If Reels Make Your Head Hurt, Try This:

If me saying the word "reels" makes you cringe, you're not alone. This time last week I was still rolling my eyes about them and wishing they'd just go away forever.

Yeah, I understood that reels could be helpful, but I still wasn't convinced they were for me. Instagram always gives preference in the algorithm to the newest feature that they release. The Reels feature was released in August and it’s been crazy to see the results some people are getting with their reels. You’ve probably seen many of them if you’ve scrolled through Instagram recently. I think it's about time we all got on the bandwagon.

You may have wondered:

"How on earth can reels help me as a product business owner?"

and

"And do I really have to dance?"

If the idea of recording yourself dancing or doing something hilarious makes you get sweaty armpits (like it does for me 😂), there are a lot of other effective ways to use Reels--no dancing required!

Ideas for Reels

Think honest.

Save-able.

Shareable.

The topic of your reel doesn’t have to be about your product specifically. It can be anything that will resonate with your audience. 

Scroll through Instagram and see some other well performing reels and get some inspiration for your own.

Here are some prompts to help get your wheels turning with reels:

• What will the people who follow me find relatable or funny?
• What challenges do the people who follow me face? What do they need help with? What tips could I share that have helped me?
• What questions are people asking me over and over about my product that I could answer?
• Can I demonstrate a common or alternative use for my product? What could I show that would make the use of my product seem more clear?
• What are other people saying about my product? How can I showcase their reviews?

Adding Music to your Reels

If you’re currently a “business” account on Instagram, you won’t be able to add music to your Reels within the Instagram app which is a huge bummer. I’m not sure what the reason is, but it’s a universal issue for all business accounts right now. (If you’re a “creator” on Instagram, you should be able to add music with no problem.)

To add music to your reels, try the app Splice. It has its own music library (and it's actually really good, not corny music) that you can add to your reels. It's SO much easier to edit clips together with. And there are a lot of other cool features you can add to your videos too like transitions and unique text and font colors.

Heads up, it does cost $9.99 per month (or $49.99 if you want access for a whole year).  But I’m always willing to pay a few dollars for apps that save me time and headache. The first 7 days are free, so try it out and see what you think!

After you Post Your Reel

Immediately after you post your reel, make sure to add a comment with 10 or more relevant hashtags. 

Make sure to share it to your stories as well. BUT make sure that you cover up the content of the video with a gif! If your reel is only 15 seconds long, they’ll be able to watch the whole thing in the story slide without tapping over to watch it in the feed. You want to make sure people watch the actual reel because that’s how it gets more views and engagement which will help it climb higher and higher in the algorithm. 

Other Tips for Reels

You can choose between a 15 second or 30 second length for your reels. Try to stick with the 15 second length if possible (the shorter, the better) but you can use the full 30 seconds if you need more time. 

Make sure that your text and the focal point of your video clips stay in the “invisible square” in the middle of the screen. If you’re not sure what I mean by that, I’ll explain. You’ve probably noticed that when you record a story, the aspect of the video is tall and skinny. But a typical post you'll see in a feed is usually about 1:1 or a square. If you put text on your Reels too low or too high on the screen, it won’t be visible when people see your reels while they're scrolling through their feed. Make sure the focal point of your video clips and the text you add are in the “invisible square” area so that everything can be seen without having to tap on the Reel to watch it in the large view. 

A Challenge To You

This time last week, I hadn't tried make a reel yet and I was still super intimidated by them. BUT I set a goal to post a reel by the end of the week. And guess what--I actually had so much FUN making my first one that I ended up making 2!

And I think it will be a lot of fun for you too. So I want to extend a challenge to you. If you haven't posted a reel, 

Post your first reel by this Friday. 

When you do, tag me in it or sent it to me (@kpcreativestudios) so that I can see it and share it to my Insta stories!

I don't think this feature will be going away any time soon. It's time to stop resisting and jump on the bandwagon. Trust me, it's going to be so much fun!!!