If you have ever been on Tiktok, Reels would be the Instagram counterpart.

But for the benefit of those who have never been on Tiktok, here is a guide that tells you all about Reels: what they are, how to make them, and how to use them for your business!

Contents:

1. What is Instagram Reels? 2. How to Create Your First Reel 3. How to Use Reels for Your Business 4. How to Get Discovered with Reels 5. The Future of IG Reels

Reels are 15-second multi-clip videos that show up as a part of your feed or shared as a Story. In contrast to IG Stories, Reels are multi-clip, meaning you can cut and shoot and transition to different scenes all in one video, instead of it being chopped up into a series of separate videos, like an Instagram story.

Instagram’s latest video feature is now available in the United States and 50 other countries. Similar to TikTok, Instagram users can record and edit together 15-second video clips set to music and share them to their Stories, Explore Feed, and the new Reels tab on a user’s profile.

Instagram Reels has its own version of the For You page: the new Reels Explore Feed. You can find the Reels feed on the Instagram Explore Page.

Instead of only seeing Reels from accounts you follow as you scroll, you will see Reels from popular and trending accounts on Instagram.

While the Reels algorithm hasn’t been locked down yet, it feels similar to the TikTok For You page. It’s likely influenced by who you already know, what content you interact with, and where you’re located.

As you’re scrolling, you may notice some Reels have a “Featured” label above the caption. According to Instagram, “If your reel is featured in Explore, you’ll receive a notification. Featured reels are a selection public reels chosen by Instagram to help you discover original content we hope will entertain and inspire you.”

An just like TikTok, if you find a song or audio clip you like, you can tap the music and select “Use Audio”.

TIP: Take a peek at the other videos using that audio and see what’s out there. It never hurts to take inspiration and jump on a trend!

Users can also select music from a huge library or use their own audio.

On top of selecting and adding music, there are a number of handy video editing tools to explore. A video countdown timer, the option to adjust your video’s speed, and a library of video effects to choose from.

When creating a Reel, you can choose to film video clips on the spot or upload from your camera roll. Once you’re happy with the clips, you can use the draw and text tools and choose from a selection of Instagram stickers.

Instagram Reels is a new mode in the Instagram Stories camera menu, positioned either between the default Normal mode and Create mode or on the bottom menu next to “Story”.

To access it, simply open the Instagram Stories camera and find the Reels icon.

From this screen, you can select your audio by tapping the music icon:

Choose the speed of your video by pressing the play icon: Choose how long your clips will be by selecting the stopwatch icon. When you set a timer, there’s a countdown before the recording starts:

Similar to Boomerang mode, you can scroll across to apply effects or AR filters to your Instagram Reels video. You can choose to use any previously saved filters or you can scroll to the end and tap “Browse Effects”. Either hold down the record button to capture footage or upload video footage from your camera roll.

Much like on TikTok, you can start and stop recording multiple times during your 15- second video by pressing and holding the record button. Once you’re happy with the result, you can edit your video clips. You can use the draw and text tools and select from a number of Instagram Stickers.

When finished, you can edit the cover photo with a video thumbnail or add a cover from your camera roll. Now it’s time to share your masterpiece! You can share the Reel to your Stories, Explore Feed, and the new Reels tab on your profile.

Check out the latest Instagram Reels tab on Instagram profiles – this is where you will see your videos and drafts and where your followers can go to find all of your published Reels.

Reels could be considered a direct response to the growing popularity of TikTok — which has surged in popularity over the last 12 months. TikTok generated “the most downloads for any app ever in a quarter” in Q1 2020, according to Adweek.

And TikTok’s core demographic is rapidly changing. While once dominated by Gen-Z users, Millennials now make up a greater share of TikTok’s user base than ever before — making the platform a much more attractive proposition for advertisers.

According to recent data from Comscore, the percentage of US-based TikTok users aged between 25-34 increased from 22.4% in January to 27.4% in April, while the 18- 24 year-old bracket fell from 41.1% to 35.3%.

Instagram Reels is a new way to build your community and grow your reach on Instagram. It’s a fun and engaging way to share viral (and creative!) snippets with your audience.

Even in its early stages, Instagram Reels is proving to be a space where both brands and creators can make waves.

If you’re already using Instagram for your business, it may be worth giving Instagram Reels a try. If Tiktok’s rise to popularity is anything to go by, it could be worth getting on the action, and quickly!

Here are three ways you can use Instagram Reels in your marketing strategy:

Instagram Reels for Business #1: Create Authentic Content that Resonates with Your Audience

When Instagram Stories entered the scene in 2016, few could have predicted just how successful the fun and informal ephemeral format would prove to be.

If Instagram Stories is anything to go off of, Reels could be even bigger.

Instagram Reels are designed to be fast and fun and are packed full of special effects that make creating captivating and authentic content seriously easy.

This offers a great opportunity for businesses to show a more human, less picture- perfect side – which can be great for building genuine relationships and strengthening community.

You don’t have to save your personality for other apps, now you can showcase it all on your Instagram. All your followers have to do is slide on over to the new Instagram Reels tab.

And what’s even better? You’ll reach a whole new audience doing so. Your Reels will show up on users’ Explore pages and just like that, they’ll be able to tap the follow button right away.

Instagram Reels for Business #2: Share Educational Content

Posting educational content is a great place to start – give your followers your top 5 travel tips, teach them how to get the perfect photo, or show them how to style a skirt in 5 ways.

Instagram Reels for Business #3: Showcase Products Instagram Reels is a huge opportunity for brands and businesses looking to drive awareness and sales from the platform.

Especially since Reels are pushed out on the Reels Explore Page, users who don’t follow you will see your content – this is huge!

And, while we aren’t sure how the Instagram Reels algorithm works just yet, it’s a good idea to use hashtags and descriptive captions to let Instagram know what you’re talking about.

More content you can create with Reels:

• Document your hustle • Tell entertaining stories about your brand • Seamless tutorials • Talk about different features of your product in one video • Demonstrate a transformation in a dramatic way

Here are some pro-tips to reach your content’s maximum potential when using Instagram Reels:

• Use hashtags when posting your Reels on your feed • Invite your followers to view your Reels • Tag brands and friends when you post Reels on your feed • Make your account public so that your Reels can get featured in the Explore tab • Use audio and stickers as much as possible to capture more attention and engagement • Jump on trends. Find out what’s out there!

Instagram’s latest video feature is now available in the United States and 50 other countries.

So, what will the Instagram Reels mean for brands and businesses on Instagram?

When Instagram launched Instagram Stories in 2016, there were 150 million users. Now, a mere four years later, over 500 million users use stories everyday. If this is any indication, it looks like Instagram Reels has a bright future ahead.

It’s a good idea to jump on Instagram Reels early while competition is still low, especially since Instagram could be giving extra prominence to get the feature off the ground.

Influencers and brands are already starting to use Reels as a way to promote products – and we think this is only the beginning! Similar to TikTok, it’s likely brands will jump on the opportunity to partner with influencers to create branded Instagram Reels.

Currently, users can only use a select number of GIFs and stickers on their Reels. But, as more Instagram users get on Reels and give their feedback, we can expect to see a number of Instagram Stories’ features released for Reels, like shoppable stickers and swipe-up links.

Not only will it be a space for brands and businesses to share creative content, but it will also be an additional way for advertisers to push their products. Similar to how advertisers can place adverts between Instagram Stories, we predict the advertising options will be quite similar.

Instagram Reels may also be another way for brands and businesses to better understand their Instagram community even further. Currently, the only analytics available for Reels are view count, likes, and comments.

But, just like on TikTok and Instagram Stories, we expect there to be in-depth analytics for Instagram Reels in the future.

Whatever your brand or business, there’s a creative opportunity waiting for you.

What do you think the future of Instagram Reels will be? Tell me your thoughts and head on over to my Instagram profile: @sixteenramos!

Sources: Later.com and Instagram.com