If reels give you the ICK here’s all the tips and tricks 📱
If you’re a small business owner feeling the Instagram reels pressure, you’re not alone!
We’ve been tackling MANY questions when it comes to the sometimes touchy topic of reels and wanted to share with you the answers, thoughts and debunk some myths when it comes to this type of content for your brand and business.
Plus, share some of our game-changing tips to make reels easier and WAY more attainable than they may have originally seemed.
FIRST up, stats that matter:
Let's talk reels numbers (boring but impactful 😉)
As you can see, Reels are not just a trend, they're a goldmine for business owners and play a HUGE role in building brand awareness for your business (A.K.A that top-of-funnel content).
Myth Busting Reels:
Now onto the myths… Reels are more than dances and lip-syncs! Let me break through some common misconceptions when it comes to reels for your business 👇🏽
Myth #1: Reels are only for dancing and lip-syncing.
Debunked: Reels are a versatile tool that can be used for a wide range of content, including educational videos, product demonstrations, storytelling, and so much more.
So don’t worry, you don’t have to whip out the dance moves (unless you want to of course 😏)
Myth #2: Reels require professional video editing skills to be successful.
Debunked: Yes, high-quality editing can enhance Reels, but the reality is, that you can create engaging content with basic editing tools (we love capcut) and creative ideas all simply filmed on your phone. Authenticity and creativity matter more than professional editing.
Myth #3: Reels are time-consuming to create.
Debunked: With a little planning and using available resources like templates, the IG professional dashboard to find trending audio, and editing apps (or even within the app, just save your drafts), you can streamline the Reels creation process and save time while still producing engaging content and consistently.
Myth #4: Reels don't generate meaningful engagement.
Debunked: Reels have a high engagement rate but more importantly reels are part of the reach and brand awareness section of your content funnel and digital marketing strategy. So yes, engagement is always great BUT, the main goal we like to focus on for reels is reach and that it is reaching your ideal audience.
Myth #5: Reels are not suitable for business promotion.
Debunked: Reels are actually one of the most effective tools for not just brand awareness but for showcasing products, sharing brand stories, announcing promotions, and connecting with your audience on a personal level, making them a valuable asset for business promotion.
Pro Tips & Tricks To Save You Time:
Tip #1 - Re-purpose with new footage
Yep, I said it… go through your best-performing reels from the last 3-6 months, take the key message from the top performing and re-purpose with new audio and footage. This is such a time-saver and creates space for repeat messaging which is CRUCIAL for marketing successfully.
Tip #2 - Trending Audio Hack
Your job isn’t to sit, scroll and audio source so outsource it by subscribing to a Reels report or Reels membership like the one we LOVE by BSquared Social. This membership means we get up-and-coming/trending audios delivered with instructions weekly (a time-saver and game-changer).
Another FREE option, is to use the ‘currently trending’ audio in the Instagram professional dashboard app. See how to find this below ⬇️
The only downside to this is that the audios are ‘currently’ trending and this sometimes has an impact if the audio is about to be ‘not trending’ audio anymore and may impact the reach in comparison to audio being up and coming or ‘newly’ trending which reels reports and memberships are great for.
Tip #3 - Filming Tools
Our fav tripod - https://www.jbhifi.com.au/products/xcd-wireless-bluetooth-selfie-stick-with-tripod
Microphones are great but not a necessary tool, however, we love this one - https://www.jbhifi.com.au/products/saromonic-lavmicro-u3a-lapel-microphone-usb-c
Lighting - The best lighting is natural and facing a window. However, if you struggle for natural lighting here is a great light alternative - https://www.target.com.au/p/flexible-selfie-ring-light-anko/68735999 or https://www.target.com.au/p/selfie-ring-light-anko/68769864
Tip #4 - Get organised
Create a B-roll album and start to fill it from the clips you already have in your camera roll (yes, I can guarantee you would have at least 10 clips in your camera you could chuck in there right now).
We now have 80+ clips in our b-roll album and this saves so much time and takes the pressure off of having to create and shoot new videos ALL THE DAMN TIME (because nobody has time for that, especially busy business owners).
Tip #5 - ALWAYS save your drafts
If you do decide to edit within the app (which is perfectly okay, you don’t need to edit outside of IG), just make sure to save your drafts because those pesky things can be lost as quickly as you can say tripod… and this not only can be frustrating but also discouraging and leave you not posting from the stubborn ‘I’m not re-doing that’ mindset which tends to come with deleted drafts (we have totally experienced this too 😉).
last but not least, here are some Reel-y Helpful Resources:
We've got your back with some EPIC Reels resources:
Dive deep into Reels strategies with Later Blog's expert tips and audio recommendations.
Level up your Reels game with BSquared Social's Reels report and course for unparalleled insights.
Don't feel camera-ready? Grab stock videos from Pexels to keep your content fresh and engaging.
So are we saying goodbye to Reels anxiety and hello to Reels success?
Being that Reels are such a crucial part of a brands awareness stage of the funnel and digital marketing strategy in 2024 we want you to feel confident and embrace the power of Instagram Reels for your small business.
I would love to know if this was helpful, so shoot me a DM on IG or comment below if you LOVED this blog and want more useful and resourceful blogs just like it!
Chloe x
Founder of Chloe’s Creative Co.
