Instagram Reels was introduced back in August 2020, and since then, it’s taken the digital marketing world by storm. And for good reason.
Reels have proven to be a breakthrough in terms of improving brand visibility. They’re essentially short, 30-second videos that you can set to your favorite music. Kind of like TikTok. These can then be shared on your profile, stories, highlights, and explore page.
If you want to get more personal with your followers, Reels are the way to go. Short, fun videos always bring in the most engagement online. Hence, with Reels, you get the chance to reach a bigger audience and truly get to know it better.
Through Reels, you can build an authentic connection with your followers. This will build mutual trust and subsequently increase the chances of customers buying from you.
So, how do you use Instagram Reels for your marketing efforts? Well, we’ve compiled a list of tried and tested strategies to successfully incorporate Reels in your online promotions.
1. Show behind-the-scenes (BTS) footage
Reels should be used to share content you wouldn’t be able to on your grid. As a brand, you might have a carefully curated image that you’d want to maintain for whoever visits your page. However, with Reels, you can play around and get comfortable with your audience.
Allow your customers to see what goes on behind the scenes during promotional photoshoots and product creation. Take them on a virtual journey through your factory. Or show them how an ad is made.
If you own a clothing brand, share BTS footage of models getting prepped for a photoshoot. Have informal chats with them about their experience on set.
Create hype for each new BTS Reel beforehand with special promotions on your Instagram Stories. Creating these promotions won’t take more than a few minutes. PosterMyWall has thousands of nifty Instagram Story templates you can customize to promote your Reels in style.
For your Reels, take inspiration from jewelry brand, Carly’s Corner. They did a BTS for the photoshoot of their new line of earrings, and it was a massive hit. Not only were they able to connect with their customers, but they also got free additional promotion for their new products before they were even launched.
Clothing brand Anima Iris also did something extremely similar. They created pre-launch hype for their new clothing line by posting BTS footage of the big shoot on Reels.
2. Create bite sized how-to videos
To become an industry leader, you need to establish brand authority. A fun yet effective way to do it is by creating how-to videos.
You can get as creative as you want with these videos. If you’re a clothing brand, make a how-to video on styling different items. If you’re an online bakery, make a how-to video on storing bakery items and keeping them fresh for longer. The possibilities are endless!
Make sure to create something customers can go back to again and again. For instance, customers will be inclined to keep revisiting something like a hairstyling tutorial every time they want to style their hair a certain way.
Here’s another great idea. Gather some questions by doing a Q&A on your story and answer them through a Reel. Better yet, turn it into a weekly or monthly series so that you remain as available to your customers as possible.
Feel free to draw inspiration from brands who’ve done this sort of thing in the past. Mission Recruit frequently posts Reels sharing industry tips and tricks to keep its followers engaged.
As a young business owner with little to no video making experience, you may find this process a little daunting. However, worry not. Head on over to PosterMyWall and create incredible promotional videos seamlessly.
3. Team up with customers
Get more eyes on your Reels by getting the masses involved. Ask customers to share short videos of them using your product or reviewing it. Turn this into a campaign with its own special hashtag so that your reach increases.
Once you have the content, compile it into Reels and post each one to your Instagram. Be sure to use your hashtag and give a shout out to the people who contribute. People love seeing themselves on screen, and if they find themselves in one of your Reels, they’ll be more inclined to share it on their own page.
This strategy is brilliant because it’s basically free publicity, all while keeping the customer happy. Win win.
If you’re feeling ambitious, try to get some local small influencers involved. Send them a PR package and ask them to send you a review. Make a separate Reel for each influencer and get them to share it on their page. This will help introduce your brand to a whole new set of customers, thereby practically doubling your reach.
Candle making company Sugarfina ran a similar campaign. They promoted their candles through review Reels by customers and micro influencers. They paired this with a hashtag that they used everywhere so that their Reels were easy to find and share.
4. Don’t be afraid to get personal
You have to show your customers that you’re more than just a faceless, money-making company.
Introduce people to your employees. Give your followers a tour of the office. Have your employees make vlogs of their day. Talk about upcoming projects in a fun, candid manner. Have people from your upper management, for instance your CEO, talk about fun, non-business things like favorite foods and morning routines.
You should also squeeze in some subtle product promotion wherever you can. For instance, let’s say Pamela from Accounting is a huge fan of your best-selling product. Let her talk about how she uses it, how frequently she uses it, and anything else that she might want to share.
The goal is to get your customers to see your brand as one they can trust. Be as accessible as possible and watch people interact with you more and more.
Take inspiration from Sephora that had models and employees test out their new makeup by using it around the office.
Also, Sassy Woof did something similar. They introduced their team to their followers in exciting little Reels, set to popular music.
5. Participate in internet challenges, or create your own
No matter how good your Reels are, if you don’t promote them right, they’ll quickly fade into the background. One way to get your Reels to trend is to do what everyone else is doing. Literally.
See what new challenge Gen Z is participating in, and join in. Make your own variation with employees or customers and share it.
Or better yet, make your own challenge. For instance, if you’re a makeup brand, you could do a smokey eye challenge in which you get customers to recreate a smokey eye look. Whoever’s look ends up being the most accurate, should get a free eye makeup kit.
Get more traction for your challenge by promoting it through Instagram posts and stories.
Final thoughts
Once you get the hang of it, Instagram Reels are incredibly fun to make. They allow you to unleash your creativity and come up with new and exciting video ideas to promote your product. Who doesn’t love that?
Remember to make your content fun, informative, shareable, and something people can keep coming back to. Instagram engagement is a two-way street, and the more interaction you get, the better it will be for your brand.
New to PosterMyWall? Simplify your graphic design and publishing experience by trying the solutions you need to make great Instagram content.
Senior editor at PosterMyWall.
