Jessica Pardoe

Should You Be Using Instagram Reels For Your Business?

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Social media is an ever-changing landscape, in our 15 years of Source PR we’ve seen the content we produce and for what channels change time and time again – it’s a tough job to keep on top of it, but that’s what we’re here for!

The past few years have seen the resurgence of video on social, and it’s back bigger and better than ever before. Thanks to the popularity of TikTok and the introduction of Instagram Reels, platforms, especially Meta, are now favouring this type of content even more than static images – so it’s essential that they form part of your social media strategy.

A Little About Instagram Reels

Instagram launched Reels in 2020 in the UK, following the ubiquity of TikTok in most people’s lives – Meta knew they had to compete. Following a steady launch, as of 2023 it’s thought that Reels reach 2.35 billion people each month internationally, and that’s not just the Gen Z-ers either! Though the 18–34-year-old market makes up over 60% of the share of users, 16.1% fall into the 35-44 age bracket and almost 6% of users are over 55.

Currently, Reels get 22% more interaction on Instagram than standard videos, and we don’t doubt that before long… These stats will be similar if not stronger than for typical images. The future is in motion. Which is why at Source PR, we’re taking FULL advantage.

Why You Should Use Instagram Reels For Business

Some businesses, especially those that are B2B, may think that Instagram Reels are not suitable for their business – but we like to think you can make them work for any trade. There are plenty of benefits to using Instagram Reels for businesses (even without advertising) that include:

  1. They add a depth to your content, videos tend to show more than still images
  2. Reels are favoured by Meta’s algorithms, meaning they can reach more people
  3. Popular music means you can create shareable content that’s reactive to trends
  4. Visual appeal of products and services can be enhanced by Reels
  5. You get more user time to show off to your customers… According to recent data, feed videos that perform best are around 26 seconds

How To Add Instagram Reels To Your Social Strategy

It’s imperative with social media that you move with the times, whether that’s exploring new channels such as Instagram Threads, or ensuring that your content is as dynamic as possible on established platforms, for example, by introducing video content to your pages.

But how do you go about doing that? Because it sure isn’t an easy or quick process!

Instagram Reels For B2C Companies

Naturally, Instagram is a platform that lends itself better to consumer-centric companies, it’s very visually focused which works brilliantly with companies that have great products and services to show off. For clients in travel, hospitality, health and beauty etc., Reels will effortlessly fit into your business. Consider the steps below;

  • Create a plan thinking about what your customers would like to see more of – can you give them show-around tours of your business, demonstrate key features of your product, highlight results and testimonials from happy customers?
  • Utilise trending audio and don’t be scared to get creative and take risks with what you pick! Due to licensing, the music that can be used on business accounts, but there are still ways to find popular songs and sounds
  • Work with a content creation business so you don’t end up spending all of your time capturing and editing content. It’s a good idea to leave it up to professionals who understand what your customers want to see, and how to get it to them
  • Don’t be afraid to think outside the box – do you have team members up for jumping on the latest trend? Great! This is the kind of video that tends to get the best kind of interaction on both Instagram and on TikTok too

Instagram Reels For B2B Companies

While creating Instagram Reels for B2C businesses may be an easier feat, it doesn’t mean that if you sell directly to businesses, that you shouldn’t give it a go! B2B content can be extremely satisfying for users to engage with, as well as helpful to your potential customers. Because you’re still selling to real people at the end of the day.

Think about what your business has that could have visual appeal, do you work with printers or interesting machinery? You’d be surprised at what can work and what people find interesting – from videos of hydraulic presses and scraping wax from industrial machines, anything goes when it comes to Instagram Reels and TikToks

  • Ask the advice of those who work in social content creation, as they’re sure to know what works on these channels already, and what kind of trends your business can get involved in
  • Acknowledge what your customer might like to see – could you produce ‘how to’ or FAQ videos for people in the consideration stage of the customer journey, that could help them to make a final decision to purchase?
  • Your business is more than just the products you sell or services you provide… Showcase the people behind the brand and the way you work day in, day out. People buy people after all

Start Content Creating For Your Business

Instagram Reels are only going to get more popular, so if you haven’t started dabbling already, now is the time! At Source PR we’ve been developing our expertise in this area and now work with several clients on content creation. If you’d like to pick our brains, we’re here to chat! You can get in touch via our website.