Unless you were stuck on a remote island without internet connectivity in the past decade, you’ve probably heard of Instagram. The uber-popular photo-sharing app is one of the social media shapers influencing our lives. The latest reports reveal that Instagram is just shy of 2 billion active users each month. About 500 million people also interact daily on social media through the app. Any smart businessperson should be able to recognize the opportunities that this platform can provide. And Instagram Reels for business is among the powerful means offered by the app to boost company growth. 

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In this blog post, we will talk about Reels and some of the best ways to leverage this powerful Instagram feature to grow your brand. 

What are Instagram Reels?

Instagram launched the Reels feature on the app in 2020. It allows users to create, view, and share 15- and 30-second videos or even multi-clips that can last up to 90 seconds. In addition, this innovative in-app tool enables Instagrammers to edit, remix, and incorporate effects into their content. It boasts of such functionalities as easy-to-use text, audio, and AR (augmented reality) videos. 

How can businesses leverage Instagram Reels?

Brands can tap the in-app tool to promote their products and services to their target audiences. They can leverage Instagram Reels for product launches, PR stunts, and lead-nurturing activities. Reels can also be used to run contests and giveaways and promote brand awareness campaigns. These activities can boost brand reputation, increase their social media presence, and increase sales.

Five ways of using Instagram Reels for business

If you’re wondering how to use Instagram Reels for business, we’ve got the answer for you in the next section. Jumpstart your Reels journey with these five ways of optimizing them for business: 

1. Figure out the ins and outs of Instagram algorithms.

Social media algorithms are complex computer calculations that sort posts based on relevance. And “relevance” is determined by multiple factors. These include user behavior, publishing frequency, and elements like hashtags and trending sounds. The answer to increasing the visibility of your content is to decode these algorithms. Since the formula seems to keep evolving, you must stay abreast of the latest “decoding” tactics.

2. Don’t turn your Reel pitch into a “hard sell.” 

No one enjoys “in-your-face” advertising. This doesn’t mean you can’t turn your Reels into ads, but you can make your content more entertaining and informative, focusing more on the users’ wants and needs rather than on business quotas.

3. Partner with other same-category but non-competing businesses.

One of the more effective ways to use Instagram Reels for business is through content collaboration. This means working with other brands that complement your products or services but don’t compete with them is one way to optimize Reels for business. Partnering with top companies can help enhance your reputation and vice versa. For example, you and your brand partner can create a marketing campaign whereby your joint content can appear in both your Instagram Reels. This would be an efficient way to maximize reach as both of you can access each other’s audiences.

4. Be bold, diligent, and creative!

Coming up with so-so posts will get you nowhere on social media. Instead, it’s all about producing unique, high-quality content that provides value to your followers. To seize their attention and keep them interested, you’ll need to do your research on the most relevant topics for your target audience. Then, engage them from the start using bold statements, exciting (but not migraine-inducing) transitions, and eye-catching effects. You can also make your Reels more interesting using native editing tools.

5. Schedule for success!

One of the key ways to optimize Reels for business is having a clear posting strategy. Invest the time and effort to research the latest insights and analytics for the most effective schedules. Know your audience and post when they are awake and active on the platform. Having Social media scheduling tools like Pally and Sprout Social can also help you optimize your scheduling with auto-post capabilities and other features.

What are the benefits of Instagram Reels?

Why use Instagram Reels for business? This feature offers a number of benefits that can catapult your brand to success. Let’s take a look at some of them:

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1. Instagram algorithms tend to favor Reels.

This means your posts get prioritized more than other features. Using Instagram Reels for business thus enables more people to see and appreciate your content.

2. Instagram Reels for business allow you to target the Millennial demographic effectively.

Millennials are individuals born between 1982 and 2000. In 2022, this pegs the youngest at 22 years old and the oldest at 40 years old. So why is this important? Millennials are the largest adult cohort today and, perhaps, today’s most influential generation, with $200 billion in annual spending power. And guess what their preferred social media platform is? Instagram, of course! 

3. Instagram Reels, unlike Stories, will remain visible for as long as you want them to.

Your Reels can be appreciated longer and by more users because they don’t just disappear like Intagram Stories. But, of course, you can decide to delete them later, when you feel like they’ve lost their relevance. 

4. Shorter videos can capture the attention-challenged generations.

Today’s social media users want everything to be quicker than they were yesterday. This makes the snappy Instagram Reels for business the ideal tool to rein in their focus and get them interested一and focused on your message or content.

5. Instagram Reels for business are highly shareable.

Reels are easy to share across different platforms. You can also incorporate them into your own Instagram stories, which can help you increase their value.

Why are Reels important for brands? 

Instagram Reels for business is an innovative tool that brands can use to promote their product and service offerings through short-video content. With this Instagram feature, businesses can save on expensive promotional costs, amplify visibility, and even repurpose content. Using Instagram Reels also boosts their relevance, especially among the younger crowds of Millennials and Gen Zers.

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Frequently asked questions

Let’s tackle the most frequently asked questions about Instagram Reels.

1. How can Instagram Reels help promote my business?

Instagram Reels can help you advertise your business to the right target markets, strengthen brand presence and relevance, and help you become more strategic with precious company resources.

2. Why should Instagram Reels for business be posted on my public account?

Posting Instagram Reels on your public account aids Instagram’s algorithms in detecting and pushing them onto the Explore Page. This means higher chances of being seen, even by non-followers.

3. How is Instagram Reels different from ads?

Instagram Reels are short-form videos that you can create and share. Within Reels content, you can have Reels ads. On the other hand, Instagram ads are more encompassing, including all types of Instagram advertising like video ads, photo ads, carousel ads, Stories ads, and of course, Reel ads.

Wrap up 

If you’ve been wanting to blow the competition out of the water, leveraging Instagram Reels would be a smart move. Combine the power of this feature with diligent research, patience, ample investment in time and effort, and you’re sure to grow your brand and achieve your goals. 

For more tips on how to incorporate social media into your marketing campaigns, read more articles like this on the Net Influencer blog.