Part 5: Converting Your Instagram Followers – Connecting with Instagram Reels

It’s time to kick all this Instagram knowledge into high gear. We’ve discussed building a blueprint, getting followers by covering all your bases, creating content that relates to your customer base, and how to monetize your content. The last phase in this plan is to connect with your audience using video. Instagram Reels makes it easier to be visible and create a connection with your audience.

Instagram Reels

In 2020, Instagram added Reels, which was huge. Currently, it’s the fastest way to attract and relate to your ideal followers. Reels is short-form video marketing, and it’s creating a lot of growth. Instagram reels are often thought of as stories on steroids. They don’t have to be complicated or overwhelming. Reels are a really great way in 15 or 30 seconds to post, preview in your feed, and get 10x the number of views that you would get compared to your stories or your IGTV. Reels have features that stories don’t have:

• Reels offers several editing tools, including AR effects, speed controls, and the option to align multiple clips for cleaner transitions.
• Reels can be shared to Explore and Stories. When you upload a reel, you can also choose to post it in your Feed. All the reels you create will also appear in a dedicated section of your profile, similar to IGTV posts.
• If you include original audio, your audio will be attributed to you, and other users can use it to create new reels.

To get to the Reels option, tap the + sign, like you’re adding a post. At the bottom of the screen that comes up, tap the Reels option. There are two easy ways to get started with Instagram reels:

• Save video clips from your stories archive and repost them as reels.
• Film a “talking head” tip in the reels portion of the app, following the flow of hook, tip, call-to-action.

The above strategies are for the short-term to get you started using reels. For additional ways to build reels, there’s a tool called InShot. It’s an app that you can use to cut the video together and may be easier than using the Instagram app, which can sometimes be glitchy when building your reels. Don’t always include a CTA in your reels. You don’t want to always be “selling” to your audience. Have some that are just entertaining and informative, or you’ll drive people away. Remember, funny and relatable always wins. People are going to Instagram to “check out” and unwind. We do some things about the Instagram Reels algorithm. It favors videos that:

• Are entertaining and fun
• Are inspiring
• Use creative tools like text, filter, or camera effects
• Uses vertical video
• Uses music from the Instagram music library and/or original audio you create or find on Reels
• Are experimental! Try something new!

Do not post Reels that:

• Are blurry due to low-resolution
• Are uploaded with a border
• Have the majority of the image covered by text
• Do not meet Instagram’s Community Guidelines

Now that you have all the information to nail your Instagram sales funnel, it’s time to get to work on it. (If you haven’t already!)