Discover the best ideas for your Instagram Reel content to keep your audience engaged and your brand up to speed.

When Reels were first introduced, lots of us saw these videos as a poorly formed afterthought to TikTok’s short-form video prowess.

But my how times have changed. A recent report revealed that Instagram users spend 17.6 million hours a day watching Reels on Instagram.

Although this figure might be 10 times less than the 97.8 million hours users spend watching TikTok videos per day, it’s worth noting that this figure for Instagram doesn’t include all the time spent consuming the other content formats on this highly popular social channel.  

The bottom line? Reels matter.

However, high usership doesn’t always translate into high engagement. With this in mind, here are a few simple ways for your B2B or B2C business to up its Reel game on the gram.

Why are Reels important?

After their global release in 2020, Reels quickly evolved to become Instagram’s most valuable currency and still maintain engagement rates of almost double those of static posts and stories – as well as significantly more likes.

These short-form videos also help you to stand out to new followers and potential clients by giving them insight that they wouldn’t otherwise have from your static posts and other social media channels.

Reels are therefore an incredible tool for growing your social media presence, creating lasting relationships with your followers and expanding your reach organically.

How to make Reels great

To maximise the potential power of your Instagram Reels, you have to keep them fresh. Afterall, it’s only the great Reel ideas that get you the stats you want and need.

Here are some top tips to bear in mind when creating a Reel:

1.      Add value

If you want to appeal to your audience and create high engagement from your Reel, you need to make sure the content within is valuable to your audience. Whether it teaches them something new or offers them a solution to a problem, your Reel should speak directly to your followers.

2.      Make saveable content

The more followers you convince to click that little save button in the right-hand corner, the more reach your Reel will achieve. To maximise the potential of this tool, you need to make content that people want to remember and come back to in the future.

3.      Keep it short and sweet

These days, people have the attention span of a gnat and are unlikely to engage with long videos. Although you can technically create up to 90 seconds of Reel content, we would advise keeping it between 8 and 15 seconds to keep your followers interested.

4.      Use closed captions

To make your video content more accessible, try adding captions to your videos that feature a lot of dialogue. Not only will this make your Reels more inclusive, but it will also increase their reach and likelihood of good engagement.

5.      Jump on trends (aka be reactive)

Try out a few trending Reel ideas to keep your content up-to-date and relevant. Trends are often a fun way to showcase your company’s fun side, plus they’re perfect for a bit of team building in the office! Check out the new Reels Trends tool for inspo.

Now that you’ve got the basics under your belt, we can take a look at more specific Instagram Reel ideas.

Creative Reel Ideas for B2C Content

Reels provide companies with the opportunity to get creative and add some personality to their social media content.

Take a look at our Reel ideas to elevate your B2C content.

Meet the team

Create a Reel introducing your team members in a light, entertaining way. This is an opportunity to share information with your followers that they wouldn’t see on your LinkedIn or website – it can be fun and quirky!

Why not include your colleagues’ hobbies or funny hidden talents, for a bit of razzle-dazzle?

Examples:

• ‍Content Chef – Introducing Eirian with 5 things you didn’t know about her ‍
• Sef Steakhouse – Meet Matt – the new head chef

Your story

This Reel could feature pictures and videos from your journey, with an engaging voiceover to help tell your story.

This type of Reel will give your followers insight into the people and values behind the brand, making them much more likely to invest in it.

Example:

• Pyesta – The Filipino restaurant owner tells their story to the Food Review Club

Day in the life

Show your followers what you get up to on a good day. Give them a sneak peek into your routine, and some behind the scenes of where the magic happens.

Your audience wants to feel like they’re special, as if they’re getting VIP access to your brand behind closed doors.

Examples:

• Content Chef – A Guardians of the Galaxy themed version of Daryl’s day
• Shopify – A cute and fun doggo edition

Creative Reel Ideas for B2B Content

Now for some B2B Reel ideas to incorporate into your marketing strategy.

Services

Give your services a spotlight in a fun and engaging way. Represent your company’s services visually and imaginatively to stand out from competitors, and to add some personality to the Reel.

Examples:

• Hootsuite – Showcasing their scheduling feature
• LinkedIn – Demonstrating their new AI profile feature

Top Tips

Share your company’s top tips for success in a relevant area of business. If you are educating your followers and giving them valuable information, they are likely to engage with your Reel.

Example:

• ‍Content Chef – Daryl provides some killer tips on how to level up your website content

Testimonials

Share your successes with a Reel. Highlight some recent testimonials and be creative with their display. Using a Reel to share client testimonials is a great way to self-promote without being dry or boring.

Example:

• WeWork – Creating an authentic interview video to get feedback

Need a hand coming up with creative Instagram Reel ideas?

If you’re struggling to utilise your Instagram Reels ideas, don’t panic!

It can be tricky to keep up with the ever-changing social media trends. What works for your company one week might not hit the spot the next.

If you need help with your Reels and other social media strategies, you might benefit from hiring a local social media or marketing agency. To find out more about our social media packages, contact us today.

‍

Written by Eirian Williams