In this article we’re going to take a look at 17 clever instagram reel ideas that you can use to promote your business on social media.
And there are many different places you can post video content online, but easily the most prominent is social media.
If you have a presence on Instagram, you need to start investing in reels.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some inspiring reels and give you some great ideas for promoting your business!
1. Show the process
Social media offers you the chance to lift the curtain behind your processes and give potential customers an insight into what it takes to make your products and/or service.
This fun reel from Evelyn Fraser Photography is a great example, especially because as a viewer you’re not sure what’s going to happen next. The end result is really impressive and could definitely encourage people to get in touch and order their own photos.
2. Use customer reactions
This is a big one for social media. People don’t always want to see brands talking about themselves. They want to see real people, just like them, so showing customer reactions is the perfect way to drum up attention.
The example reel from Omaze clearly didn’t take a lot of time, effort, or money to make. But the end result was impactful and encouraged engagement, because it’s all about the customer’s reaction.
3. Showcase your products
Of course, most of the time on social media you don’t want to be selling too hard. But every now and then you need to showcase your products.
This reel from The Cuticle Lab does a great job of showing off the quality of their products and making them desirable to people scrolling through without being overly salesy.
4. Fun tutorials
Video is a great tool for showing people how to get the most out of your products. Short and fun tutorials are the perfect way to grab attention while at the same time educating your audience so that they love your products as much as possible!
This video is full of helpful tips and tricks, and the person in the video also demonstrates what to do and what not to do.
5. Collaborate with influencers
Like it or not, influencers rule the social media kingdom. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing for brands. Most influencers are open to collaborating with brands that align with their values and interests – it’s how they make their money!
Creating a reel with an influencer that appears natural and is enjoyable to watch, like this video from Olaplex and Mina Zibayi, is a great way to expand your reach.
6. Encourage and share UGC
In addition to working with influencers, it’s a good idea to encourage all of your followers and customers to create UGC – user generated content.
These kinds of reels are invaluable when it comes to word of mouth marketing – we all know that recommendations mean so much more when they come from someone else, not just the brand themselves!
When people do create UGC, share it on your page. This ensures your followers get to see it and it will also deepen your connection with the customer or user who made the video.
7. Hop on trends
You’ve probably noticed that Instagram goes through lots of trends. All of a sudden a certain soundtrack or video format will become super popular and everyone will create videos that show their take on the trend.
When a trend like this appears, it’s important to hop on it if you can find a way to make it relevant to your brand. This is because these trend videos get pushed out to so many people – if your reel catches fire it could give your following a massive boost!
8. Experiment with hooks
Just like certain trends are popular on Instagram, so are hooks. There’s a lot of different hooks out there. For example, you can start with a question or an ‘unpopular opinion’ or a ‘confession’ – basically anything that’s going to grab attention in those crucial first few seconds when someone first scrolls onto your reel.
One of the most popular trends at the minute is POV (point of view). This video by Cool Running uses the POV hook to grab people’s attention and then keep them around for the conclusion of the video.
9. Encourage engagement
Social media is exactly that – it’s sharing media and being social! When you create reels to encourage engagement, like this one from fashion influencer Sarah Zerafa, people are more likely to leave comments and this sends a positive signal to Instagram that you are a brand people want to see more of.
It’s essential that you don’t just post these videos and forget about them. Like people’s comments and leave replies – keep the conversation going! All of these tiny connections could lead to an increase in your following and your sales.
10. Share your brand values
Markets are so competitive these days that, while price still matters, it’s difficult to make it your sole differentiator. Nowadays, brand values are what draw consumers to a particular company and turn them into loyal customers.
So, make sure you share what your brand values are in reels like the one above from hair removal company, Hey Estrid.
11. Be controversial
Listen, social media is saturated and sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to stand out! Going against the grain can be risky but it can also get people talking about your brand and sharing your reels.
This video by Somedays doesn’t seem all that controversial on the surface but it definitely had people divided in the comments. As a brand, that kind of attention can be scary, but this video also has over half a million likes and it no doubt resonated with their ideal customers. You’ve got to take the rough with the smooth if using this strategy!
12. Repurpose content
You might recognise this clip. It was used in The Cuticle Lab reel above. Here, they are repurposing the clip for a quick reel that still does a great job of showcasing their products.
When creating videos, you’ll end up with a lot of content that’s easy to repurpose for different uses – so why not?!
13. Be silly
Social media isn’t a place to take yourself too seriously. Most people use Instagram as an escape. A little 5 or 10 minute ‘brain break’ where you can scroll through quick reels and receive instant gratification. It’s probably to blame for our shrinking attention spans, but that’s a story for another day!
Social media is the perfect place to be a little silly, a little goofy, and just generally show off the personality behind your brand. This will help you to strengthen connections with your customers and increase brand loyalty.
14. Create how-tos
A lot of people use social media as a place to gather inspiration and maybe even learn new things.
The big difference between an IG reel tutorial and a normal how-to video is that your reel doesn’t need to include too much detail (that’s what the caption is for), it just needs to be fast-paced, easy to follow, and have a catchy soundtrack.
15. Subvert expectations
It can be difficult to get noticed on social media. Sometimes it can feel like a never-ending cycle of trends and memes that everyone has to keep up with in order to fit in. But, fitting in isn’t the best way to stand out.
Subverting expectations is a surefire way to help your brand get noticed. If your reel shocks or surprises people, they might be more likely to share it and/or leave a comment – all great for your engagement statistics.
16. Behind the scenes
People love a little peek behind the curtain! Behind the scenes videos, like this one from HelloYummy Box, can humanise your brand and show potential customers how much effort and care you put into your products.
This is also another way to repurpose content. Instagram is such a fast-moving platform and it demands fresh content all the time. Creating a reel and then a behind the scenes version of that reel is a quick and easy way to feed the content machine.
17. Let your customers do the talking
There’s nothing wrong with a little social media testimonial! Reels like this one help to increase your credibility and allow your followers to see how your brand, product, or service has positively impacted normal people just like them.
While working with influencers can be very lucrative and is definitely a tactic to explore on social media, partnering with ordinary customers shouldn’t be overlooked.
Final thoughts
Instagram is a great place to share video content from your business and keep your brand top-of-mind for consumers.
It can be difficult to keep coming up with fresh ideas so we hope these were helpful! If you need more inspiration, check out this article next: 21 Instagram Story Ideas for Quick Inspiration.
