It’s no longer a secret that Instagram is a powerful tool for successful businesses, right? Therefore, it’s crucial to know how to use its features effectively to boost engagement and grow your brand. With that said, Reels has become a fantastic marketing strategy.
Launched to compete directly with TikTok, this feature enables you to share valuable content with your audience through short and creative videos.
So, today we’re going to share what Reels is and how you can use this social media tool to reach your business goals (and have a little fun while you do).
What Are Instagram Reels?
Instagram Reels is an in-app creation tool that works a lot like TikTok.
You can create short videos, match them up to music or other audio, and share them on Instagram’s social media platform.
Reels is a bit different from TikTok because the content you create on Instagram Reels appears in your Instagram feed, your profile page, and on the Explore page.
So, how can you use Reels in your business?
How To Use Instagram Reels To Grow Your Business
Showcase Your Products
Reels offer a great chance to do a little show and tell.
Highlight the best features of your product and share the benefits of using it. For example, Coffee Over Cardio shares Instagram reels of their different coffee products.
And if you don’t have a product-based business, don’t worry. You can still use Reels to highlight your service-providing work as well.
Sharing services on Reels gives you the chance to show off your brand’s style and the way you do things differently.
They’re also a great way to tell a story, spice up testimonials and reviews, or even build anticipation for an upcoming launch.
Give Followers A Peek Behind The Scenes
Your customers (whether they’re current or soon-to-be) will love seeing behind the curtain a bit.
So, try using Reels to show your product being made, your service being delivered, that can’t-miss photoshoot moment or even your office day-to-day.
Dubsado shares all the love they put into the welcome packets in one of their Behind the Scenes Reels.
A “typical day” video is a great chance for personal brands to give customers and clients a real sense of their work lifestyle and can be helpful for highlighting how a product fits into someone else’s daily routine.
And don’t miss a chance to get fully transparent with your potential customers either. Highlight how you make your products or deliver your services. This works especially well with ethically-made products, products with a handmade component, or services delivered with special and personal attention. But anyone can highlight their workflow and allow customers to feel like they know exactly what goes into the process. (Because they will!)
Whether you’re giving them the backstage pass to your podcast prep, the outtakes from that influencer taping, or you use your Reels to highlight key team members, this type of content makes your audience feel like they’re part of your inner circle. (And that’s a wonderful feeling.)
For example, podcaster Pat Flynn shares that all-too-familiar feeling of just before you hit record in a recent Reel. Every who’s had to go live or record themselves knows this feeling! Doesn’t it make you feel good to know that podcasting guru Pat Flynn feels the same?
Educate Potential Customers
You can also use Reels to serve some key marketing functions like handling potential objections ahead of time and sharing valuable information that can help customers make a buying decision.
You can share unique ways to use your product or new ways to get results from the service you offer.
Showing people how to wear or style your product, or when it’s the “perfect time” to use your service can help them connect with your company even more and give them insight into how exactly your product or service is going to transform their lives.
Another creative move that will help customers connect and convert? Take some time to create FAQ Reels that answer the most common questions with some humor or interesting visuals.
Or you can take follow musician, Connor, and answer questions from your feed posts or use the Q&A sticker in Instagram stories to collect questions and answer them in Reels.
This new medium can help make typical things like course teasers, blog summaries, or upcoming sales seem fresh and new.
And don’t miss the chance to use Reels to create “How To” videos that give customers a step-by-step on how to do something awesome with your product or share your expertise, like business coach, Shaleah AKA the Visionpreneur, does in this high energy Reel.
Hint: Need more than 1 video to show your clients “How To”? Make sure your audience knows to stay tuned for part two! (Bonus: A little cliffhanger can heighten excitement and curiosity.)
Make It Fun And Personal
Speaking of excitement, let’s talk about making things fun and personal with Instagram Reels.
Whether you’re a personal brand or a larger company, it’s important that your audience feels a personal connection to you. And while you can have some serious and professional moments, it’s okay if that connection is fun or even funny.
Entrepreneur and podcaster, Shannan Monson shares a funny Reel of a situation that many other entrepreneurs experience.
Consider sharing your favorite morning rituals, vacation spots you love, that conference or event your team is attending or hosting, or the daily “oops” moments that you know your audience can resonate with.
If there’s a trending meme or video style that aligns with your brand, give it a try. And share the bloopers or outtakes (if that’s your brand’s style, of course).
Create challenges that ask for your audience to share their videos with you or tag you so you can see them!
And don’t be afraid to highlight your inner monologues, upcycle your most-loved TikToks, open up about your big wins, or demonstrate your best (and worst) dance moves.
Authentic connections come from vulnerability and honesty. But they also come from you being real (and sometimes real silly) with the people you serve.
Get Real Impact From Your Instagram Reels
While we’re never going to say “Do what everyone else does” it’s definitely fun to get inspired by others who do similar work.
And, since Reels is still relatively new, it’s always a good idea to jump in and try things out because you’ll be among the first in your field to use this new feature.
This means more eyes on your Reels than on other forms of social media and more chances to connect with people who you can invite into your audience.
Once you’ve started trying out Instagram Reels for your business, check out how many times a Reels video has been “liked” and shared. This information can help you make future content-creation decisions!
And don’t forget to add Reels into your overall marketing plan so you can decide what kind of content to make when.
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