Everything You Need to Know About Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels have become a powerful tool for businesses looking to capture attention and engage with their audience. With their ability to showcase products creatively, participate in trends, and boost visibility through the platform’s algorithm, Reels are a must-have in any modern marketing strategy. But to truly maximise their potential, a well-crafted approach is essential.

What Are Instagram Reels?

Instagram Reels are a feature within the Instagram app that allows users to create and share short-form video content, typically between 15 to 90 seconds in length. Reels are designed to be engaging, easily digestible, and highly shareable, making them an ideal format for capturing attention in a short amount of time. Unlike Instagram Stories, which disappear after 24 hours, Reels can be permanently displayed on your profile and have a dedicated section where users can explore popular and trending content. This makes Reels distinct from other Instagram features like IGTV, which focuses on longer-form video content.

Instagram Reels offer a variety of tools and features that make creating content easy and dynamic:

• Audio Selection: Users can choose from Instagram’s vast library of music tracks, popular sounds, or even original audio, allowing them to set the tone for their Reels and participate in viral trends.

• Effects and Filters: Instagram provides a wide range of augmented reality (AR) effects and filters to enhance the visual appeal of your Reels, making them more engaging and entertaining.

• Editing Tools: Reels come equipped with built-in editing tools that allow users to trim, reorder, and stitch together multiple clips. You can also adjust the speed of your clips and add text, stickers, and drawings to create more personalised and creative videos.

• Sharing Options: Once created, Reels can be shared to your followers on your main feed, and also have a chance to be featured on the Explore page, significantly increasing your reach beyond your current audience.

One of the significant advantages of using Instagram Reels is how they interact with the Instagram algorithm. Reels are currently one of the most favoured content types by Instagram’s algorithm, which means they are more likely to be shown to a broader audience, even those who don’t follow you. This is largely because Instagram is actively promoting Reels to compete with other short-form video platforms like TikTok.

• Increased Visibility: When you create Reels, they have the potential to appear on the Explore page, which is curated based on users’ interests. This increased visibility can lead to higher engagement rates, attracting new followers and boosting your overall presence on the platform.

• Algorithm Preference: Instagram tends to prioritise Reels over other types of content because they keep users engaged on the platform longer. As a result, accounts that regularly post Reels are often rewarded with higher reach and engagement.

• Trend Participation: Since Reels often centre around trending audio and challenges, participating in these trends can further increase your chances of being featured by the algorithm, driving more traffic to your profile.

Best Uses of Instagram Reels for Businesses

Showcase Products or Services

Instagram Reels are a creative way for businesses to highlight products or services. Use short, engaging videos to demonstrate key features, show product usage, or offer behind-the-scenes glimpses. For example, fashion brands can showcase styling tips, while restaurants might highlight the preparation of a signature dish.

Engage with Your Audience

Reels are ideal for engaging your audience through storytelling, tutorials, or Q&A sessions. They allow you to share your brand’s story, offer valuable tips, and interact with your followers in a dynamic way, encouraging comments and shares that build community.

Promote Brand Identity

Reels help reinforce your brand identity by using consistent visuals and messaging. This consistency ensures your content resonates with your target audience and effectively conveys your brand’s personality and values. 

Leverage User-Generated Content

Encourage customers to create Reels featuring your products, and share their content to build trust and authenticity. User-generated content not only provides you with fresh material but also strengthens customer loyalty and attracts potential buyers.

Boost Visibility

Reels are favoured by Instagram’s algorithm, increasing the likelihood of appearing on the Explore page. This can significantly boost your visibility and engagement, helping you reach a broader audience and grow your follower base.

Create Trend-Driven Content

Stay relevant by participating in trending challenges, topics, and using popular audio. While trends can increase reach, it’s important to maintain your brand’s unique voice. Using trending hashtags and audio can further enhance discoverability, helping your content reach more viewers.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Slideshow Reels

This is a step-by-step walkthrough on how to create a simple slideshow reel, start with this using one of the ideas above. 

Step 1: Start Creating a Reel

1. Tap on the “+” icon at the bottom centre of the screen.
2. Select “Reel” from the options at the bottom of the screen.

Step 2: Choose Your Media

1. Tap on the gallery icon (small square) at the bottom-left corner to open your phone’s gallery.
2. Select multiple photos or videos for your slideshow. You can do this by:
   • Tapping on the “Select Multiple” option (usually represented by overlapping squares or a small circle with dots).
   • Select the photos or videos in the order you want them to appear.

Tip: Create ‘title card’ slides in Canva or Photoshop to introduce your video, especially if you’re doing a voiceover. This is a great chance to set the tone of your video, and Instagram will also let you choose a cover photo, so you can include something that fits into your grid and will attract clicks from your profile. Don’t shy away from using an on-brand font and a plain colour background, the right combination of these elements (plus music and a good voiceover) will make an attractive-looking video. You can add them alongside the above ‘content’ photos. 

Step 3: Arrange and Edit Your Media

1. Arrange your media by dragging them into the desired order.
2. Edit each slide by tapping on it. You can:
   • Trim videos by adjusting the sliders.
   • Apply filters by swiping left or right.
   • Add text or stickers by using the icons at the top of the screen.
   • Adjust the length of photos by tapping on the timer icon and setting the duration.

Tip: Sense-check your timings. You know what that slide says, but does a new viewer have time to read and process the information?

Step 4: Add A Voiceover

1. Tap on the microphone icon at the bottom of the screen.
2. Press and hold the record button to record audio over the video and release the button when you are through.  When you’re finished recording all voiceover clips, click ‘Done’.
3. Use the trim feature to adjust the voiceover and preview it. Finally, click the blue arrow in the top right corner to post your video.

Step 5: Add Music

1. Tap on the music note icon on the left side of the screen.
2. Choose a song from Instagram’s music library or search for a specific track.
3. Select the part of the song you want to use by dragging the sliders.

Step 6: Preview Your Reel

1. Tap on the preview button (right arrow) to see how your reel looks.
2. Make any final adjustments if needed by going back to the previous steps.

Step 7: Add Details to Your Reel

1. Tap on the next arrow (right arrow) once you’re happy with your reel.
2. Add a caption for your reel.
3. Tag people if you want to by tapping “Tag People”.
4. Add a location if desired by tapping “Add Location”.
5. Choose your cover by tapping on “Cover” and selecting a frame or adding a cover from your gallery.

Step 8: Post Your Reel

1. Tap “Share” to post your reel to your Instagram feed.
2. Wait for the upload to complete, and your slideshow reel will be live on Instagram.

Optional: Share to Story

If you want to share your reel to your Instagram Story as well, toggle the option to share to your story before you hit “Share”.

Ready to take your Instagram marketing to the next level? Get in touch with our team of specialists today. We can assist you in creating engaging Reels that align with your brand and drive results. Let us help you leverage Instagram’s powerful tools to grow your business and connect with your audience like never before.