Relatability, Relevancy, and Reels—the three R’s from Instagram Bible to follow in order to maximize engagement.

The trick to staying relevant on social media is to create and upload content frequently. This is one tried and tested hack that has swam through the turbulent forces of ever-changing virtual ‘reality’ and reached the shore. Currently, Instagram and Reels have become synonymous with each other; they are interchangeable terms exuding the same effect: furthering your brand’s presence by reaching a wider audience. Akin to video games, even digital media comes with its fair share of hacks to make the already rocky journey of content creation a smooth sailing one—to a certain capacity. However, even before we commence to dissect the hack (s) in the creator’s toolkit, let’s spend some time comprehending and getting reacquainted with Instagram Reels.?

With reels ascending the ladder of success, and it’s unfathomable widespread usage, it quickly became one of the manner in which creators could connect with their audience and make them exclaim with glee, “Oh! How relatable”; always a music to a brand’s ears. By now it is safe to say the importance of Reels is not unbeknownst in remaining relevant, attaining that reach, and in proliferating engagement. Hence, it is only logical to utilise Reels to their maximum capacity.?

However, in order to comprehend how to successfully incorporate Reels into building an influential social media presence, it becomes pressing to understand the machinery of it.?

What are Reels??

Launched in August of 2020, Instagram Reels is a content format that allows you to create and share short engaging videos that, unlike Instagram Stories, don’t disappear after 24 hours. Reels are videos that can be up to 60 seconds long, and offer a set of editing tools that allow creators to curate engaging and fun video footage. Reels can include multiple video clips, filters, captions, fun backgrounds, and more. Reels became a new way to create short but entertaining videos on Instagram.? Reels are with audio, effects, and new creative tools (like, AR Effects) to make your content more lively and interactive. You can either share Reels on your Instagram Stories or in the Explore tab, which can be viewed by everyone on the app. These short multi-clip videos come with a plethora of? features, and creative tools.? Select Reels at the bottom of the Instagram camera. You’ll see a variety of creative editing tools on the left side of your screen to help create your reel, including:

1. Audio: you can either search for a song from the Instagram music library, or use your original audio by creating a reel with it. When you share a reel with an original audio, your audio will be credited to you. And, if you have a public account, people can use your audio to create reels by selecting “Use Audio” from your reels. Either way you use ‘audio’, this feature ensures that you gain traction towards your page. We will discuss, later on, how to use audio to make your Reels trend.?
2. AR Effects: From a wide range of fun effects to choose from in Reels’ effect gallery, you can add an element of entertainment to your reels’ content in order to increase your brand’s likability and also help in elevating your content creation game in a fun and quirky manner. These effects are designed by both Instagram and content creators all over the world.?
3. Timer and Countdown: Set the timer to record any of your clips hands-free. Once you press record, you’ll see a 3-2-1 countdown, before recording begins for the amount of time you selected.
4. Align: Line up objects from your previous clip before recording your next to help create seamless transitions for moments like outfit changes. This will aid when you want to join the trending train and create viral content, like transition videos.?
5. Speed: Choose to speed up or slow down part of the video or audio you selected. This can help you stay on a beat or make slow motion videos; yet another way of curating engaging content in an entertaining manner.?

Having learnt about Reels, and its nuances, it is only fitting to shift attention to an exciting Instagram update added to the helpful content creation’s Reels’ toolkit: Instagram Reels Remix. What is Remix? Remix allows users to record a video in response to an existing Reel. It’s a new way to collaborate with creators and grow your reach on Instagram Reels. Now to answer a 10 mark question about Reels’ new feature, let’s expound a little deeper. Whether you want to respond to product videos, demo videos, or boost your video marketing game, the Remix feature is your new go-to. Users can remix any Instagram Reel, only if the original creator has enabled Remix access. This new format is great for brand/content collaborations and for engaging in trending challenges. By enabling Remix, you’re opening your content up to millions of potential collaborations. It's an incredible way to increase reach and go viral. When you remix a Reel, the original video appears on the left side of the screen and the new Reel on the right. Instagram ensures that credit is given to the original creators in the new video. Instagram’s Reel Remix is similar to Tik Tok’s Duet Feature where users can film split screen reaction videos. While we don’t have access to that any more in India, we have Remix stepping in to help create fun and entertaining content for creators to further their reach and visibility. With Instagram constantly bringing new features to its platform, it allows content creators and brands to unleash their creativity in a manner that is never stagnant. Similarly, Instagram Reels Remix feature can push engagement, boost sales, and reach a wider audience. How??

1. Customer review: see this as a free customer testimonial video. If a consumer has liked your product and wants to give a positive feedback, they can remix one of your Instagram marketing reels of that particular product. This will benefit you as you will then gain views from the Remix on top of your original Reel.??

1. Viewer reactions: Customers are great assets to your brand’s marketing strategy and exposure.?

Picture this: you post a product demo video and creators remix this reel to demonstrate their genuine reaction. This is an essential marketing strategy as potential customers are more inclined to either purchase the product or view your online store just by the reaction of a fellow consumer.?

1. Competitor ad reactions: Social media is filled with , oftentimes, creators curating and selling the same content/products. In the context of Remix, a competitor ad reaction is just the exposure your brand needs. Not only will viewers of the opposing brand see your Remix, but they might also even click on your website or Instagram page to purchase. This will direct traction to your account and increase your presence.?

Reels have become a powerful tool to be in the possession of if one seeks to grow their brand’s assets. This is where the aforementioned hack becomes a key player in changing the creation game. ‘Reel’ your audience in, with this ‘easy as a pie’ hack, and get them hooked:?

?1. Keep it simple: People are looking for fun, and not necessarily polished content. While it is advisable to have a blueprint in place for each reels that you create, do not overthink its content. Relatability comes out of shared interests and experiences rather than consuming fancy content. Keep your brand’s relatable quoting by posting reels that are simple to consume yet entertaining.?

2. Play around with AR effects, Remix, and other creative tools to enhance your content, and make them lively. How to incorporate AR effects? It’s easy.

• ?Simply open Instagram stories camera, and choose Reels.?
• Tap the “effects” icon
• Swipe from right to left on the capture button at the bottom of the screen to preview the effects that are available.
• Once you’ve chosen the effect you want to use, tap the capture button to begin recording a clip. From there, you can continue editing your Reels video as normal.

3. Make it Relatable: As aforementioned, reliability is the King for growing a brand and increasing the traction. Jump on the trend, and make it relatable to your audience by putting your unique twist to it.? Share an anecdote, an experience, or a funny incident and watch how your brand’s reach elevates.

?4. Use Text & Audio Effectively: Reels are all about audio. Create using a trending track, and/or an Original Audio to increase your brand’s visibility. Texts on screen can pull the viewer in. Also, use text to tell your audience how you want them to engage with your reel.

??5. Don’t post Reels that are visibly recycled from other apps: Instagram will avoid boosting, and recommending, a reel if it includes watermarks from other apps.

While on the topic of hacks, there is another gem that will quickly metamorphose into your trusted guide. While Reels have recently grown to become an influential apparatus in exponentially furthering engagement, hashtags have been an old player in this world of ‘reality’. Hashtags aid in expanding your reach outside your network, engaging with your followers, opening new ways of communicating and increasing brand recognition and awareness. Hashtags serve a host of purposes when it comes to building a brand, and for digital media marketing. However, have you ever felt yourself in a dilemma between choosing the growth of your brand or maintaining its aesthetics? With this hack, you can rid your Instagram stories of the bulky and cluttered hashtags without compromising on your visibility and engagement. To add invisible hashtags to your Instagram stories:?

1.Create an instagram story and add the relevant hashtags.?

2.Pinch the hashtags to make it as small as desired.?

3.Select and add your preferred sticker (s).?

4.Place them over your hashtags to make them disappear.?

5. Since it is always nicer to have additional assistance and options, I decided to bestow you with a bonus step. If you are? not in the mood for incorporating stickers to your stories, you can use the dropper tool to match the text color, and let the hashtags fade in the background.?

Even though these hacks look simple, the impact they leave on garnering your audiences’ attention and interest is unparalleled.?

While social media is popular for its plethora of features, it is also pressing to turn focus onto their constant updates. With social media platforms constantly churning out updates, it becomes crucial to be cognizant of them in order to build a better understanding of the machinery and how it can be used to your benefit. As aforementioned, hashtags are a key player in extending your reach and delivering your content to a wider consumer. Instagram, recently, rolled out a new update regarding hashtags and gave the creators an effective approach to utilizing them. Instagram stated that hashtags should be used in captions and not in the comment section.? Let’s inspect the benefits of making this superficially simple switch.?

-Easy to schedule.?

-More Algorithm friendly.?

-Improves Searchability.?

Fairly logical, and straightforward, yes? But, keep in mind these important points while writing your caption:?

-Keep your captions shorter? and simple to make space for the Hashtags

??-In your captions, talk about something in addition to what you have in your post.??

-Talking in points helps with readability.

??-Tag your own page to gain traction while your audience reads the caption.?

The flip side of that is to remember the mistakes to avoid while curating a caption:??

-Don’t make the paragraphs too bulky.??

-Don't make it sound like a textbook.?

?Having covered the rules for conceptualising captions in an effective manner, and utilizing hashtags for a wider read, let’s understand comments.?

-Use comments for building a strong community.?

?-This is the place for meeting potential audiences, and your target audiences.?

?-Make the first comment, and start a discussion yourself.

What are the key points to keep in mind?

-Attempt to reply to all the comments?

?-Ask questions in order to enable people to comment again.?

-Pin 1, or 2 comments. This is a great way to amplify common questions and answers, helping profile visitors get more context, as well as allowing you to better direct the voice of your business and the perceptions of your brand. Ultimately for brands, pinning—especially the positive—comments is? just one more step to creating their Instagram comments to their liking.?

What to avoid?

-Don’t reply with just emojis.??

-Don’t tell people to follow you if they leave a comment.?

?-Don’t try to sell something to someone who is simply supporting.??

-Don't be rude if someone disagrees with your post. In a world that is already filled with toxicity and negativity, try to create your page as a place of acceptance, warmth, and positivity.?

While the aforesaid Instagram update was data dense, it is also effortless to incorporate them into your routine of content creation, and conceptualisation, to produce a more refined and nuanced content.?

It is a recognized fact that social media platforms are challenging and one can often get lost in its labyrinth. However, with the hacks and advice that was bestowed upon you today—through this week’s digital media run down—we hope you are able to? find the exit to this perplexing entanglement without much struggle.?

Author

Shefalika Manocha