Authenticity, analytics, and ads—using Instagram Reels for marketing is a lot like any other social media engagement strategy. The trick is, you have to go to your audience!
As smartphones continue to achieve new levels of advancement, the tools floating around in our pockets continue to expand. Built-in camera capabilities now allow most anyone to walk around with both a high-resolution digital camera and video screen on their person.
Such rapid advancements in technology are constantly putting new tools in our hands as business owners, and in order to stay current in your market, it’s essential that you stay in touch and take full advantage of the opportunities they offer in marketing your business. While TikTok gains ground as Gen Z’s go-to, Instagram Reels remains swarming with over 2.5 billion active users. At this level of traffic, video content is something you simply cannot afford to ignore.
If you’re not yet comfortable jumping onto the TikTok bandwagon—or if you happen to know that’s not where your audience hangs out—it’s worth trying your hand at Instagram Reels for marketing, to get your foot in the video content door.
In this guide, we’ll get you up to speed on how best to use Reels for marketing.
The Lowdown on Instagram Reels
What Are Instagram Reels?
If you haven’t heard of Reels yet, don’t worry. While Instagram created this integration in 2020, it is only now making a splash in the business world.
Reels are short videos with unique editing features. Unlike Instagram Stories, Reels don’t have to be filmed in one take: you can merge short clips to form one video.
You can post Reels to your story or feed, and they can appear on the Explore page for more users to see.
Can Reels Promote My Business?
A 2021 experiment by HootSuite revealed that Reels for marketing could create periodic spikes in engagement, but it also demonstrated the difficulty of improving long-term rates of user interaction with Reels alone. Does that mean Reels aren’t useful? Not at all! The conclusion of the test was that, in order to be successful and boost engagement, Reels must feature high-quality content that Instagram’s algorithm will promote.
Put simply: Reels aren’t a magic trick; they rely on strategy, just like the rest.
So, let’s talk about how to use them strategically to make a real impact in your marketing campaign. Here are five easy tips to “Reel-in” more user engagement!
5 Instagram Reels for Marketing Tips
1. Feature People In Your Reels
Humans are social creatures, and our eyes naturally seek out faces. Featuring people—like you and your team—in Instagram Reels will more likely grab users’ attention.
What’s more, this makes your Reels active and engaging: a video of a product sitting on a counter won’t offer the same value as a video of someone demonstrating how to use the product. Whenever you’re preparing Reels for marketing you should ask yourself: Can I show a person doing this?
In a more technical sense, algorithms respond well to videos of people, because they have identifiable features and are less likely to be spam. The result is a greater chance of reaching users via the Explore page. You can also expand your reach by tagging users who appear in your Reels to reach their followers; this can be a great means of collaborating with other businesses.
2. Show Behind-the-Scenes Content
One of the key selling points for any small business is its personality. You aren’t a big, anonymous company; you work with a small team to help customers every day. Getting personal and showing off some of your hard work is one of the best ways to use Instagram Reels for marketing!
Behind-the-scenes videos allow you to share the creativity and care that go into your work while highlighting the values that define your brand. They help users to feel a part of your process, and by allowing room for that meaningful connection, they help your brand more deeply resonate with your target demographic.
Previewing a sneak peek into your office or studio is also a great way to feature people in your Reels, as well as to set up special announcements (more on that next)!
3. Announce Your Sales & Special Offers
When it comes to announcements on social media, the presentation can be just as important as the information provided. A brand new sale won’t attract attention if it’s buried in paragraphs of text.
Reels allow for fun, eye-catching calls to action that will bring the deserved attention to your newest offerings and exciting business updates.
Don’t just focus on viewers saving money (They already know what a sale is.); instead, focus on authentic, creative videos showcasing your offerings in action.
4. Regularly Check Instagram Insights
Analytics are just as important here as they are in any area of your social media marketing. Luckily, Instagram Insights makes it easy to review the likes, shares, and comments on your Reels.
As long as you have a Business or Creator account on Instagram, you can click on the “Insights” button on your account profile to check all your analytics for the last 30 days.
With Instagram Insights, you can see which kinds of posts are performing well and what kind of engagement they are receiving. Using this, you can adjust your video production until you achieve the right Reel style for your audience, as well as manage your posting schedule and learn which types of engagement will most benefit your business.
5. Use Reel Ads
If you’re already posting quality Reels with a regular schedule, it might be time to step it up with targeted Reel Ads!
Reel Ads allow you to reach Instagram users in their newsfeed, on the Explore page, and in the Reels tab. You can choose your advertising goals to focus on brand awareness, traffic, conversions, and more.
Ads can be a powerful tool to extend your brand, but always consider carefully whether you are ready to purchase online ads. Advertising should support an already strong marketing campaign, not make up for a strategy that isn’t working.
Let Us Help!
Still feeling overwhelmed about how to use Reels for marketing? Monkey VA is here to help! Our experienced team can help you prepare social media content that will most effectively promote your unique brand, so you can focus on managing your business and making an impact. Schedule a call today!
