You may have already noticed your Instagram explore page favouring IG Reels. At the very least, if you look at the navigation bar, the Reels tab has taken centre stage.
IG Reels are short 15-to-30-second videos set to music or your own sound. They are a great way to share fun and engaging content to help build your brand and grow your reach on Instagram.
If you are already utilizing Instagram’s story feature to keep your followers engaged, trying out Reels may be worth a try.
Here are some tips to make effective IG Reels:
#1: Create a storyboard
Setting an objective and planning your Reel can make filming your video way easier!
Reels should contain helpful information, tips and tricks or tell a story, all while showcasing your values and your brands personality.
They are meant to be fast and creative to catch the interest of your audience. However, they also provide a fantastic opportunity to connect more on a personal level with your Instagram followers and less like you’re selling a product.
While you shouldn’t make your Reel look like an ad for a product, this is an excellent opportunity to do a little show and tell for your followers.
#2: Practice Makes Perfect
After creating a storyboard, it is best to practice filming your Reel before posting. It is easy to forget how fast a 15-to-30-second video can go.
IG makes it extremely easy to edit, trim and delete any clips you have filmed without having to re-film the entire video.
Consistently creating excellent Reels could potentially land you a spot in the IG Feature section, which could reach an audience outside your current followers.
#3: Video Quality
The quality of your video is essential. The Instagram Reel algorithm does not favour videos that are blurry due to low resolution. You can use filters or camera effects to make your video more creative.
Instagram also confirmed that using videos with visible watermarks or logos will also not be recommended to followers.
It is also important to keep in mind that the video will not do well if it contains a border of any kind or if most of the video is covered by text.
#4: Closed Captions and Subtitles
After you have completed filming and editing your IG Reel, adding closed captioning is arguably the most important aspect before you post. This is helpful to people who tend to watch videos without sound but, more importantly, is a way to make your IG more inclusive to those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
By being more inclusive to all your followers, you will have supporters who want to engage with the content you are posting.
It is also important to note that you should keep your closed captions in the centre of your screen, so it stays completely visible to those who need it!
Reach your audiences consistently
If you are someone who constantly posts IG Stories throughout the day, IG Reels may be the next thing you want to explore.
If you are concerned about trying to add yet another thing to your to-do list. Try re-using content! If you have a TikTok account that you regularly post to, save those videos and post those as a Reel.
While this is a great way to provide a long video format to your followers, through Reels, you can create more compelling content and increase your reach on Instagram. Try it out!
– Contributed by Rebecca Pilkey, Junior PR Specialist, Pink Palm MarCom