How I Use Reels For My Business
If you had told me lip synching to audio from The Office and filming it would have tons of views on Instagram I never would have believed you!
If you are on Instagram you know that so many content creators are talking about using Reels to grow your account.
I decided to try it out Thanksgiving 2021 since I was full and bored.
I thought a lot of people are probably bored like me after eating too much and are scrolling on social media looking for something entertaining.
I watched a quick video tutorial before trying it out. Creating the video and posting was pretty easy.
When I checked Instagram the next day I was surprised to see that almost 2,000 people saw my video!
I use Reels to reach more people on Instagram.
Since I started creating videos a little over 4 months ago I have over 40,000 views across all of them!
I want to share some of my knowledge and strategy behind how I use Reels for my business so other business owners who want to try it out have a resource.
The best way to find out what will work for you is experimenting with your own content and when you post it. Sometimes I do everything right and my video doesn't get many views. That's okay and part of the process.
Check out my Instagram redesignia.co and you will see plenty of videos with low views. I use trial and error as well as guidance from Instagram accounts who specialize in creating Reels.
Make sure to check out their content linked at the end because it will provide even more value.
How To Use Reels For Your Business
Find Trending Audio
On Reels
Make sure your Instagram account is set as a business account. Next when watching Reels and you see audio with a trending up arrow make sure to click it and save. If this audio has less than 10,000 videos using it definitely save!
The lower the number of Reels created with this audio the better. If it is super small like under 100 it might not trend for a long time but saving won’t hurt.
Make sure to save audio that you like and feels like a good fit for you and your brand. This might be hard to figure out in the moment but saving and revisiting later is better than forgetting it.
On TikTok
Another tip is using TikTok even if you don't post any videos. The general rule is around 2 weeks after something is trending on TikTok it will crossover to Instagram Reels.
An example of this was a trending audio with Spongebob and a Wes Anderson inspired audio together. I saw this trending on TikTok and waited to see when this would show up on Reels.
When I saw a Reel using this audio I saved it. I wasn't sure how I would use it but saved anyway. When I posted my Reel using this audio it became one of my top 5 most viewed Reels!
Film Your Video
You have everything set up to film and you have a saved list of trending audio. Now here comes the fun part- actually filming it!
Click the timer in Reels to select the length of time you want the audio clip to be. This will also trigger a 3 second countdown once you press the center button to record.
Do as many takes as you like and watch them by selecting Preview or going into your Reels drafts by clicking your Reels tab on your Instagram profile page.
You can also film outside of Instagram. A popular video app is CapCut.
Add Text and Captions
You have created your Reel now you need to add the finishing touches before posting. Think about how your video can entertain or educate your ideal customers or audience.
My niche is web design, business owners and mindset. All of my Reels relate back to one of these topics. This is my favorite part of creating videos.
Creating something valuable and entertaining people will enjoy watching is so satisfying.
Get those creative juices flowing! If you need more inspiration you can watch what other people did with their Reels for this audio.
Post Your Reel
This is the part where a lot of different factors come into play. When is your audience online and engaged? That is the best time for you to post. What works for me is posting in the middle of the day usually around 11 am to 11:30 am CST.
I use around 17 to 20 hashtags and plenty of emojis. I also alternate between posting to my feed and just to Reels. Also make sure to share to your Stories.
Posting on Saturday around noon CST gives me high view counts.
My Favorite Reels Accounts
These are my favorite accounts I've learned from on Instagram and YouTube about Reels.
Instagram Reels accounts: pinksparrowsocial, myanichol, sydniclairestudio, domanders, gingerstarrborden, brock11johnson
YouTube account: Stephanie Kase
Ready to step up your Reels?
Check out Steal My Reels my resource if you’re ready to stop wasting time and money on ads for a mediocre ROI in your business!
Inside Steal my Reels I’m sharing my knowledge from 8 months of creating and posting Reels consistently and getting 270k views across all my Reels.
Learn the essential elements of a Reel, how to find trending audio and use Reels in your marketing strategy to grow faster.
