When it comes to social media marketing, your brand is likely not a stranger to the big players – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Utilizing any combination of these platforms can elevate your brand and truly connect with your customer base.
Instagram differentiated itself years ago as the best place to post imagery and has since expanded into the video landscape. Owning your brand Instagram channel goes far beyond just posting content, you need a strategy that taps in to using all of Instagram’s features to effectively engage your followers.
The social media giant launched the “Reels” feature on August 5th. This feature will give users a new way to share short-form video that will appear on the Explore page and to followers. Reels will live under the “Stories” section of Instagram but will allow users to add music and special effects along with being able to edit those videos.
“We’ve . . . seen the rise of short-form video on Instagram, and think we can create something in a way that makes sense for our community,” says an Instagram spokesperson.
How to create a Reels video:
- On your Instagram home screen, tap the camera icon in the upper left-hand corner.
- Once the camera is open, slide the bottom rolodex over to Reels at the bottom of the screen.
- Choose your music, effects, and set a timer if you choose to record hands-free.
The time limit for each Reels video will be 15 seconds, so it is important to catch your viewers’ attention quickly and get your message across in a concise manner.
Like Instagram Stories, once posted, the Reels will be visible on your Instagram Story feed for 24 hours. However, with Reels, after 24 hours the video will live on your profile under a new tab between your feed tab and your Instagram TV tab, designated by a clapperboard icon.
Prior to this, Instagram’s last large-scale launch was in 2018 with the arrival of IG TV long-form video capabilities.
54 percent of consumers want to see more video content from brands they follow.
Do you need help creating engaging content for Instagram, but don’t know where to start? Our team works as an extension of your team to craft fully developed social media marketing campaigns that will keep your fans engaged.
CONTACT US to learn more about creating an effective content marketing strategy.
