Instagram Reels is finally here! It has been long anticipated and following it’s release it has been a global success. And much like its predecessors stories and Live, it could completely change the game for vertical video content shared online.
It is also Tik Tok’s direct competitor and although Tik Tok’s fashion scenes started to grow, we have seen more and more fashion businesses jumping onto the Reels trends and hitting viral numbers!
But with every new major feature, it causes a lot of questions and queries. Should I be investing in this? Where do I focus my attention? How do I use it for my fashion business?
If these are some of the questions you have following the launch of Instagram reels, read on as we tell you what we know about it… so far.
Why use Reels?
Instagram Reels is a brand new way to create fun and engaging video content from Instagram Stories. We all saw the success Tik Tok had and we all know that after Instagram stories, Insta is pretty good at replicating successful formats.
We highly recommend getting into Reels. At the start of 2020, one big social media trend that was going to rule was the return of the creator. Posting a single image is not going to cut through the noise. Reels is a fantastic way to communitcate and engage with your audience on a whole new level.
Tik Tok or Instagram Reels?
If you have been asking what the difference is between Reels and Tik Tok then what we say is it’s all about your target demographic. The mechanics of the two are very similiar, so what you should be considering is which one is right for your target audience.
However, we know that for many of you, adding another platform into the mix such as Tik Tok is probably just adding another task to the to-do list that never actually gets put into practice. But if you have built up an audience on Instagram then Reels is probably the best place to start for creating this type of engaging short form content.
How to create a Reel?
Once you’ve clicked on your Instagram camera, you’ll see an option entitled ‘Reels’ at the bottom, as well as a variety of new editing tools on the left hand side of the screen to help you create and zhoosh up your clip. These include…
1. Audio
Eliminating problems around copyright, you can now search for a song from the Instagram music library or use your own original audio. Just be aware: when you share a Reel with original audio, your audio will be attributed to you, but if you have a public account, people can create Reels with your audio by selecting “Use Audio” from your clip.
2. AR Effects
There are hundreds of effects to choose from in the Instagram Reels effect gallery, which has been created in collaboration with both the social media head execs and creators from all over the world.
3. Timer and Countdown
If you’ve dabbled in Tik Tok, or are just a fan of the platform, you’ll know most of its content creators record their clips hands free. To help you do the same on Reels, set the timer. Once you press record, you’ll see a 3-2-1 countdown, before the recording begins. You can also select an amount of time you’d like the clip to run to, so you’ll know when or if you’re running over.
4. Align
If one 15-second clip just isn’t enough, there is a way to create a longer video – much like you would on Stories. Use the align function – sometimes referred to as the Ghost tool – to line up objects from your previous clip before recording your next, to help create a seamless edit. It’s particularly useful for outfit changes or adding new people into your clips.
5. Speed
Consider this the ultimate special effect. Choose to speed up or slow down part of the video or the audio you’ve selected – either to help you stay on a beat or for slow-motion videos.
Using Reels for your Fashion business
Reels makes video content creation easy. If you have been wanting to develop your video strategy for a while, then Reels is a great place to start.
We have already seen luxury brands, small businesses and fashion creators take to Reels to experiment with content.
Some have seen content go viral and others are just playing around with fun and engaging snippets to share with their audiences. But whatever your intention, audiences are responding very well to this new content format.
Reels can be used to share a variety of content. From entertaining, educational to inspiring.
Fashion Brands – Instagram Reels is a huge opportunity for you to drive awareness and sales from the platform. From showcasing new collections, honing in on new product details and taking your audience BTS will help deepen the realtionship you have and excite them.
Stylists – Instagram Reels is a great place to start with sharing educational content. Tell your audience more about how they can work with you, share top tips and how to style guides.
Instagram Reels show up in the explore feed which gives you a huge opportunity to show up in front of a new audience. And if you are lucky enough for this happen – Instagram will send you a notification. But as there are no current guidelines about the Reels algorithm, it is worth experimenting with hashtags and the usual Instagram tricks to help push through the algorithms.
If Reels goes anything like stories we expect big things. That’s why getting involved now will put you ahead of the competition.
We expect to see brands collaborating with influencers and creators, more stickers, GIFs and options to help your audience shop through your Reels.
For all the fashion businesses out there, start to harness the power of this way of creative content as there is a huge amount of opportunity!
As always, if you have any questions please leave them below and we can’t wait to see your first Reel creation!
Make sure you come follow us over on Instagram!
Verity and Kate x