If there was one thing that succeeded in 2020, it would be short-form videos. With millions stuck at home, people turned to platforms like TikTok and Instagram for inspiration and as windows to the world. Everyone knows that video continues to dominate the digital space and is here to stay.
Source: Statista
Number of digital video viewers in the United States from 2018-2022 by the millions.
But short-form videos, in particular, are taking over, and will soon be the number one format for marketers. This is because the human attention span is getting shorter and shorter thanks to social media and the motion of scrolling through our feeds. We can now consume news in seconds and advertisements have transformed from large magazine spreads with blocks of copy to eye-catching photographs with a single call-to-action.
Source: Vidyard
Over 68% watch a video to completion if it’s a minute or less. The number significantly drops as the video length increases.
As a marketer, this means your video content needs to stay short but sticky. Thankfully, with the introduction of Instagram Reels, creating snackable content and sharing it with a massive audience is easier than ever. Below, we’ve listed creative ways you can use Instagram Reels for your brand:
High-Speed How-Tos
Videos published on Instagram Reels must be 30 seconds or less — obviously not enough time for a regular how-to. But with a bit of editing, anything is possible. Instagram Reels has a built-in feature that allows you to record directly from the app with an option to slow down or speed up the video (from 0.3x to 3x). You can also use apps like Instasize to help you edit your videos and apply effects with a few clicks.
Image source: https://www.instagram.com/charcuterie.chick/
Digital Creator Charcuterie Chick (@charcuteria.chick), who is famous for her perfectly-styled charcuteries boards, inspires her followers with quick how-tos. The high-speed videos feature her building all kinds of themed boards.
How-to videos are especially valuable for products that need some technique or skill to use. This type of video is great for skincare brands, food and beverage, fashion, and more. Unlike the typical explainer video, which could easily take more than five minutes, high-speed how-tos cut it down into digestible 15-30 second clips.
Source: marketingcharts.com
Explainer videos are the third most popular type of marketing videos.
On top of teaching your customers how to use your products in a quick and efficient way, how-to videos are a fast way to build trust with your customers. It also lessens customer support requests, giving you more time to focus on selling your product. Try using a workflow software to help you automate repetitive tasks and plan out your video content more efficiently.
Point-of-view Videos
Point-of-view (POV) videos provide your audience with a unique opportunity to virtually experience your product. Instead of choosing an influencer or a character to play the role on your Instagram Reels, POV shots are able to immerse your viewers into the story.
Image source: https://www.instagram.com/redbull/
Redbull (@redbull) uses POV-style videos in their action-packed Instagram Reels. The videos feature all kinds of athletes performing extreme stunts, all of which end with a POV shot handing the athlete a can of Redbull.
POV-style videos are powerful because they allow the audience to live vicariously through the lens as if they’re the stars of your video. If your brand is trying to sell an experience or a lifestyle, this is a technique worth exploring.
Start an Online Challenge
TikTok challenges are one of the biggest viral trends in the past year, and with the use of TikTok hashtags, it became an important and effective way to get more eyes on your TikTok content! Since Instagram Reels follows the same concept, the idea will work just the same. Like any challenge that has gone viral, it has to be simple and easy to follow so that everyone can participate.
To start a challenge, think of a campaign hashtag that’s natural and can be associated with your brand. A great example of this would be Colgate’s #MakeMomSmile Challenge on TikTok which launched in celebration of Mother’s Day 2020. The campaign was extremely successful, getting free user-generated content from all over the globe. To date, videos that used that hashtag have garnered over 5 billion views.
Source: TikTok
Start something similar with Instagram Reels. It can be in celebration of an event, a campaign to launch your product, or just a fun challenge to collect free user-generated content.
Unscripted Content
Your Instagram feed is usually where you put your best foot forward. Everyone knows it probably took those influencers hundreds of takes and a bit of editing before they got to the final shot. Use Instagram Reels to reveal behind-the-scenes, unscripted content. This can be the space where you let loose and give your followers a glimpse of the people behind the brand — it takes a village after all!
You can experiment with bloopers, an “Instagram versus Reality” video, a series of photo outtakes, or other creative content that your followers can relate to.
Platforms like Instagram Reels are all about content that’s fun and casual —don’t worry about being “off-brand”. Start Posting
Instagram Reels presents an exciting opportunity for brands to reach a wider audience using short-form videos. With a separate Explore page specially made for Instagram Reels, your video is given a global stage to tell your story. While Reels is still relatively new, use this opportunity to create unique content, and maybe you can even start a trend.
About the Author: Denise Langenegger is part of the team at Instasize – a content creating tool kit for anyone editing photos and online content on mobile.