If you’re a little confused about the different tools available on Instagram, you’re not alone.
We have feed posts, Stories, IGTV, live videos, and now Reels. It’s exhausting just thinking about it.
Although Reels were originally criticised as the TikTok copycat, it’s received high praise from businesses, influencers and users.
And if you’ve spent any time on Instagram, you may have seen all sorts of brands that have jumped on the Reels band wagon.
But there’s a good reason for that.
And in this post we’ll explore what Reels are and why you might want to consider Reels as part of your online marketing strategy.
What are Instagram Reels?
Instagram Reels are short 15 or 30 second videos.
Like TikTok, they allow you to create fun and engaging video content.
With Reels, you can either choose to record videos from within the app itself, or upload a pre-recorded video from your camera roll.
You’re able to piece together multiple video clips, add stickers, captions, filters, backgrounds, music and more.
Instagram Reels are a new and fun way to attract and engage with your ideal audience.
1. Reels allow you to reach new audiences
Right now, Instagram is prioritising Reels content more than anything else, because it’s so new.
Which means there’s a greater chance your content will be visible to more people.
Reels are prioritised in the Explore tab (the search icon at the bottom of your screen), and the Reels tab is front and centre as soon as you open the app.
The Explore and Reels tabs are two places users go to find new content from people they may or may not follow.
This is great for business owners. It means your audience has more opportunity to discover your content.
2. It’s the place to be fun and creative
Reels have a ton of editing tools to take your content to the next level. They’re very different from your average video.
They’re made to be fun, to allow your audience to see a different, lighter side of your business. It’s the kind of content you can’t stop watching.
You can overlay text on your videos that pops in and out when you want it to. You can add creative transitions into your different video clips.
You can slow motion or speed up your videos.
A favourite style among Reels users is to mime along to audio. There’s a huge audio library to choose from to add some extra pizzaz to your Reels.
It’s a real opportunity to create content that stands out and gets seen by the right people.
My client and puppy trainer Lindsay Hampshire, does this brilliantly for her business. Go here to check out her Reels feed for inspiration.
3. Gives you repurposing opportunities
There’s a big benefit to focusing your efforts on Reels. It’s a great opportunity to share that same content to the different content types Instagram offers.
That way you cover more ground and have a chance to reach an even wider audience.
When you create a Reel, that Reel is then shared to your grid.
So anyone visiting your profile direct has a chance to view your content there. You can tell which content is a Reel as the Reel icon appears in the top right of the image in your grid.
You can also share Reels to your stories too. So you can essentially appear in three different places from one piece of content.
Time saving magic!
4. Allows you to educate potential customers
You can use Reels to better educate your customers around the products or services you provide.
This can be a great way to pull people off the fence and help them make a buying decision.
So for example, say you offer dog walking services. You might want to shoot a few clips mashed together that include:
- You arriving at the customer’s house
- Then showing your client’s dog hopping into the crate in your van.
- Then arriving at a beautiful destination
- Then them frolicking with friends through a field or in a lake.
It paints a picture of what your viewers can expect if they choose you as their dog walker.
5. Allows you to sell your products directly
You can also sell your products directly from your Reels posts.
If you’re approved for Instagram Shopping, you’re able to tag specific products that people can check out and buy straight from the app.
So say you created a fun Reel showing a dog interacting with a new toy you’ve just released. You can then tag that product in your shop.
They’re a great way to encourage immediate sales for the products you have available.
Reels offer pet businesses a chance to engage with their audience in a fun and unique way. I hope this post has given you the confidence and a sprinkle of inspiration to share your next Reel.
If you need support to help you build your Instagram presence, why not consider becoming a member of the Pet Biz Thrive Online Club. We have an entire Instagram training module where you’ll learn all about how to use Instagram strategically to grow your audience and customer base.