Instagram Reels is a fast and fun way to grow the your business online using video.
But for many communications teams and business owners, it’s hard to know where to begin or even if there is a place for your organisation with this new format.
In the video below I suggest 3 steps to take before you create any Reels.
Moving through these stages will ensure you have the right Instagram set up for Reels, that you focus on creating content relevant to your target audience, and that you start to build a portfolio of ideas, trends and soundtracks before you get anywhere near a camera.
Step 1: Business account or Creator account for Instagram Reels?
If you already have an Instagram Business account you might be disappointed when you go to create your first Reel and scroll through the music selection. You won’t find the latest Ed Sheeran or Dua Lipa track here. In fact you won’t find any well known pop tracks at all.
But, if you switch to a Creator account you can happily select from the full range of current and classic pop music to bring that special sheen to your videos and let you jump on the latest trends.
However, this doesn’t mean you should automatically switch from your existing Business account. There’s still plenty scope for creating quality Reels without these music tracks. You can use the full range of royalty free soundtracks and you can still access the many original audio tracks shared by other IG users. Many of these original audio tracks are from viral videos so you can jump on the latest trend and expose your business to a larger audience.
Both the Business and Creator give you access to insights and analytics as well as a range of shopping and brand tools essential for promoting your business on Instagram. But there are differences in what you can access on each account. This article outlines the main differences and similarities between the two accounts.
It’s easy to switch between the different account types and try out both for a while to see what works best for your. Skip to 1:50 in the video to see how to switch your account type.
Step 2: Choose your niche content area
The key to building an audience in Reels is to find your niche and stick to content only in that area.
It’s important that your audience identify you with one niche area and get to know what to expect from you. It will also help keep your videos focused and relevant.
For a sole trader, your niche will perhaps be an easy choice. For a larger organisation, I suggest picking one area of the business you wish to focus on. You could focus on recruitment, sharing behind the scenes videos, staff interviews, day in the life content, and more. This content will probably appeal to a broader audience but choosing this one niche will bring focus to your video creation and output.
If you want to post videos about broader issues, other parts of the business, or general lifestyle, keep that for IG Stories.
Step 3: Research Reels and save trending soundtracks
Before you begin making any Reels, I suggest spending a significant amount of time as a content consumer on Reels.
Spend time watching other Reels and think how you could adapt existing ideas for your business. This is the beauty of Reels as it is set up as a platform for your to borrow and adapt ideas from others.
A key part of your research will be finding and saving trending soundtracks. Skip to 4:45 in the video to see how to identify trending soundtracks and save them to your library. Using trending soundtracks will boost the reach of your video organically. It’s also a great jumping off point to get your creative juices flowing so you can spot the opportunities for video creation every day at your work.
IG Reels and TikTok Webinar
I spend a lot of time on this research stage in my introductory webinar: Instagram Reels and TikTok.
I’ve done that research for you and will share lots of relevant Reels and TikToks that you could change and adapt for your own business. We’ll also look at the equipment you’ll need to make your Reels look great and explore the many tools and effects available in the apps to shoot and edit your content.
The session will be great fun and I promise you will leave bursting with ideas!
The next webinar is on 2 September, 2021. You can sign up at our events page.
