Instagram Reels, which launched in 2020, has quickly become a popular tool for businesses and consumers alike that want to create and share short-form video content. If you’re looking to implement or improve on this trend and connect with your audience in a new way, here’s how to create an Instagram Reel for your business.
Identify your audience
Understanding Instagram’s demographics can help you establish your Reels strategy. As of 2022, the platform skews toward millennial and Gen Z users, with an even split of both male- and female-identified users. However, Gen X males (55-64 years old) have become the fastest-growing segment on the app. Additionally, the country with the largest user base on the platform is India, followed by the United States.
Once you’ve identified your audience, you can now move on to developing content that will resonate with them.
Brainstorm content ideas
The format of Reels lends itself to brief, easily digestible content — typically between 15-30 seconds in length, though users can create videos up to 60 seconds long. Use this format to your advantage to connect with your current and prospective customers, as well as to try out different types of content. Popular Instagram Reel content ideas include:
- Creating educational content.
- Showcasing your products.
- Offering a behind-the-scenes look at your business and its employees.
- Announcing sales, promotions, and offers.
- Using Instagram Reels ads.
[Read more: How to Use Instagram Reels for Your Business]
Sharing a Reel to your profile will share it with your followers while sharing to the Explore page gives it the chance to be discovered by the wider Instagram community.
Create your first Instagram Reel
Now that you have your target audience and concept ready, here’s a step-by-step guide to creating an Instagram Reel.
1. Search for audio.
If you want your Reel to have music in the background, you can search for a song from Instagram’s music library, even before you upload or shoot any footage. Otherwise, you can use your own original audio, such as a voiceover. If you change your mind or want to add audio later, you can also adjust this in step five.
2. Browse effects and adjust video speed.
Instagram has plenty of effects, also known as AR (augmented reality) filters, that can be applied to a single clip or multiple clips. You can also adjust the video speed here, as slow as 0.3x speed or as fast as 4x speed.
3. Set your video length, then use the timer tool to record.
Choose from 15, 30, or 60 seconds to set your video length. Then, select the timer tool to begin recording your Reel. The timer comes with a countdown, allowing you to record hands-free.
4. Align objects from previous clips.
To allow for seamless transitions between clips, line up objects from the previous clip before recording the next one.
5. Add any finishing touches.
Once you’ve finished recording, select preview to add the finishing touches you’d see in Instagram Stories: stickers, text, drawing, and additional filters. You can also make audio adjustments here, including adding music, voiceovers, and sound effects, as well as adjusting the volume balance of each.
6. Publish and share your Instagram Reel.
After creating your Instagram Reel, you can share it with your followers in a few different ways:
- Choose where to share your Reel. Businesses can share their Reels in two places: on their profiles or on the Explore page. Sharing a Reel to your profile will share it with your followers while sharing to the Explore page gives it the chance to be discovered by the wider Instagram community. Reels containing certain songs, hashtags, or effects may also appear on dedicated pages for those features.
- Select a cover image, then add a caption or hashtags. Scroll through the video to select an eye-catching cover photo. Then, just as you would for a regular Instagram post, add a caption as well as any desired hashtags and account tags.
- Publish your Reel. Once you’ve hit publish, your Reel will live on a separate Reels tab on your business’ page. It will also appear on the main profile grid if you shared the Reel to your feed.
When it’s live, share your new Reel on your Stories and engage with your viewers to get even more eyes on your page.
[Read more: Small Business Instagram Strategy Tips]
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