Instagram is without a doubt the finest platform for connecting with your target audience. Instagram, which has over 1.3 billion users, allows businesses to engage with potential customers, create relationships, and grow a devoted following. This is why businesses should take advantage of every new feature introduced by Instagram, including the most recent content format, Instagram Reels.
There's little question you'll want to modify your content after Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri indicated in December that Reels will be the company's main priority in 2022.
Within the Instagram Reels app, you can create interactive films, apply effects, and stitch them together. This material has its own Explore page, where users may watch different Reels according to the type of content they enjoy and learn more about the profile.
Reels are a fantastic tool for ecommerce stores to use to aid with client acquisition and social media growth. Let's look at why Instagram Reels are valuable and how you can make Reels for your Shopify store's Instagram account.
What are Instagram Reels?
Instagram Reels is a video feature on Instagram that highlights short-form video content (ranging from around 15-second up to a minute). You may shoot and post these short movies directly from the app, or you can upload Reels recordings from your camera roll to Instagram.
They're meant to be a quick and enjoyable method to share unique content with other Instagram users (who now number over one billion). Users may access Reels via the Explore page as well as the dedicated Reels icon on the app home's bottom screen. The Reels feed allows you to seamlessly segue from one video to the next while browsing.
You may utilize Reels' creative features to add original audio or Instagram music library songs to your video clips, as well as overlay text, stickers, and AR effects (or filters).
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Benefits of using Instagram Reels
Reels have been positioned on Instagram as discovery material that users can swipe through and watch. Consumers whose surfing history and habits match the type of material you generate are shown your Reels via the platform. This increases your exposure to new and relevant audiences, helping you to get new followers.
If you like articles about home décor, for example, you'll see a lot of Reels from firms who offer home décor, encouraging you to check out their items!
Instagram is now attempting to be a Swiss Army knife of a social media platform, with Reels serving as the major fork. They're just attempting to make a strong case for it.
Tyler Moore for Glossy, social media manager at Truly Beauty
You can produce your material straight within the app using this interactive video format—no other software or equipment is required. You may utilize the filters and effects to turn a basic concept into a stunning image. Generating a Reel is similar to making a TikTok commercial video.
Other benefits include:
- Reels tab where users can browse reels content.
- Reel ads to reach and engage with your target audience.
- Call to Action buttons on Instagram ads that link to Reels.
- Product tags so people can shop your products from a Reel.
Create Reels right away as an online store to reach new consumers and establish a presence swiftly. The Reel creation tools on Instagram make it simple for anybody to get started with this format. You can make a fun Reel in no time with the variety of filters, effects, and transitions available!
How to create an Instagram Reels
It's easy to make an Instagram Reel (pun intended). From beginning to end, there are five essential processes, and this Instagram Reels lesson will walk you through each one.
1- Set up
In the upper right corner, click the “Create new” button . Instagram will open your camera and ask for permission to use your microphone and camera. Then, towards the bottom of the screen, scroll down to the Reels option.
It's now time to record! You may swipe up and choose a pre-recorded video from your collection if you want to submit it. Step 3 is skipped if you opt to upload.
2- Record
To record your reel, tap or hold down the record button reel record icon at the bottom of the screen. When you're done recording, either press the button again or let go.
A new option named Align shows when you pause or stop recording.
You may use this option to overlay a reduced opacity picture of your previous frame to aid with camera alignment when recording. This feature is essential for smooth transitions.
3- Edit
After you've completed recording, press the Preview button (iOS), or the + symbol (Android). If you've already used the Instagram Stories camera, you'll be directed to an editing screen.
Text, stickers, special effects, voices, and drawings may all be added to your video. You may also include a soundtrack. Use your creativity!
4- Caption
After you've finished customizing your Reel, click the “Share to” button to bring up a box where you may add a caption and share options:
If you don't want the Reel to be shared on your public Instagram feed, turn off the setting “Also share to feed“. In the advanced settings, you can also mark the Reel as a paid collaboration, which is useful if you're dealing with influencers.
5- Share your Reel!
To make your new Reel public, all you have to do now is click the Share button!
To increase Reel interaction, share your Reel post to your Instagram Story. People will be able to locate it in your Story if they miss your in-feed post or do not typically investigate Reels (for 24 hours at least).
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Types of Reels
Reels may help you expand the reach of your Shopify brand in a variety of ways. Here are six different sorts of content you may try making:
1- Product how-tos
With a Reel, show them all the numerous ways they can utilize your items. Such material helps customers to picture the various uses of a product and, if they are already interested, encourages them to buy it.
Product how-tos are also a wonderful method to introduce your brand to new audiences because they don't overload the customer with too much brand information.
2- Give inspiration
When making Reels, you don't have to limit yourself to your products. You may widen your horizons by creating Reels that address the demands of customers in your sector.
Use your Reels to show them how they may enhance their lifestyle while also establishing yourself as an industry specialist.
Many furniture makers, for example, are developing Reels to illustrate how consumers can set up their homes for work-from-home situations and then turn them back into a lounge when their workday is done.
If you own an online fashion and apparel business, on the other hand, you may create mini-videos showing alternative ways to style your collection or illustrate how your consumers are wearing your items.
3- Behind the scenes
Create a behind-the-scenes Reel to give buyers a glimpse into who you are and who your company is. Use the movie to demonstrate how you came up with certain ideas or items, as well as the inspiration for them and how they were created. These behind-the-scenes glimpses might also include glimpses into how your team interacts or the team culture.
This intimate look at your brand might help you become more relatable. Your brand would be perceived as more transparent, making viewers desire to be affiliated with you.
4- Teasers
Do you plan to launch a new campaign or product? Reels can be used to present a 15-second preview of the upcoming release. You might do a design teaser, some planning or preparation footage, or even provide hints and encourage your viewers to guess what you're unveiling.
With a teaser like this, you may pique new audiences' interest in the mystery and encourage them to follow your profile so they can learn more about the product or campaign.
5- Show how it solves problems
Consumers enjoy the entertaining material offered as Reels. You may also produce amusing content by developing imaginative Reels about how your business improves people's lives or solves a certain problem.
Use your Reels to demonstrate how people's lives would be different if you didn't exist, or how your goods improve their lives. If you sell coffee, for example, you might make a Reel showing how people spend their days without coffee and then illustrate wonderful life is with coffee.
6- User-generated content
You don't have to start from the beginning when creating your Reels. Use user-generated material to highlight how your items are being used by others. Because it won't be promoting any polished or promoted information, such content is guaranteed to gain trust.
Instead, these Reels will be more genuine and from a customer's perspective. As a result, your UGC Reels will gain more exposure, allowing you to establish brand trust.
When compared to feed posts, Reels earn up to 50% more organic visibility. Using Reels to take advantage of the algorithm and bring your business in front of more people is a smart move.
Trilce Jirón, CEO of TBS Marketing
Tips for creating your own Reels
Creating a Reel may appear to be quite difficult at first look. You can learn the technique of sewing together diverse clips and make magic out of your Reels with a fast tour and some experimentation.
Here are some editing tools and aspects that anyone making a reel may use:
1- Clips
You may pause and modify your frame while recording a reel, then resume recording. You may find all the clips you captured on the left side of the record button and remove or rearrange them to stitch your film together. This allows you to quickly build compelling multi-clip videos.
2- Audio
Add independent audio to your Reels, such as narration, a renowned track, or even music. You may select music from a library or record a voiceover before adding it to your video.
3- Speed
Whether you want a slow-mo video to capture emotions and focus on your product or to make your video sync to a certain beat, you may speed up or slow down segments of your video or audio to create the mood you desire. You have the option of keeping the original video speed, increasing it by up to five times, or slowing it down by up to 0.5 times.
4- Effects
To modify your video and bring your creative ideas to life, choose from Instagram's huge library of filters and AR effects. Green screen filters on the Instagram app allow you to provide a natural-looking background to the topic of your video.
5- Timer and countdown
Set a timer for when the app should begin recording. This allows you to record hands-free by mounting your phone on a stand or tripod.
6- Align
You may use the align tool while filming to align the item within the frame if you're focused on a single object and generating various movies with varied backdrops.
Use Reels to increase your Instagram reach
We hope that this article has helped get you started with Instagram Reels and that you can use this content format to increase brand recognition and attract new customers to your Shopify store.
With Instagram's increasing user base, it's critical for Shopify merchants to stay on top of new features and implement them right away. Instagram prioritizes new users of its services, boosting their profile for both new and current audiences. You may influence the Instagram algorithm by using new features as soon as they're available.
Instagram Reels FAQ
Increasing your organic reach and obtaining more engagement on Instagram are two advantages. Reels are equally simple to create, and you can get extensive information about your Reel material, such as the number of accounts reached, plays, likes, and more.
The main distinction between Reels and Stories is that Reel content is always available. Past Reels may be seen in the Reels tab of your public account's profile grid. Stories are only available for 24 hours.
