Instagram released the new Reels feature in the U.S. on Wednesday and now many businesses are wondering, “How the heck do I use this to grow my business?” and “Is TikTok in trouble?”

While I can’t tell you the fate of TikTok, I can tell you a few creative ways to leverage Reels in your business to build connection and engagement with your audience. Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10% when reading it in text* Yes, 95%!!! What does this mean? Use more video in your social media strategy for your message to stick with your audience faster.

Creating Reels does not need to be drastically different from the content that you already create, but think of it as a different way to communicate your content. Here are three types of content you can create for Instagram Reels for your business.

1. Value Content – Continue to deliver valuable content to your audience just like you already do in your posts. My first Reel was a video sharing three benefits of using Instagram Reels. If you’re a product-based business, you can create a video like “3 Ways to Use {insert your product}.” Video and value is the perfect combination to establish yourself as an expert in your space quickly.
2. Transformation Content – What transformation does your product or service provide? Transformation content is powerful and can influence purchasing decisions. Create a Reel with two video clips that show before using your product/service and after using it.
3. Connection Content – Use Reels to create connection with your audience. Piece together a few short video clips from your day or something that your ideal client can relate to. Invite people in to see what your business looks like so they can feel more connected. A video will build that connection even faster than a photo.

 

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*Source: insivia