Instagram's newest marketing tool

This is the second time Instagram has imitated a competitor - a few years ago, it released a ‘Stories’ feature based on the success of Snapchat, which has since decreased in popularity.

With the future of TikTok up in the air as the Trump administration considers banning it, Instagrams imitator Reels comes at a significant moment.

So what exactly is it, and how can you use it to promote your ShopFactory store?

Reels, defined.

According to the official statement from Instagram, Reels allows users to:

“Record and edit 15-second multi-clip videos with audio, effects, and new creative tools. You can share reels with your followers on Feed, and, if you have a public account, make them available to the wider Instagram community through a new space in Explore.”

They incorporate many of the features which made TikTok so successful - the ability to easily edit videos, add music, add special effects and manipulate playback speed. With 89% of marketing professionals using Instagram as a key marketing strategy, early adoption of this new feature could help you cut in front of the competition.

Things to consider before you start.

Whenever you create a piece of content, plan out first what the goal of the content is. Do you want to entertain your audience? Influence them into a certain behaviour? Educate them?

Once you’ve decided what your objective is, take a look through trending topics and themes to identify if there are any which you could combine with your goal.

Which resources do you have which could help you reach this? Do you have props, people, paper, pens? Creativeness can be learnt, but if you’re stuck for ideas then writing out an objective and the list of tools you have available can help trigger some unique combinations.

You can also brainstorm around existing types of video, such as:

• Tutorials and demonstrations,
• Collaborations with influencers or other businesses,
• Commemorating special events,
• Sharing news and updates,
• Joining in with an existing trend or challenge.

How to create Reels.

When you open the Instagram stories camera on the very top left of the Instagram feed page, you’ll find three options: Live, which allows you to stream in real time to your audience, Story, which allows you to share a short video or image for 24 hours, or Reels.

Once you’ve clicked record, you’ll be able to edit the videos you’ve produced, adding sound effects and popular music, speeding up and slowing time, adding filters, and adjusting which parts of the video you’d like to cut or trim.

Just like Stories, you’re also able to add stickers and texts to any videos you produce.

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The best way to get started is to simply experiment, so if Instagram marketing is a part of your business strategy, try it out today. Showcasing your business on Reels, combined with our SEO optimized and mobile friendly website formats, can be a great way to help your business grow.

- Lena Klein