The Power of Instagram Reels: Publishing & Boosting with Meta

The Arboretum at Sprout Social recently featured a presentation highlighting opportunities that brands and content creators can leverage on Instagram Reels.

Instagram Reels are native videos that users can upload which appear in social feeds and accounts on Instagram and Facebook. Reels are short entertaining videos that can be up to 90 seconds, may use music or custom audio, effects and voice-overs. Instagram also has Reel Ads that play in between in between organic Reels and are available for purchase (meaning not organic). Reel video ads tend to outperform image ads and are oftentimes entertaining, relatable and digestible.

There are currently over 3 billion monthly active users on Meta technologies (which includes Facebook, Instagram and Threads), and Reels make up about 50% of the time spent on Instagram. In 2022, 2 trillion minutes were spent consuming creator content globally on Meta platforms. Creator marketing ad spend is expected to outgrow social media ad spend in 2025. As Instagram and other image/video-centric platforms grow in popularity, capability and use, it is becoming increasingly clear that these platforms can be effective marketing and content publishing platforms. Sprout Social describes Reels as a 'rich, growing, creative canvas where brands can turn attention into action.'

So what content should your brand post on Reels?

Reels are designed to be creative!

Consider some of the following popular Instagram Reel themes: Q&A, Photodump, Behind the Scenes, Product Demo, Comedy Skit, Tutorial, Point of View, Storytime, Before and After

Keep in mind that Reels are designed to be displayed vertically, should be created to effectively convey the message with or without audio (as many users may view the video without audio) and make sure your message is clear.

As a brand consider how you could repurpose this content for YouTube Shorts, Twitter, LinkedIn videos or as clips on your website. Be mindful of which platform your audience is primarily using as well as the reason they are using it.

Demographic data generally shows younger audiences are more active on Instagram whereas a older audiences are more active on Facebook.

Have you created any Instagram Reels for your brand? Instagram Reels could add significant value to your social media strategy. Consider some ways that you provide value to your followers and attract new potential customers. If you are considering getting started, it is recommended to build upon the themes of content that you are already creating and eventually work towards boosting it. You can use analytics to identify trends in topics and content forms that are performing the best. Perform occasional audits and shift your strategy accordingly.

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Andrew C. Belton, MBA is a Marketing, Proposal and Content Management Professional, Writer and Owner of Symmetrical Media Marketing where he helps small businesses to create effective digital marketing strategies. He has been featured in LinkedIn News, LinkedIn Pulse, Startup Stash, Venture and Business2Community. He is a Philadelphia native, West Chester University of Pennsylvania graduate and is passionate about helping small businesses, education and challenging the limits of technology and communications.