Alright, let’s REEL it in and have some REEL talk about how Instagram REELS have become a REEL game changer for not only our business, but for brands all over! For REELS! Ok, I think we got all of those real/reel puns out of the way up front, so maybe we can have some REEL talk now, ok? (#sorrynotsorry). IG Reels have paved a whole new way for engaging with your community and reaching a wider audience than ever before on Instagram. Similar to TikTok, Instagram reels allow people to record and edit 3 to 30-second videos clips with text, music and a TON of creative tools. They are a ton of fun to make, if we do say so ourselves 😉 and an even better way to show up for your audience! So we want to walk you through our top 3 Ways to Show Up Through IG Reels.
One of the BIGGEST things we’ve come to learn in our business is that people desire connection. They want to connect with other people, and reels invite people to see the person or people behind the brand that aren’t always seen. Does this part take work? Yes. Spending time documenting, editing and getting the creative juices flowing takes time and energy. But behind every little profile circle that we see on IG, there’s a person who we’re trying to reach, teach, and impact in our community, and they want to know who you are and more about your authentic self. They want to connect with YOU!
Reels have allowed us a new creative outlet to show our personality and have fun while doing it! I mean who doesn’t appreciate a man in a bunny costume shaking his tail feather!?…#IYKYK. We not only get to connect to our audience through personality, but reels allow us to teach in small snippets that are quick and easy to digest. Think about the things you are trying to teach, sell, or promote because those are things you should be brainstorming ideas around for your reels. Whether our reel is about photography, brands, or business, the creative process all looks the same.
So…Erica and Jon, what about those practical tips you mentioned in the title of this blog!? Well, we DID NOT forget about those, so here are our top 3 Ways to Show Up Through IG Reels.
Practical Tip #1: Take on the Role of an Actor
Erica is an introvert at heart. Self-checkout lanes are her jam, but jumping in front of a camera to talk or dance…not so much. A pro tip here is to take on a “role” for your reels. Still be yourself, but take on a “role” to help build the confidence you need to crush your reel for you and your community! People might not engage very much if they don’t feel like you’re ALL IN for what you are showing in your reel, so just assume that Oscar winning movie role you’ve always secretly wanted and step into character for your reel! Would you even know Erica was introverted with a reel like this?
Practical Tip #2: Repurpose Your Content
Work smarter not harder! We recently put together a blog about our top-five programs we use for our business. Instead of having that idea be a one hit wonder, we used those ideas and concepts and came up with a reel to creatively continue sharing that same information but to our audience on IG. Make your workflow easier by killing two birds with one stone! To put it another way, use the mantra we learned from Gary Vee of ‘Document, don’t create!’ There is no need to reinvent the wheel every time you need content. Document what you are already doing in your business and use that for your content! You’re already doing incredible things that people can learn from, so break it down for your audience! To reinforce this, we even put together a reel on the idea of ‘Document don’t create!’
Practical Tip #3: BACK UP YOUR REELS!
WE CAN’T EMPHASIZE THIS ONE ENOUGH! Just like we create double back ups of our client photos, back up your reels! Reels take TIME and your time is valuable. We know the amount of work that goes into creating content, even when you’re repurposing ideas. The last thing you want to do is lose all your hard work from not simply saving your reel! We made this simple mistake in the beginning and….let’s just say we were not happy campers and learned our lesson the hard way. Back em up!! Save your reel to your camera roll AND the drafts inside the Instagram app.
We hope you’ve been won over to the power of IG Reels and that you start creating them if you aren’t already! Do you have any IG reel tips we missed in the blog? Be sure to comment your tips & tricks in the comments below!
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