Instagram describes its Reels feature as a way to "creatively express your brand story, educate your audience, and get discovered by people who may love your business." Since its introduction in August 2020, Reels have grown in popularity with brands seeking an entertaining and effective way to market themselves.
We understand that you may not be keeping up with every new Instagram feature that's released, or you may not spend much time on the platform at all. For this reason, your familiarity with Instagram Reels might be limited. In this post, we'll provide you with a bit of background on the feature and tell you how using Instagram Reels for business can help you grow your audience online.
What are Instagram Reels?
Instagram Reels are short-form videos that, unlike Stories (another Instagram feature), can remain for more than 24 hours. Speedy adoption of the Reels feature after its launch prompted Instagram to make it a more central part of the user experience. This caused the feature to gain steam as brands and influencers flocked to it, recognizing its potential for reaching new audiences.
Fast forward to the present day, and there is still a great deal of excitement around Reels, mostly due to the visibility they can afford. Using Instagram Reels for business can increase brand awareness and engagement, with the right content gaining hundreds, thousands or even millions of views. But companies must be willing to invest the time and effort necessary to create compelling videos.
How Instagram Reels Work
- As of October 2022, a Reel can be up to 90 seconds long and can use up to 15 clips from distinct pieces of content.
- Music, text overlays, filters and stickers can also be included in your Reel.
- You can share Reels to your profile and engage your existing audience as they browse their home feeds.
- Stories are one of Instagram's most popular features (watched by 500 million people a day). You can post Reels to your Stories, where they will live for 24 hours.
- If your Reel gains popularity and the Instagram algorithm picks it up, it may appear on the Instagram Explore tab, making it visible to the 1 in 2 people who use Instagram to discover new brands.
Instagram Reels for Business: What You Can Share
Reels can be used to amplify your brand and cultivate relationships with past, present and future customers. For that reason, we encourage you to focus Reel content on not just your offer but also your brand story. For instance, you can:
- Explore your company's history and explain why it exists.
- Show how your company helps customers achieve their goals.
- Let your audience see how you build your products/services. People want to feel closer to the brands they love, so giving them a behind-the-scenes look at what makes your business tick is a great way to engage current and potential customers.
- Occasionally reward your audience with a look at the human side of your business. Introduce them to the employees who embody your brand ethos and help bring your solutions to life.
A little authenticity goes a long way. If you're willing to be a bit more open than usual, your Reels are far more likely to resonate with viewers.
What's the Future of Instagram Reels for Business?
Many brands have already taken advantage of the new opportunities presented by the Instagram Reels feature, and we expect this to continue. At the start of the year, we pointed out that 89% of marketers were expected to spend the same budget or more on short-form videos in 2022. It's not hard to imagine that trend carrying forward into 2023.
If you're just getting started using Instagram Reels for business, our team can help you explore the inclusion of Reels as part of your social media strategy. And if you already have some video ideas, our video production specialists, marketing strategists and copywriters can guide you toward shaping them into something that is Reels-ready. Get in touch today.
