We can bet that you've done the occasional reel surfing on just about any social media platform; it's no doubt a great way to wind down and kill some time at any point of the day. With this in mind, you might be wondering what reels can do for your business and how it can be an effective tool in your brand's ad strategy.

Before we delve deeper into reels, we'll first have to understand that Instagram Stories and Instagram Reels are two completely different features on the platform. While stories are a great way to showcase brand content, it expires after 24 hours and can no longer be viewed by anyone. This feature can be seen as a more intimate yet time-bound means of connecting with your clients and audience. Reels, however, have a dedicated page on your profile and can be viewed anytime after publishing. You can post reels on your stories but you cannot post stories on your reels unless it's part of your ad strategy—which is a completely different thing altogether.

Like all other features, there are benefits to employing the use of reels that can perhaps provide your audiences bite-sized glimpses into your brand, its people, the production, and so much more. Short but sweet, yet allows for so much creativity and provides a lot of entertainment!

Below, are six things you can do with Instagram Reels to amp up your online presence:

Educate your viewers

Although reels don't provide a lot of screen time like YouTube, it is enough to catch attention and retain it. Unlike full-blown videos, you can educate your audience on many things in shorter time spans. What you can do: show what makes your brand different from competitors, communicate your goals or missions, share your vision, and so much more!

Put the spotlight on your products and services

It's one thing to post still photos of your products or services, but it's a whole new level when you get to properly demonstrate it through reels. This allows your viewers to get a better understanding of your products or services, and gives more reasons as to why they should buy or patronize what you are offering.

Collaborate with influencers

Influencers are called influencers for a reason. Asking them to promote or test and provide reviews on your products or services can generate bigger sales from your audiences. Such promotions can help build your business' credibility, thus, further educating your audience as well as establishing authenticity and trust.

Show your brand's character

Don't be afraid to get behind the scenes and show bloopers and fun snippets of your business. There is an unexplainable charm that hits audiences when they see or know what the people behind your brand are like. This can also build trust and transparency with your clients which is a big win for many businesses. Happy staff, happy clients!

Get creative!

We cannot stress this enough: there is a lot of room for creativity with reels. However, remember to stick to the overall theme of your branding. As you're getting creative though, don't forget this next tip:

Keep up with the trends

Trends are a great way to gain your audience’s attention! It may be hard to keep up with it though as it evolves pretty quickly from time to time. Don't forget to explore other reels and see what audios, filters, and formats are being used. See how you can use those to your advantage while still sticking to your theme.

There is much more to be said about Instagram Reels, but it'll be a piece of cake once you've gotten the hang of it. For more social media tips and updates, follow our socials at @studiosixteen.ph!

Instagram Reels and How it Can Help Your Business