more likely to watch a video to completion if captions were available. Adding on-screen text and subtitles to your videos is a no-brainer when it comes to reaching more users, they’re invaluable for those with hearing difficulties.
To add video subtitles you can use Instagram’s closed caption sticker simply tap on the sticker icon and select “Captions.” It can take a few seconds for the audio to transcribe but once it appears go through and edit the text to make sure it’s all correct.
The placement of the text on-screen is also key. If your audience can’t easily see or read the text, they are more than likely going to move on to the next Instagram Reel pretty quickly, which doesn’t work wonders for your engagement levels.
In short, carefully curating your text placement makes it a much more enjoyable experience for your audience.
Share Share Share
It is imperative to share Instagram Reels directly to your feed. In doing so you automatically increase the chance of a massive boost in views and the opportunity to go viral.
To increase your reach, it’s a good idea to share your reel in as many places as possible including in your stories, on your Facebook and over on Pinterest. Yes, you can also use reels on Pinterest as you can convert them into Pinterest Story Pins!
Instagram Reels offers so many different ways to generate video content and connect with your audience alongside the opportunity for organic growth. Reels give your business a chance to share a more light-hearted and personal side to your brand image. For more information on how to make your Instagram Reels stand out from the crowd, contact Copper Square, the team can help you curate a social media strategy that will take your content creation to the next level.
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