Reels have become one of the most popular and effective ways for businesses to reach new audiences and drive engagement on Instagram. Unlike traditional Instagram posts, reels allow you to create fun, short-form video content that can go viral quickly.
For businesses, reels are a great opportunity to showcase products, behind-the-scenes footage, employee spotlights, tutorials, or any other video content that aligns with your brand. The short format and swipe up features also make reels ideal for promotions, giveaways, and lead generation.
But how exactly do you create a reel for your business page? Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you make visually stunning reels that captivate viewers and get results for your brand.
Step 1: Plan Your Content
The first step is deciding what you want to feature in your reel. Brainstorm ideas that would appeal to your target audience and align with your brand. Some ideas include:
- Product demos
- Behind-the-scenes look at your business
- Employee spotlights
- Industry tips or hacks
- Tutorials related to your business
- User generated content featuring your products
- Q&As or FAQs
- Promotions or discounts
Once you’ve decided on a topic, sketch out a content plan for the video. Determine the shots and flow of scenes. Writing a loose script can help keep your video organized and focused.
Decide if you will use background music or voiceovers. Select visuals that capture viewers’ attention. And don’t forget to promote your business handle, website, or discount codes to drive traffic.
Step 2: Film Your Reel
Now it’s time to start filming. For optimal quality:
- Film using your smartphone camera in landscape orientation.
- Use a tripod to keep shots steady.
- Ensure you have plenty of natural lighting.
- Do a mic check if using voiceovers.
- Keep takes short and concise.
Shoot more than you need so you have options during editing. Capture lots of b-roll footage that you can layer over voiceovers or subtitles. And feel free to get creative with special effects! The key is to shoot high-quality, engaging footage.
Step 3: Edit Your Reel
The editing process is what takes your raw video clips and transforms them into a polished, high-converting reel. To edit your reel:
- Use apps like Inshot or Kapwing to easily edit footage.
- Trim clips to keep the pace fast.
- Layer in b-roll footage and graphics.
- Add music, voiceovers, sound effects.
- Include subtle branding like logos and colors.
- Insert captions or text overlays for key information.
- Preview and tweak the edit until you’re satisfied.
You want your final reel to be eye-catching, easy to follow, and aligned with your brand style. The ideal length is 15 to 30 seconds.
Step 4: Enhance Your Reel
Once your reel is edited, there are some optional enhancements you can add to further improve it:
- Stickers and GIFs: Search Instagram’s sticker library to find relevant stickers and GIFs. They add visual interest to your reel.
- AR Effects: Augmented reality effects like interactive filters can take your reel to the next level.
- Green Screen: Use the Green Screen effect to layer in different backgrounds.
- Trims: The trim feature lets you easily resize clips.
- Re-arrange: Change up the clip order for better flow.
- Sounds: Add popular or trending audio for more engagement.
Don’t go overboard with effects – you want them to enhance your content not detract. Focus on effects that align with your brand aesthetic.
Step 5: Post Your Reel
You’re finally ready to publish your reel!
- Upload the exported video from your editing app.
- Customize the cover image – make it eye-catching.
- Add a compelling caption to describe the content.
- Include relevant hashtags and tags to help viewers find it.
- Share the reel on your Instagram story or feed to further distribute it.
- Engage with commenters by responding and thanking them.
Track the performance of your reel in the Instagram Insights. See which clips get the most views, shares and engagement. This can help you create better performing reels in the future.
Best Practices for Business Reels
Here are some top tips for creating successful reels as a business:
- Spotlight your products or services in a useful way, like through demos or tips.
- Show behind-the-scenes of your business to humanize your brand.
- Use trending audios, effects, hashtags to increase discoverability.
- Leverage UGC by re-sharing user generated content featuring your brand.
- Collaborate with relevant creators or influencers to reach new audiences.
- Drive traffic by promoting your website, offers, email list sign ups.
- Keep an authentic, consistent style aligned with your brand image.
- Engage your viewers by asking questions, running polls, contests.
- Analyze performance data in Insights to create better content.
Consistency Is Key
The most effective brand accounts post reels consistently to build an audience and remain top of mind. Aim to publish engaging reels at least once per week, or even more frequently. Post at optimal times when your target audience is most active on Instagram.
Leverage Instagram’s scheduling tools if needed so your content is queued up and ready to go.
Promote Your Reels
Don’t just publish your reels and leave them be. Get the most juice by promoting them across Instagram and beyond.
- Share reels to your Instagram feed and stories.
- Repurpose content for IGTV, Facebook, TikTok.
- Run reel ads to expand your reach.
- Pitch reel collaborations with aligned creators.
- Download and share outside of Instagram.
Promoting your reels gives them a greater chance of going viral. Take advantage of all channels available to get your content in front of fresh eyeballs.
Measure Your Results
The key to successful Instagram marketing is analyzing your performance data and acting on insights.
Make sure to dive into the metrics on your reels in Instagram Insights. Look at:
- Impressions and reach
- Views, likes, comments, shares
- Engagement rate
- Traffic sources
- Highest performing clips
Compare metrics on your best and worst performing reels. Figure out what content resonates with your audience. Use these learnings to refine your reel strategy.
You can also run A/B tests with different captions, effects, or content types. Try posting at different times of day or week. See what moves the needle with your metrics. Continuously optimize your approach.
Conclusion
Reels are a highly effective, visual storytelling format perfect for businesses to engage audiences on Instagram. By planning captivating content, editing polished videos, and promoting your reels across channels, you can build your brand and drive real business results.
Pay close attention to performance data to create the types of reels your audience loves. With a thoughtful, consistent reel strategy, you’ll be able to showcase your products and personality in a fun way that fuels your Instagram growth.
| Step | Details |
|---|---|
| 1. Plan Content | Brainstorm engaging topics, sketch content plan, determine visuals |
| 2. Film Footage | Use smartphone camera in landscape, tripod for stability, ensure good lighting |
| 3. Edit Reel | Trim clips, layer in graphics and b-roll, add effects, captions, branding, optimal 15-30 seconds |
| 4. Enhance Reel | Stickers, GIFs, AR effects, green screen, re-arrange clips, trending sounds |
| 5. Post Reel | Customize cover image and caption, use relevant hashtags and tags, promote across channels |
Best Practices
- Spotlight products/services
- Show behind-the-scenes
- Use trending audios, effects, hashtags
- Leverage UGC
- Collaborate with creators
- Drive traffic
- Keep an authentic, consistent style
- Engage your audience
- Analyze performance data
Promote Reels By
- Sharing to feed and stories
- Repurposing for other platforms
- Running reel ads
- Pitching collaborations
- Downloading and sharing outside Instagram
Measure Results With
- Impressions and reach
- Views, likes, comments, shares
- Engagement rate
- Traffic sources
- Highest performing clips