Reels have taken off over the past six months, offering reach and engagement through the roof. If you haven’t started using them, start today.
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April
2, 2021
3 min read
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
With the ever-evolving and competitive nature amongst social networks, there is a trend by the biggest players that whenever a new platform emerges , they copy the new features. When TikTok took the world by storm over the past couple of years through catchy, short-form video content, creators jumped onto the platform in order to leverage and take advantage of the ridiculous reach their posts can achieve.
With more Instagram users shifting towards TikTok, Instagram is doing just about everything within its power to get users back onto their platform, including one of their more recent updates, Instagram reels. Despite being around for over 6 months, an alarming number of Instagram users still aren’t leveraging the power of reels. Simply posting the same 30 second clip as a reel rather than a video, can lead to more views and engagement. For example, NFL teams’ reels get 67% more engagement than their regular video posts. If you’re not using reels in 2021, here are four reasons why you need to.
Reach
The current average engagement for Instagram posts is less than 2 to 3%. Let’s say you have 1,000 followers and post a normal video on Instagram. Only a small number of your followers are likely to see your post. Had you posted that exact video, but as a reel, it is not uncommon to be seen by several times the number of followers you have due to the Explore feature.
More engaging content
We’re all getting a little bored of seeing the same images time and time again on Instagram. Creators need to evolve their content to remain relevant, which is paramount to sustained success online. Reels are not only quick, but when done right, they are catchy, funny and genuinely enjoyable to watch. There is a reason why the Reel feed is designed to continue feeding you content you can’t turn away from.
Showcase your true personality
Creators often feel as though they have to show up with a different persona online: Professional on-camera and relaxed off-camera. By now, we’ve all seen reels of someone dancing to their favorite song while pointing to text on different parts of the screen — the kind of content we’ve never really been exposed to in the past.
This authenticity is great from a marketing perspective, which can lead to more business and success. Showcasing your true personality through song and dance is inevitably a part of social media culture, for the meantime at least.
Hit the Explore page
Forget about spending hours on finding the right hashtags for your posts. Instagram is heavily favouringReels at this point in time, which has made it easier than ever to make it onto the Explore page. Making it onto the explore page is something every creator aspires to do, and reels are certainly your best shot.
Incorporating reels into your Instagram marketing strategy is a must if you’re serious about growing your brand and online presence. If you’re not making Reels in 2021, start yesterday.