Recently, Instagram Reels become available all around the world. Briel Waxman, our Senior Strategist in New York, was asked to offer her opinions on the new feature. Here they are.
What is Reels?
Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, frequently adds new features that are obviously modelled after those of the company’s rivals. Reels is their version of the video-based platform that TikTok provides, and it includes a collection of editing effects and sound libraries that can be used to create short videos in a short amount of time. In an effort to compete with TikTok’s “For You” discovery page on their app, Instagram has made Reels available in the main feed, on Stories, and it is presently the first option in your Discover page.
Users have complained that Discover for Reels gives preference to Instagram users who already have a significant following. TikTok’s “For You” feature promotes the discovery of new accounts, and users have joked that it is “creepily accurate” when it comes to the curating of material.
How should one make use of Reels?
One type of video format is called Reels. You may produce a video in a single take, similar to how TikTok works, or you can record it in chunks to generate actual effects, such as in this reel by Colour Me Courtney. You have the option of pairing the videos with pre-existing sound clips, which on TikTok either helps users discover new sounds or formats or drives popular sounds and formats, or you may supply an original sound. Additionally, reels may be altered using augmented reality effects and speed customization options. You have the option of recording them all at once, in a sequence of clips that are recorded one at a time, or by using video uploads from your gallery.
Would you recommend using Reels?
Since this function was only introduced a week ago, you should play around with it and do some experimentation to see whether or not the layout is suitable for you and your company. However, before you dive in, here are some questions for you to consider:
Are you familiar with the app TikTok? If you already have a lot of experience making content on TikTok, you should try doing different things on Reels to see what gets the best results.
Should you also be active on Instagram Reels as well as TikTok? Because Instagram is such a large platform with such a large reach, particularly among Millennials, it presents a chance to attract a larger audience with material that is otherwise very similar. Cross-posting to TikTok and Reels should not cause any complications given that not all of the organic material you publish will reach each and every one of your followers; nonetheless, cross-posting does not come without danger. If doing so makes sense for you at all, it will be determined by the content strategy that you have developed.
Are you suited to develop agile, mobile- first content? Because of the nature of the platform, the material should have a less polished and more natural feel; therefore, you will want to ensure that you are prepared to generate content in this manner before you begin.
Is the tone of the material and the format appropriate for your brand? In the following, we have highlighted several crucial concepts for your consideration.
Is Reels an appropriate representation of your company?
Due to the fact that Reels and TikTok share a number of similarities, we will be able to utilise the latter as a benchmark to decide whether or not Reels would be a suitable fit for you.
Look and Feel: Despite the fact that the platform is heavily edited, the content that is made specifically for TikTok is typically less “designed” or “picture perfect.” In addition, the fact that the platform welcomes contributions from anybody and everyone gives it a more genuine, behind-the-scenes atmosphere.
Content Narratives: TikTok is responsible for a multitude of trends, including but not limited to the following:
Alterations made to people, animals, and dwellings, among other things (an example provided by Victoria Lyn).
Laughter as a balm (Mindy Kaling is a good example of this).
Providing a step-by-step walkthrough of a procedure (using the example from “Love and Lemons” as an illustration).
An example of this would be Dr. Julie Smith’s telling a dramatic narrative or delivering some important counsel.
Some potential content tales to think about using in Reel
The possibilities are unlimited, but here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
Combine an instructional, do-it-yourself, or product demonstration video with an existing Reels sound (although the platform is still too young to say for certain, leveraging current noises may help in the discoverability of content).
Take your customers or potential customers behind the scenes of your company, product, or personnel.
Make your own unique sounds and share them with other users so they may use them in their own reels.
Should I go ahead and sign up for Reels right away?
If you are already active on Instagram and have a significant following, it would be worthwhile to experiment with some material in that format to see if anything resonates with your audience to see if anything resonates with your audience to see if anything resonates with your audience. The only thing that can be said for certain about this format is that Instagram will almost certainly alter the manner in which Reels material is shown to viewers. Because of this, we will have to experiment in order to determine what features are most effective, much like how companies were had to do with Stories.