Visual content is taking over the world of social media, which in turn means it’s directly impacting the way we do business. Nearly half of all marketers rate visual marketing as being very important to their marketing strategy (Venngage). This trend is becoming even more evident as the most popular social media platforms are placing greater value on video content. It is projected that videos will make up 82% of all consumer Internet traffic by next year (Cisco). One of the forms of video content creation that has gained quite a bit of traction recently is Instagram Reels.

What exactly are Instagram Reels?

Instagram Reels allow users to create fun, one-minute-long videos that can be either shared privately with friends or with the entire Instagram community. These reels can be recorded seamlessly all at once or can be uploaded in segments using your gallery. In addition to creating the videos, Instagram Reels is also accompanied by an editing feature. This gives you the ability to add audio and visual effects to enhance the quality of your video for an optimal entertainment experience.

As mentioned before, there are a couple of ways to share a reel on Instagram:

• Publicly – On a public account, reels can be shared to Instagram’s Explore space, where they can potentially be seen and discovered by anyone in the Instagram community. This can be done by including certain hashtags in the body of text accompanying the reel. If you’re unsure of what the best hashtag practices look like, be sure to check out our blog on how to choose the best hashtags for your business.
• Privately – If a user’s account is set to private, reels will adhere to their privacy settings and will only be shown to the user’s followers.
• As a Story – Whether an account is public or private, reels can also be shared as Instagram Stories, appearing at the top of the Instagram feed. It’s worth noting that reels shared as stories will not also appear in Explore and will disappear after 24 hours, just as any other story.

It’s also worth mentioning that there is a “Featured” section for Instagram Reels that includes a selection of public reels chosen by Instagram intended to entertain and feed your creativity.

How do they work?

Creating Instagram Reels can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. It really comes down to how thorough you want to be during the editing process. Some of the ways you can customize your reel include:

• Audio – You can either use a song from Instagram’s library or you can upload your own audio.
• Filters – In addition to enhancing your reel with background music, you can also add visual effects to your clips in the form of filters. These can be chosen from Instagram’s gallery of effects.
• Alignment Tool – Aligning objects that appear in multiple clips allow for a smooth transition that gives your reel a professional feel.
• Speed – With this tool, you can dictate the pace at which a reel is played. This is useful when you want the elements of your content to flow with the tempo of your audio.

How can I make Instagram Reels work for my business?

When used properly and strategically, Instagram Reels can be an effective way for your brand to express itself while appealing to your target audience through a lens they’re familiar with.

With Instagram Reels, the main objective shouldn’t necessarily be to close a sale with a user, but should rather be used as a tool to build your brand in the eyes of the user by creating a lasting impression. It’s important to first determine if your target audience is active on the Instagram platform as a whole. Once it has been determined that your prospective customers are spending a considerable amount of their time on Instagram, creating reels presents an opportunity for your business to position itself as culturally conscious and trendy.

If you believe Instagram Reels are the piece of the marketing puzzle that your brand is missing but aren’t clear on how to execute or even where to begin, you’re not alone! The experts at Vela Creative Co. will help you further your online presence with this social media tool by establishing a clear strategy, custom messaging, and visuals that embody your brand. We encourage you to connect with us so together we can find the plan that’s perfect for you.