The nature of the modern social media landscape has slowly diminished the organic reach of your brand’s content. With each tweak of the algorithm, it becomes more and more crucial to tailor your content for what Instagram is prioritizing. Back in August Instagram announced Reels as a new way to create and discover short, entertaining videos on Instagram. It’s hardly a secret that this new focus on video was in response to the incredible rise of TikTok. Since its release, Instagram has added a dedicated Reels tab to keep users scrolling and discovering new content, proving that they too could adapt their platform and tailor it to how users want to take in content today.
So what’s the key ingredient to an engaging and captivating reel, you ask? Social-first video. High-resolution, vertically filmed footage is necessary in being able to create a reel that draws your audience in and increases your visibility on Instagram (#AlgorithmHack). We recommend investing in securing this kind of video through dedicated influencer collaborations, photographers, agency partners, or even tapping on-property team members.
No matter who you decide gets to be behind the camera, our Hawkins International digital team is here to arm you with a few ways to optimize your content for what Instagram is favoring and create engaging Reels that get noticed on the platform!
Don’t Overthink the Algorithm
- Just because certain dance videos are trending does not mean your content needs to completely pivot. Instagram gives Reels a relevancy score that will determine where your Reel may pop-up, outside of your followers’ timelines. Creating content on Instagram that remains relevant to your desired target audiences will help your content find new audiences organically better than any other format on Instagram.
Hook the Target Audience
- Have a clear hook that makes followers want to keep watching and share your Reel. Every Reel should have a purpose for posting, provide your audience with value, and follow a short storyline – no matter how simple.
Share to Your Feed
- Always post your Reel as an in-feed post rather than a standalone Reel. This will allow your Reel to be visible on your followers’ timelines, similar to a static post, in addition to the dedicated Reels tab on a user’s profile.
#HashtagsNeeded
- Don’t forget to use relevant hashtags when posting, even if just two or three. Hashtags increase visibility of the reel and allow for more users to come across your content based on their search results.
Promote on Instagram Stories
- Cross-promote your Reel as an Instagram Story to draw more people to your account, increase Reel views, and potentially attract new followers. Instagram makes it easy to share posted content right to your story, so definitely make sure to take advantage of this feature.
Support The Platform You’re Using
- To increase visibility, Instagram recommends creating authentic and original content and using the Reels music library and audio tools. In short – don’t post videos that are intended for other apps. If you support Instagram’s platform, they’ll do their best to boost your content.
The best way to see how a Reel will perform is to post often and experiment. Analyze your content and make decisions based on which videos create the most buzz, generate the most views, result in the most engagement. That’s one of the most fun things about social media — it’s a playground for creativity. From behind-the-scenes footage of a photoshoot at the luxury retail destination The SoNo Collection to the ins and outs of what an influencer trip looks like in Jamaica at The Tryall Club, and stunning clips that highlight Seabourn Cruise Line’s voyages in Alaska — here’s just a glimpse of some of the Reels that we’ve created. If you’re looking for some inspiration, give @hipr a follow and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for more Reels in the future.
