Reels have officially taken over Instagram. If you want to be successful on the app, you need to be making Reels. Here are the top 5 reasons your brand should be focusing on Instagram Reels.
1. Reels gain higher organic engagement than posts
Reels have a higher reach compared to other content on the Instagram app. Specifically, Reels receive 22% more engagement than the regular Instagram photo and video posts. While pictures and videos are mixed on the explore page, Reels have their own tab on the Instagram app. The explore page holds all forms of content and sometimes it is a little challenging to find the content you want to view. With their own tab, Reels are easy to navigate, and users spend more time watching Reels than viewing their feed. Furthermore, Reels can be posted on your feed and story for higher engagement. Recent research has discovered that Instagram reels beat all other short-form video apps in engagement with an average of 53 minutes of viewing time globally.
2. Reels allow you to tell a better story
Reels allow brands to express their creativity and tell their story. There are endless opportunities to create fun videos with audio, various editing styles, and video content. With up to 90 seconds of video it is easy to share an engaging, detailed video with your audience. Using trending video content and audio to tell your story is a great way to increase engagement and reach the right audience. Customers want to know that the brands they interact with are more than a business. Brands must show customers that they care about who shops with them. Adding an emotional appeal is a great strategy to increase brand awareness and show users what makes your brand special.
3. Target a new audience
Reels are an effective way to reach an audience outside of your current followers. Reels can be used to increase brand awareness and draw in new customers who share similar interests. Hashtags are often used to help the Instagram algorithm pinpoint content with the right audiences. Each user’s Reels page is unique and caters to their interests, and in some cases, when a video gains enough traction it is shared for most users to see. When creating content, it is important to stay true to your brand while venturing out into new trends. Catching the attention of new audiences can be a bit of a challenge, but with the right technique and execution, Instagram Reels are great for exposure.
4. Showcase your brand’s personality and values
Social media is less about traditional marketing and more about communication and connection with current and potential customers. Customers resonate with brands they have a lot in common with, and Reels are a great way for brands to showcase their personality and values with customers in hopes of retaining them and introducing new customers to the brand. In today’s society, there is more to running a business than just making a profit. Customers are now inclined to shop with brands that they relate to or they believe value them as a customer. By sharing your brand personality and values, you are showing customers what is important to you as a business and why you value your customers.
5. Highlight what differentiates your products from your competitors
Reels can be used to showcase why your ideal customer should shop with you. Reels are your opportunity to utilize new and exciting video techniques to show your point of differentiation in action. Whether it be weekly menu deals, unique fashion designs, or community support, Reels are a great way for brands to showcase what makes them special. Product differentiation is one of the most successful marketing strategies, and Reels are a cheap and effective way to show customers why they should choose your brand over your competitors. Creativity and great content is key to catching the eyes of current and potential customers.
For the 5 reasons above and many more, if your brand is not making use of Reels yet, you may want to start now.
