Earlier this month, Adam Mosseri, the Head of Instagram, announced changes for the app. His statement said that the app is about “more than just photo sharing”. 

“We’re no longer a photo-sharing app”. Instead, he said the data the company collected suggests its users turn to the app for video, shopping, and messaging content. In updates set to roll out to the app in the coming months, he said much of the content on the app will begin to be tailored to those categories.

Instagram’s research found that the number one reason people use the app is to be entertained.  Their solution? Implementing the Reels feature, where users can share full-screen, 15- or 30-second videos. This is no surprise, given the quick rise of popularity with the TikTok app. 

How does this affect you? 

Without actually saying the words, we believe Instagram will prioritize video within the algorithm. We have tested this out with clients and it’s obvious that videos gain more views, thereby more engagement, than images. 

We recommend you take advantage of Instagram Reels as a way to share more video content with your audience. Here are three ways you can use Reels as part of your business marketing strategy. 

1. Create authentic content

We make it sound so easy, don’t we? 

Reels are designed to be fast and fun, filled with music and special effects to make creating captivating and authentic content easy and fun. Take this opportunity to show a more human side of your business. Show the messy side, be funny, have a good time! 

2.Share educational content

Educational content can help position you as an expert in your industry. We love this stuff and it’s easy to do – give your followers your top 5 staging tips for selling a home, teach them how to use your products, or show them how your products can be used. 

3. Sell those products

Whether or not you have the coveted swipe up, reels offers a huge opportunity for driving sales on the Instagram app. Instagram Reels are now shoppable — which means businesses can showcase products and tag them directly. 

What’s Next?

When Instagram launched Instagram Stories in 2016, there were 150 million users. Now, a mere four years later, over 500 million users use stories every day. If this is any indication, it looks like Instagram Reels has a bright future ahead. Our recommendation is to jump in early, while competition is still low. 

If you are unsure where to start, give us a call to discuss. You can also check out influencers and companies in industries similar to yours to see what they are doing. Use hashtags and descriptive captions and most importantly, have fun!