5 Tips to Make Your Instagram Reels Stand Out
Bring your brand to life on Instagram with short, creative videos.
A Reel is a short, multi-clip Instagram video. Reels are a creative way to bring your brand to life by showcasing your offerings, team, or brand persona. Research shows that 81 percent of Instagram users use it to look for a company, a product, or a service. Reels can help you grow your customer base, increase brand awareness, and highlight your products and services.
Instagram officially prioritizes video content over still photos, so it’s important to hop on the video bandwagon. Video streaming is estimated to comprise over 80 percent of consumer internet traffic in 2022, according to Cisco, and about 86 percent of businesses use video as a marketing tool.
Compared to Instagram stories, Reels have a longer lifespan and could be more likely to be found by consumers because they can be picked up by Instagram algorithms at any point. Reels also receive more engagement than regular video clips at a rate of about 22 percent.
If you’re on Instagram, you should be using Reels to your advantage! Here are our top 5 tips to help make your Reels stand out:
1. Provide Value
How do your products or services add value to your customers' lives? You should be communicating this with your Reels! If your services help make tax time easier, show how in a reel. If your wine brings people together, show this in a Reel. People should watch your Reels and know exactly what your business does, how it can benefit them—and be entertained at the same time. No small feat!
2. Tell A Story
Your Reels should tell a story about your brand that accurately reflects your company’s values.
Think about these factors before creating an Instagram Reel:
Who is your target audience?
What does your audience want to see?
What emotions do you want your audience to feel after watching your Reels?
What action do you want your audience to take after watching your Reels?
Answering these questions will help guide your content creation. If you know that your audience likes to watch videos of people enjoying your wine, for example, you might create a Reel featuring friends gathered around a bottle, with a call to action to purchase that same bottle. The possibilities are endless when it comes to Reels, so really think about your target audience and what they might like to see.
3. Feature User Generated Content
User generated content (UGC) is content created by consumers that gets published on a social network. This can include videos, photos, posts, reviews, and text.
New customers want proof before they buy, and what better way for a company to prove their credibility than by highlighting other customers’ positive experiences? UGC Reels provide original consumer perspectives on products and services, and can help improve your company's credibility. They provide audience-trusted insight into a business’ genuineness and integrity, which can boost brand image.
If a customer tags your company on Instagram, share their photo or video of your product in a Reel! You can even create an Instagram post asking customers to tag you in their photos and videos, and tell them that you’re compiling content for an exciting new Reel. Potential customers love to see what kinds of products and services that people like them recommend.
4. Frame Your Reels Properly
Framing your Reels can make a big difference in how they turn out. Make sure that your subject is in the frame the entire time, unless the Reel involves your subject moving off screen. Also, the subject of your Reel should be lit properly; poor lighting can result in hard-to-see Reels, which may cause people to lose interest.
5. Use Clever Transitions
Capture your audience's attention by utilizing interesting transitions if your Reel has multiple shots. Try blocking the lens with your hand at the end of a clip, starting the next clip with the lens blocked, then moving your hand to reveal an entirely new scene. Be creative! Be bold! Unique Reels will grab the attention of your feed.
Need help creating a Reels strategy? We can help you plan out content that will pique your audience's interest.