What is a Reel?

We'll just make this brief because there's a fair chance you know this already but just so we're all on the same page, let's briefly explain what a Reel is and why they are so important for video marketing.

Instagram introduced Reels to their platform in August 202o in response to the growing popularity of short videos on TikTok. At first they were only 15 seconds long but they have since expanded to 90 seconds.

Since they were launched, Instagram's algorithm favoured these short form videos over other content and this made Reels an essential tool for anyone wanting to reach new people. With Meta increasingly favouring video this is very unlikely to change. In fact in 2022, Reels were introduced to Facebook too (albeit with a 60 second restriction).

Now Reels have been around for a while there are tonnes of them out there. So getting yours in front of new people is becoming harder. But there are some things you can do that will make your Reels stand out. Here are 3 things you can do to get yours noticed more.

1. Don't blend in

If you want to stand out in a field of sunflowers it makes sense not to be a sunflower. The same can be said for Reels. If you want your little videos to get noticed, it's best not to blend in.

Here's the problem

Instagram have a limited (but growing) suite of options for creators who want to make a Reel within the Instagram app. With limited options there are a lot of Reels that tend to look fairly similar. So it becomes more difficult to spot your Reels within all the others. Or spot your sunflower in a field of sunflowers.

Here's the solution

Don't make your Reels within Instagram. If you use a third party app or some video editing software to make your video you will have a limitless number of options so your Reels will stand out. The better you get at filming, editing and adding graphics the better your Reels will look and the more people will pay attention. It's also important to make your videos appropriate for your audience. More on that later.

TikTok is not Instagram

Since it's inception, TikTok trends have been super popular. It started out with dancing and miming to music but trends have since developed into a wide variety of little challenges, some more popular than others. Often these trends have migrated over to Instagram and developed a life there too.

Do not copy them!

Can you guess why? Yep, everyone else is doing them and if you do too you won't stand out! So stop following trends and start your own. Plus some trends can come over looking unprofessional on a business account and may not be appropriate for your chosen audience. More on that later (promise).

One more thing about TikTok. NEVER make a video in TikTok and then copy it to Instagram. TikTok watermarks all of their videos. We've heard from a number of sources that Instagram don't like showing thousands of people videos that contain the logo of their competitor (which makes a lot of sense). Therefore your video may not perform as well with a TikTok logo on it.

Plus it just looks plain lazy and unprofessional if you are trying to build a brand. So, referring back to our first point. Make your videos using something that's not Instagram or TikTok.

2. Follow the format

We know we said that you should try to stand out and not fit in but there are certain rules you should stick to if you want your Reels to do well. Some of these may seem obvious but we regularly see people not following them.

Fill the frame

Instagram is a mobile app first. Reels are designed to be watched on mobile therefore your Reels should follow the portrait format and should fill the space entirely.

However, watch a few Reels on your phone and you'll notice there are several buttons and some text that covers up some of the image. So make sure your action (and text) does not fall within these spaces.

Don't fill the time

On Instagram you currently have 90 seconds to do your stuff. So make sure your stuff fits in the time allowed. If you're talking to camera you will want to make the best of the time you have and offer a beginning, middle and end to your video whilst offering some value at the same time.

You really want 3 elements within your Reel.

1. Grab attention with a headline.
2. Give away some expert knowledge or entertain the audience.
3. Provide a call to action (follow, visit our website, grab our offer, that kind of thing).

Getting all that info in within 90 seconds will take some practice but it's worth it because your videos and your content will stand out as a result. Plus you will look like a presenting master.

Having said all that you don't have to fill the 90 seconds. In fact there's a lot of research to suggest that even though there are 90 seconds up for grabs, Reels that are less than 60 seconds still perform better.

Add some captions

Your videos always need to make as much sense without sound as they do with sound. Always! Over 85% of Instagram users choose to have their devices on mute so you MUST spell everything out with captions. Take a look at this blog to learn more about this one.

3. Know who you're talking to

This is a biggie. In fact it's the most important aspect of all marketing, not just video marketing. If you have something to sell there will probably be a specific audience out there who will want to buy it.

Before the internet (yes, there was such a time, ask your parents) advertising your product or service could be a little hit and miss. Let's say for example that you sell bathrooms. If you placed an advert in your local paper, everyone who buys a copy would potentially see your advert even though only a small percentage of them may be in the market for a new bathroom.

With social media you have the opportunity to target only people who are looking for a new bathroom. If you put money behind an ad on Instagram (or Facebook) you can even tell the platform only to show that advert to potential bathroom buyers. Pretty clever huh?

In a nutshell, the more specific your content is the more chance you have of hitting the right people between the eyes. Take a look at this blog which takes a deeper dive into this topic.

Is this all a little confusing?

If you need more help coming up with ideas for Reels or learning how to make yours stand out you're in luck because that's what we do. As well as this we offer one day coaching workshops where we can take you through all aspects of using video for marketing. Each day is bespoke to your needs and it doesn't have to cost the earth either.

We can cover:

• Coming up with ideas
• Pre-production ... why and how to do it
• How to present in front of a camera
• How to use a camera
• How to edit a video and add captions
• How to post on social media for the best results

Click on the link below to explore the different ways our coaching workshops can help you and of course, come and say hi if you would like to ask us a few questions.