Best Practices for Using Instagram Reels

Best Practices for Using Instagram Reels

What are Instagram Reels, exactly? Should your brand be using them as part of your marketing efforts? If so, what are the best practices for engagement and reach when you do?

First, some incredible facts about Instagram:

71% of U.S. adults between the ages of 18-29 are using Instagram
81% of users research products and services on Instagram
130 million users tap on shopping posts every month
90% of users follow at least one brand on Instagram
50% of users have visited a website to make a purchase after seeing a product or service on Instagram

What are Instagram Reels?

Instagram Reels (Facebook’s alternative to TikTok) are mobile-only, short, entertaining videos that use creative tools, like multiple video clips, filters, captions, interactive backgrounds and stickers, ideally, in a vertical video format. They utilize music from the Instagram music library and/or original audio you create or find on Reels.

Unlike Instagram Stories, Reels won’t disappear after 24 hours. Reels is currently available in the United States and 50 other countries.

Should your brand be using Reels as part of your marketing efforts?

Absolutely, consumer expectations are evolving, and the one billion monthly active users on Instagram have already embraced Reels. The ideal Reel will boost brand credibility, establish authority and promote audience connection.

Sixty seconds worth of engaging content has the potential to go viral because successful Reels are likely to be featured on the Explore page — a place that more than 50% of Instagram accounts use for discovery every month. If your Reel is shown on this page, you have a huge chance to expose your brand to new followers.

Reels are one of, if not the number one way to reach new followers on Instagram because you don’t need to have any followers for people to see your Reel. Remember, Instagram users can turn into followers, and followers can turn into loyal customers.

Fashion giant Louis Vuitton reports that all of their Reels have gone viral, averaging nearly 7 million views across Reels!

What are the best practices for utilizing Instagram Reels for your brand?

Reels are not about pushing your product or service on the viewers in a literal sense. Instead, their strength lies in capturing audience attention and positioning your business as the industry authority or go-to brand. Your Reel should delight people, grab their attention, make them laugh or have a fun surprise or twist.

You can grow your brand by educating your audience, showcasing your business’s personality and values, and highlighting what differentiates your products or services from your competitors. Reels are for people who prefer quick-and-easily-digestible content.

Our tips for incorporating Instagram Reels into your social media marketing strategy:

Within the first 3 seconds of your Reel, immediately tell your audience what they’re about to learn, see or hear. Use text or stickers to introduce your video’s topic or title. You have to stop them from scrolling, so this is incredibly important!
Showcase your products (specifically, people interacting with your products in real-life scenarios)
Share educational content: How to use your product, fun facts, etc.
Explain your business’s personality and values
Highlight what differentiates your products from others on the market
Before and after videos of your work build trust
Tell your story and be inspiring to others
Share user-generated content
Share behind-the-scenes content
Announce your upcoming sales and events
Re-share evergreen content in a fresh way
Record a ‘day in the life’ — everyone likes a sneak peek
Jump on a trend, like a dance or challenge, that can be tied back to your brand in a professional way

Things to consider about your Reel:

Replay-ability is extremely important when thinking about how to create the best Instagram Reels. Make a Reel so great, other users will share it on your behalf! Remember, excellent Reels can land you a spot in the coveted Feature section of your audience’s Explore feed.

Additionally, if you include original audio, the audio clip will be attributed to you, and other users will be able to use it to create new Reels.

References:

Written by Ashley Garcia, Social Media Content Manager

Ashley Garcia is a content creator, photographer, and marketing professional in Fort Collins, CO. She is the Co-Founder of @hungryhungry_hipsters on Instagram and a Social Media Content Manager at Madwire.

Social Media Marketing