You’ve probably now discovered that, as a business owner, short-form video content should be on your radar if you want steady growth in your online business. Shortform video marketing has the highest ROI of any marketing strategy on social media, used by 51% of marketers. While there are other strategies for boosting your website’s metrics, such as reliable link building efforts, video marketing is the most suitable for social media. For many online store owners who find it difficult to get the hang of video creation on popular platforms like YouTube and Tiktok, the Instagram reel is like a saving grace.
With the inception of Instagram reels in 2020, many online business owners can now confidently and easily create video animations to promote their brand to millions of Instagram users, and we can certainly say that there are visible results from this new feature.
The Instagram reel feature is just two years old, and statistics show that;
- Business owners that use Instagram reels get way more engagement than on Tiktok.
- The Instagram algorithm will prioritize reels over regular Instagram videos, making reels visible to users who aren’t following you.
- Up to 91% of Instagram users watch reels every single week.
- Instagram reels can reach up to 675.3 million Instagram users.
Very impressive stats if you ask us, which is why we’re here to let you in on how you can utilize Instagram reels to market your online store as part of your social media marketing strategy.
What Are Instagram Reels?
Given the rise in Tiktok’s popularity among netizens, Instagram also needed to create video content and sharing features on their app to maintain and improve their user engagement.
This new feature allows Instagram users to create up to 30 seconds videos with different tools to edit, add stickers, sounds, text, and so on. Instagram users can also have access to insights from their uploaded reels.
Another upside to the Instagram reels feature is that public accounts can get their reels to reach a wider audience even without having millions of followers. As seen in the image above, the most viewed Instagram reel has up to 283 million views, certainly more than the influencer’s followers. You can boost your Instagram reel to reach a wider audience in your niche and appear on the explore page as long as it’s below 60 seconds.
Reels Vs. Stories
Source: https://swipefile.com/instagram-stories-vs-reels-comparison-chart/
Instagram reels might seem unnecessary to you, given that Instagram stories still exist. Well, there are some notable differences between the two features outlined below;
- Instagram stories are only visible to your followers except if you boost them, and they can’t be manipulated as much as Instagram reels.
- Instagram reels allow you to seamlessly merge videos, add voiceovers and sound effects, and control the speed.
- While Instagram stories allow you to also upload photos, Instagram reels will turn the photos to video format making it more interesting to watch (depending on the quality of your photos, but we’ll get to that).
- Instagram reels give you trending sounds that would allow you to expand your reach, but Instagram stories, despite adding sounds, will not be displayed to people that aren’t part of your followers except if it’s boosted (sponsored).
If you’ve kept reading to this point, that’s awesome! We’re still going into how you can utilize Instagram to grow your online store but before that, let’s find out how Instagram reels work.
How To Get Started With Instagram Reels
Instagram reels allow you to Create, Share, and Watch video content from other Instagram users.
- Creating Your Reels
To create reels, you need to open the Instagram app (make sure you have an updated Instagram version), and you’ll see the reels option at the bottom of the Instagram camera icon. Next, you’ll find different editing tools on the left side of your screen to create very cool and short videos relating to your niche. Audio, AR Effects, Timer/Countdown, Align, and Speed are among the video editing tools.
You can use funnel templates to visualize and understand different audience groups and create reels to target them.
A very impressive aspect of creating reels is that you can decide to record in short clips, upload clips from your camera roll, or record full-length 30 seconds videos. Just like TikTok, on the top of your screen, you’ll find a very helpful progress indicator.
Lastly, based on trending audio, templates are available, which means you can just add clips of your choice, and they’ll sync with the sound.
- Sharing Instagram Reels
This part gets most business owners excited because it means that their reels will not only be visible to their followers but also discovered on Explore. The results of this are quite different with Public and Private Accounts.
For public Instagram accounts, your reels can be made visible to your followers when you share them on your feed. For a wider reach, you can share your reels using certain hashtags, sounds, and effects that would make them appear on dedicated pages.
Other Instagram users that click on the hashtag, sound, or effects would be able to see your reels, and if boosted, your reel would be visible to even more people.
Private Instagram accounts are just as you’d expect; reels from a private user would only be visible to their followers. No one can use original audio from your reels, and lastly, even your followers can’t share your reels with their friends if they’re not following you. For these accounts, the positive sides of reels for growth would not be applied.
After your reel has been created, you’ll be taken to the next page, where you’ll be expected to add a cover photo (which can be gotten from your reel or uploaded from your camera roll), caption, location, and other personalized options. If you’re not ready to upload the reel, you can use the draft option. You can also create posts weeks in advance and schedule them to post automatically at set dates.
- Enjoy Watching Instagram Reels
Head over to reels on the explore page and discover reels selected based on your Instagram activity. You can watch endless funny, inspiring, business, and informative video content in a vertical feed. Like other Instagram users, you can like, comment, and share reels you enjoyed watching.
Instagram Reels For Online Businesses
Since it became so obvious that short-form video content has become preferred by many netizens, many brands found it necessary to discover new ways to promote their products/services through this strategy.
As we mentioned earlier, Tiktok gained so much popularity during Covid because users just enjoyed scrolling through their devices and watching short and entertaining videos. With such a successful concept, it’s not hard to understand why Instagram decided to create a feature modeled after it.
As an online business owner, it’s safe to say that you need to keep evolving with the current digital marketing trends to extend your reach and remain relevant. With the priority given to video content on Instagram, it’s important to hop on the trend and make the best out of it.
As we elaborated earlier, Instagram reels are very easy to use. You can also collaborate with influencers to give your reels more credibility. With Instagram reels, you’re sure to get visibility and show your audience a more personalized side of your business. When you use trending sounds, hashtags, and effects, Instagram reels can help your brand reach a wider audience for free.
Why Instagram Reels Should Be Part Of Your Social Media Marketing Strategy
As an online business owner, you rely mostly on digital marketing strategies, and social media takes the number one spot. With new trends emerging every day, social media platforms like Instagram also need to evolve to maintain and improve user engagement. Here are a few reasons why reels should become a priority in your social media marketing.
Instagram Reels Are Now A Priority To The Algorithm
With the creation of Instagram reels, it’s no surprise that the Instagram algorithm now favors accounts that post not just regular videos or IGTV but reels. Business accounts that have gotten the hang of reels see more growth in their businesses because they understand what the algorithm is into these days.
What does this mean? For your online store to stand out, you need to include reels in your social media marketing strategy.
Gain Wider Reach
Take a cue from how GymShark continuously uses reels to gain new audiences and keep them engaged. They are also using a Gym Access Control System to make their engagement strong with the clients by providing them secure environment. Think about it; Instagram reels give you access to a larger audience for free, and with impressive content, you can gain new followers (potential customers) that can be turned into stans of your brand. Up to 81% of people use Instagram to look for new brands to shop with, and another 50% choose brands because they found them on Instagram. Remember that if your target audience is millennials or GenZ, you must remain relevant by keeping up with the ever-changing consumer expectations.
Get More Engagement
It’s now exposed that Instagram reels get more engagement than even photos because, like TikTok, when you put out quality and relevant video content, people just have to engage with it. Reels that are liked, commented on, and shared a lot are more visible to other users on Explore. Interestingly, up to 50% of Instagram users find new and interesting content from the explore page before checking out a business’s profile.
Instagram or TikTok is primarily not for businesses but it is the platform where people like to exhibit their products and services. If you want to give a legit boost to the profile, don’t hesitate to get instagram likes or buy TikTok likes to boost visibility and engagement of your videos. It will help you get an instant paid service.
Improved Customer Trust And Loyalty
An online business that can take videos of products in real-time, give little behind-the-scenes of production, or tell stories using voiceovers on reels will build the trust of its target audience. Netizens decide to shop online after seeing a post on Instagram, so posting down-to-earth reels makes them connect to your brand and keep coming back.
Gain New Followers From “Shareworthy” Reels
It doesn’t even take up to 1 minute for an Instagram user to share a reel they found relevant to friends and family. It’s free publicity, so your video content needs to be intentional and provide value. Since people trust personal recommendations more than adverts, your reels shared with other users would bring in new followers who can become loyal customers.
How To Use Instagram Reels As A Business Owner
Instagram reels are perfect for showcasing new products, behind the scenes of your business, telling a story, and giving value to your audience.
Share Value With Your Target Audience
We understand that you want to make sales, however, putting out customer-centric content should be a priority. At this point in your business, you’ve most likely niched down your target audience, so the next step is to create video content that is of value to them. You can use a project management tool to plan and schedule your posts, then sit back and track your results.
Showcase New Products
Instagram reels have so many captivating sounds that can relate to the particular video you are putting out. Trending sounds are released daily, so you must select one of your choice (or use an original sound) and film content accordingly. While professional-looking videos are good with a plain background, videos that tell a story do better. Employ an influencer or go out of your comfort zone to create product sheets that would showcase what your brand is all about.
Share Behind the Scenes Content
Small business owners can attest to the fact that there’s more engagement with reels that have sneak peeks of what’s happening behind all the professional-looking photos and videos. For instance, you could film packaging processes, respond to positive reviews, plan new launches, etc.
Educate Your Audience
Providing value to your audience could come in the form of a funny, inspiring, or educational. Finding a balance when posting reels is very important in this aspect. Netizens will only stick around when they get daily value from any social media page. You could show your audience how-to tutorials, facts they didn’t know before, styling tips, helpful daily tips, and so on. However, make sure that they remain relevant to not just your followers but to your brand.
Tips To Make Your Reels Stand Out
See how FentyBeauty consistently creates reels that stand out by using high-quality visuals and trending memes.
To make our reels stand out, you need to:
- Upload high-quality videos and pictures by activating the high-quality option in your settings. Videos with shabby quality will stir up little to no interest.
- Be intentional about every post because your audience will only stick with your brand if you serve them quality content.
- Make use of trending sounds, memes, templates, locations, and hashtags to get access to dedicated spaces.
- Boost your Instagram reels to reach a wider audience, thereby gaining more profile visits, followers, and then customers.
- Collaborate with influencers if you want your reels to be professionally created. Using influencers also gives more credibility to your brand.
Instagram reels are worth investing your time, money, and energy in because there’s just so much your online store can gain from them. With this introduction to Instagram reels, you’ll be well on your way to achieving steady business growth and success.
