You may have noticed the addition of the new function on Instagram – Instagram Reels.
They’re actually the result of Instagram stepping up to try to compete better with TikTok. This innovative content format helps by offering a counterpart to TikTok’s short-form videos.
The beauty of Reels is that they offer a valuable new platform for business and marketers. They create new opportunities!
You can use them to engage, build your reach, and strengthen brand discoverability. This is helpful especially for small businesses and brands looking to grow their audiences.
Today, we’ll talk about how to do those things, giving you an introduction to using Instagram Reels in Singapore markets.
What are Instagram Reels?
So, what are Reels? Nothing too complicated: they’re basically 60-second-long short-form videos using the vertical format.
For Reels, the rule of thumb is to use the 9:16 aspect ratio. Stick to 1080p x 1920p for best results.
Reels can also include video clips, images, and audio. Their versatility lends to them to myriad applications, which is part of why they’ve become popular so quickly.
How to Make a Reel on Instagram
Now, let’s say you want to try making your own Instagram Reel. We’ll take you through the steps.
1. Start with a concept
This is pretty basic. You need to have an idea of what you want to convey or portray with the Reel first.
Our suggestion is to begin by asking yourself what topic you’d like to cover. This is pretty straightforward: you just need to relate it to your business or industry.
If you’re a fashion e-commerce store, you might try outfit ideas. If you’re a gym, think of workout and wellness tips.
And remember: ensure cohesion with the rest of your feed posts and stories. That’s why it can help to check out your past posts – they might give you ideas.
You can even follow Reel trends, use the platform to post insider content, share stories or info, and more. Just be sure that it’s always relevant to your target audience.
2. Go to the Instagram Reel creation screen
There are 3 ways to create Reels on Instagram. We’ll go through all of them!
Through the Reels Tab
Just look for the Reels tab on the app. As of writing, it’s the middle one at the bottom of the interface: the icon that looks like a clapperboard.
If you tap that, it will take you to Instagram Reels. To create your own Reel, you just have to select the camera tab or icon at the top right of that screen.
Through the Instagram Home Screen
If you’re on Instagram’s home screen, just look at the upper right icons and find the “+” sign.
Tap it and a dropdown box of options will appear that includes the option “Reel”. Tap that and you’re good to go!
Through the Instagram Stories Camera
If you’re on the Instagram Stories Camera screen, just look at the bottom of the page. You’ll see options like “Post”, “Story”, and of course, “Reels”.
Select “Reels” from there and you’ll be taken to Reel creation.
3. Shoot or create the Reel
We say shoot or create because you can record new footage or content for your Reel as well as add existing content to it.
On the whole, we recommend using new or original footage. It’s prioritised by Instagram’s algorithm and offers more authenticity.
The most common way of doing it is to just record from the app, whether in a continuous stream or in broken-up clips that you put together afterwards. To record, just hold the central (circular) icon at the bottom of the screen.
Note all of the effects and editing tools on the screen, by the way. A musical note icon on the left shows you how to add custom or pre-recorded audio, as an example, and a “1x” icon indicates a tool for setting video playback speed.
Further effects include adding stickers, filters, and more. Just select the icon with three stars above the recording icon.
And if you need to trim a clip, just press the back icon or “<” to the left of the recording icon. It will take you to a screen with an icon showing scissors (the trimming tool), and also lets you preview the clip.
4. Share the Reel
Now you’re ready to share. Here are the main steps for this part:
Choose a cover photo. You’ll have to crop it to display it ideally on your profile’s grid, by the way (grid preview images are square, whereas the video is rectangular).
Write an interesting caption that lets you elaborate on what the Reel shows. Think of it as a great place to put other info that you couldn’t put in the video to avoid overwhelming viewers.
(Optional) If you’ve used your own audio, name it in case others want to use it and reference you. Others might want it as an asset on Instagram Music Singapore or even globally!
(Optional) Select the “Recommend on Facebook” option to further your reach.
(Optional) Select the option to share it to your feed to further your reach.
(Optional) Tag other users.
Tap “Share”.
By the way, on the subject of tagging, you can even tag users for a partnership! The latter is probably one of the most fun parts of doing Reels.
You see, it offers another chance to build your audience and views for the Reel. If the user accepts your invite to collaborate, the post will be shared to their followers as well.
Moreover, the user you’re partnered with will be shown as a co-author of the post, which can further enhance your reach or even authority.
5 Tips for Creating Successful Reels
Want to make the most of your Reels? Here are some tips for how to do that!
1. Use captions and text
Most people have already seen the research stating that 85% of videos on Facebook are watched without sound. It indicates that people need to use text and captions to support their video and audio.
Well, it’s still true. These takeaways have been supported by quite a few other studies since.
For instance, the people at Instapage discovered average total view time going up 5%, total viewers by 3%, average reach by 16%, and even reactions by 17% with captions.
So, don’t miss a chance to add useful (but unobtrusive) captions and text to your Reels. They can boost quite a few metrics for just a little effort.
2. Jump on trends
Like most other things on Instagram, Reels come and go quickly. That’s why they’re an ideal content type for hopping on new trends.
Try to check out what the latest trends are on Reels before making your next one. It can let you hop on the trend’s popularity train, even if only for a little while.
3. Drive traffic
This is a basic tenet of Instagram marketing, but we mention it every time because so many people forget! Make sure that you include a clear CTA to lead people back to your profile.
You’d be surprised how many people act on CTAs in social media. The simpler and clearer the CTA is, the better.
The idea is that if they liked your content in the Reel, they may be interested in more of what you have to offer. So, encourage them to check out the rest of your posts.
4. Post consistently
This is another thing to keep in mind when doing Instagram marketing. Once you find your niche, you should post consistently.
Social media moves quickly, which means you can’t afford to trickle out content at a very slow pace. To ensure that your brand is top-of-mind for consumers and has a chance of building up a serious following, it has to be constantly visible.
That means posting whenever you can about your niche or industry. You want people to associate you with the niche, which can only be good for your brand.
5. Use hashtags
Finally, don’t forget to use hashtags whenever possible. A lot of Instagram users still employ hashtags to search for the content they want, so this increases your discoverability.
Hashtags are also essentially metadata. This is because they help the algorithm understand your content and ensure it will be shown to the right audiences.
Want some help with your Instagram Reel strategy?
As you can see, Instagram Reels offer a lot of opportunities for you to reach more people on the platform. We’ve given you a primer on how to use them, but there’s so much more we couldn’t cover in this article.
If you want to learn more about using Reels or just want some help getting started, reach out to us. We’ve put together and continue to handle dozens of clients’ Instagram accounts to build their brands and reach.
So, don’t hesitate to reach out if you want a no-obligation discussion of how we can help you there. Contact us for a chat about your digital marketing needs!