Instagram has just announced their new Tiktok beater Reels. Instagram is owned by Facebook and Facebook are renowned for copying what their competitors are doing. In this case, they are trying to drive users away from Tiktok. Tiktok has had some bad press lately especially in Australia where there are discussions about it being banned. This is due to security concerns with rumours that China is collecting sensitive data from users phones. As a result, brands in Australia have been hesitant to push forward with much Tiktok content. This is a shame as Tiktok has become a fantastic way to reach a new audience and grow your brand. So with the welcome news of Instagram Reels, those security concerns can be put aside.
Reels allows you to share 15-second clips to the Reels channel or add to your story. You can edit, add visual effects and music to really make your videos pop. Brands have been able to generate millions of views by using these kinds of platforms. Vine started off the trend, then Tiktok and now I predict Reels will be even bigger.
You need to think outside of the box with the content you produce. I have never used Tiktok. To me, it seems to be aimed at a younger market and it’s flooded with dance videos. Similarly to Snapchat. I have never been a user. The App was clunky and difficult to use for beginners. If your target audience is the younger generation then it could be great for you. For me, I’m already on Instagram. I know how it works inside and out. I am looking forward to getting to grips with Reels. It’s important to jump on these trends early to get ahead of the curve. In a couple of months, it will be flooded with content. That’s why you need to build your fan base early on. Otherwise, there is a lot more noise to push through.
You don’t have to make your Reels videos on your phone! A lot of people think that to post on these channels you need to use your phone to create the content. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Look at influencer Zach King. He made his name posting Vine videos but he would use Final Cut Pro for his clever editing. He looked at what was trending around the world and used that to his advantage. By producing high-quality professional content you can really make your business stand out and gain a large following. Shoot with a great camera, professional lighting and record your audio with a boom or lapel mic. Then when you put it into Reels you can add any little special effects or gifs to give your brand some fun and personality.
I have been using Instagram stories a lot recently. When I am out shooting I take behind the scenes shots to show what I am up to. If a photograph gets featured by another channel I will share that picture to my story and add some music and maybe a funny gif that interacts with the scene. This helps people get to know me as a human being. Now that Reels is here I will use it to produce some more creative content. Content that I can have fun with and push the boundaries of my creativity.
To access Reels just click the little camera icon in the top left corner of the Instagram app and you will see your options of Live, Story or Reels. So check Reels out and think about how it could benefit your business. The sooner you get started the sooner you can get ahead and start growing that fan base!
Thanks for reading!
Gareth Carr
Cinematographer & Photographer based in Sydney, Australia
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Exposed Wolf is a video production & photography company based in Sydney, Australia. With over 20 years of industry experience, they can help you with planning, shooting and editing your projects to give you months of powerful content to raise your business and brand.