Instagram Reels…. should YOU be using them for your business?

My client posted in our private Facebook group and asked if I had seen the new Instagram Reels feature.  As a social media expert, she wanted to know what I thought and if it was something that warranted the attention of an already crazy-busy business owner…. or could just be ignored.  I played around with them for a few days before giving the group my response.

Before you judge my ignorance, I need you to know that I love watching Tik Tok and sending my friends dog shaming videos is one of my favorite past times.  I simply couldn’t fathom how Instagram Reels could even come close to measuring up.  So.  This is what I told my clients…

Needless to say, that response makes me cringe more than my teenage son when he catches his mom doing a Tik Tok dance.  And that’s saying something. 🥴

In recent weeks, I’ve drastically changed my tune and am absolutely obsessed with Instagram’s newest feature!  I’m so excited to share my screen with you and show you EXACTLY which buttons to push, how to add music, how to sync your movements and a few little hacks I’ve learned along the way!

Before we get into it, make sure you pin this post so you can find it easily later!  And, if you’ve got friends who would find it helpful, by all means, use those pink buttons {below} and share away!

What are Instagram Reels?

If you’ve used Tik Tok or Stories, you’re already familiar with certain aspects of Instagram Reels!  They’re 15-second clips of photos, videos, music and text!  And there are a million reasons to love them too!

• they have their own newsfeed on Instagram
• Reels are discoverable in search
• you can share them into Stories
• they’re super easy to post in your grid
• AND the links are shareable outside of Instagram {translation: people who don’t have an IG account can still view them via a browser!}

These fun little bite-sized media pieces are tons of fun and can pack a major punch for your business!  During the first month, users were reporting that their Instagram Reels were getting about 20x more reach than Instagram Stories!

🤯  TWENTY-TIMES MORE REACH THAN STORIES 🤯

Babe, if you’re using Instagram for Business, there’s simply no reason NOT to use them!  At the bottom of this post, I’ll make a list of some of the many ways you can use Reels.  But, for now, let’s go ahead and get into the details of exactly how to create your first Reel!

A Step-by-Step Instagram Reels Tutorial

To make this as easy and stress-free as possible for you, I’ve included lots of screen shares so you can see exactly what I’m seeing on my screen.  For easy reference, I’ll include timestamps below the video so you can fast forward to specific parts of the video.

1. Basics of Instagram Reels → 1:51
2. Fun Features + Hacks on Reels {music, filters, timers, alignment} → 7:33
3. How to Add Text → 13:43

UPDATE: a few things have changed since this video was first recorded!  You can now update each video clip independently of the others and most users are reporting that they have the ability to record up to 30-second Reels!

When Should I Make a Reel?

Literally, anytime.  There’s no wrong time to make an Instagram Reel!  I’ve seen people think waaaaay outside the box and do some really cool things!  Here’s a super quick list of some of the ingenious things I’ve seen in the last few weeks:

• promotions for your business
• behind the scenes
• education {bonus points if your Reel gets them to read the description and take action}
• inspiration
• humor
• tutorials
• conversation starters
• entertainment {think Tik Tok style dances}
• and so so so much more!

Here’s the best advice I can give you: stop letting fear or perfection hold you back.  Take messy action and just #glitterdone!  Dorothy, Kirsten and Gabi have all embraced Reels for their business.  And you know what?  Their reach is exploding!!!

• Dorothy, from Dorothy Beaming and Beautiful, has 218 followers, her best reel has been seen by 850 people, and her average reel is watched by 416 people.
• Kirsten, of Kirsten Lee Photography ATL, has 711 fans, her best reel was viewed by 2131 people, and her general reels get around 1032 views.
• Gabi, of Gabrielle Hasamear Photography, has 346 followers, her most popular reel has 1040 views, and her reels are getting about 480 views on average.

These women are just like you.  They have families, own businesses, and are trying to expand their reach on social media.  And, by using Reels, they’re collectively getting 1.6x more views than they have followers…. without paying for ads and without being marketing gurus.  If they can do it, you can do it too!

If your goal is to find more followers, generate leads, and make sales – I can help you!