Do you know the average attention span of people watching reels is just 3 seconds?
Just kidding… But well, that’s not entirely wrong. I mean, ask yourself, how many reels do you just scroll past and how many do you watch? Quite a handful, right? Now, the reasons can vary. The reel is short, humorous, has a catchy hook, and is unique or even a bit CRINGE (yes, sometimes cringe also goes viral).
So, how do you land on the side of reels where people watch the whole thing and don’t just scroll? Well, there are some basic things you need to keep in mind and some technical aspects. Don’t worry; this blog will help you out. Let’s REEL IT… Oh, I mean, ROLL it…
Table of contents
- Who Is Watching Your Instagram Reel? Define Your Target Audience
- How Does Your Instagram Reel Talk? Aapka Tone of Voice kya hai?
- List Down Your Content Brackets For Your Instagram Reels
- 3 Best and Free Apps To Edit Your Instagram Reel
- 10 Bonus Tips For Making Instagram Reels
- In Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
Who Is Watching Your Instagram Reel? Define Your Target Audience
Hmm… so, you’ve got that big data sheet with charts detailing age groups, gender distribution, and demographics. But hold on, that’s not your real TARGET AUDIENCE.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Your Target Persona is the one person who defines your audience entirely. Feeling confused? Take a deep breath.
Let me break it down. A target persona is like creating a whole personality for your audience using the data you already have. Picture the person watching your Instagram reel — what do they eat, what movies do they love, which shows are their go-to? Dive deep into their habits and personality. Discover more in our recent blog.
Wondering how this helps? It shapes your Instagram reel content. For instance, if your car detailing brand’s data shows that your audience is males aged 20 to 35, your Instagram reel content should reflect their interests, searches and language. Check out CarzSpa’s Instagram reel as an example.
Now, let’s talk about how you talk and how your target person talks.
How Does Your Instagram Reel Talk? Aapka Tone of Voice kya hai?
Your brand’s voice remains constant, but the tone can vary. Let me illustrate with an example: your brand’s voice can be friendly, but the tone might be aggressively friendly, calm, cute or sarcastic. Check out this Instagram reel example to understand the difference.
Preeti, a makeup artist, shares friendly voice tutorials encouraging viewers to try makeup. However, her tone is aggressively friendly, teaching while playfully scolding. Now, it’s essential to identify the Tone of Voice (TOV) for your brand.
Here are some examples to help you decide:
- Proud and exclusive
- Considerate and simple
- Highly emotional
- Positive and inspiring
- Witty but not snarky
- Friendly yet professional
How TOV is used in Instagram reel
- Brand consistency – Your voice should be consistent with your brand’s overall identity. Whether your brand is informal, professional, funny or educational, keeping your content consistent from start to finish—including your Instagram Reels—will help you establish a distinct and unified identity.
- Storytelling – A storyteller’s tone of voice is crucial to its effectiveness. Whether you’re presenting a personal story, a helpful one or a behind-the-scenes peek, your tone may improve the story and keep the audience interested.
- Audience connection – It’s critical to understand who your target audience is. A deeper connection can be made by adjusting your tone so that it appeals to your audience. Talk in a style that resonates with their values, interests and preferences to increase the relatability of your information.
- Emotional connect – Think about the feelings you wish to instil in the people watching you. To evoke a certain emotion, such as joy, inspiration, empathy or enthusiasm, change the tone of your voice.
- Experimentation – Instagram Reels are a dynamic format, so you can find out what appeals to your audience the most by playing with different tones. To improve your strategy, pay attention to statistics and engagement data.
List Down Your Content Brackets For Your Instagram Reels
It may be on your mind that we haven’t addressed the topic of how to create Instagram reels. Therefore, we wouldn’t advise you to choose an adjustable stand, grab a ring light and then move the camera left or right. Instead, we will specify the kind of content or content bucket that is appropriate for your Instagram reels. You can select one or combine several based on the personality of your brand.
Tutorial/How-To:
- Share step-by-step tutorials on a specific skill or activity.
- Use quick cuts and captions to guide viewers through the process.
Behind-the-Scenes:
- Offer a glimpse into your daily life, creative process or workspace.
- Humanise your brand or persona by showing the person behind the content.
Product Showcase:
- Highlight the features and benefits of a product or service.
- Demonstrate different use cases or applications.
Challenges and Trends:
- Participate in popular challenges or trends within your niche.
- Create your challenges to encourage user participation.
Comedy and Humour:
- Share funny skits, jokes or comedic commentary.
- Use humour to entertain and connect with your audience.
Educational Content:
- Share bite-sized educational content on a specific topic.
- Use visuals, text overlays and narration to convey information.
Storytime/Personal Narratives:
- Share personal stories or experiences.
- Connect with your audience on a more emotional level.
Q&A Sessions:
- Answer commonly asked questions from your audience.
- Encourage viewers to submit questions for future Q&A sessions.
Quick Tips and Hacks:
- Provide quick and useful tips or life hacks.
- Solve common problems or address frequently asked questions.
Collaborations:
- Partner with other creators for collaborative content.
- Share joint challenges, duets or split-screen collaborations.
Showcasing Achievements:
- Celebrate milestones, achievements, or special moments.
- Express gratitude to your audience for their support.
Day in the Life:
- Document a day in your life, showcasing routines and activities.
- Provide a personal and relatable perspective.
Motivational Content:
- Share motivational quotes, messages or personal anecdotes.
3 Best and Free Apps To Edit Your Instagram Reel
Creating engaging Instagram Reels often involves some level of video editing expertise. Here’s a brief overview of the three free apps:
Canva
- Features: Canva is known for its design capabilities, but it also offers video editing tools. You can use it to add text, music and other elements to your Instagram Reels.
- Pros: User-friendly, a wide range of templates, suitable for creating visually appealing content.
- Cons: Limited advanced video editing features compared to dedicated video editing apps.
InShot
- Features: InShot is a versatile app offering video editing, trimming, cutting and adding music. It also supports various aspect ratios, making it suitable for Instagram Reels.
- Pros: Easy to use, supports various formats and resolutions, includes filters and effects.
- Cons: Some advanced features may require a paid version.
VN (VlogNow):
- Features: VN is a user-friendly video editing app with features like multi-layer support, text overlays, and transitions. It’s suitable for creating dynamic Instagram Reels.
- Pros: Intuitive interface, multiple layers for advanced editing, various effects.
- Cons: May not have as many features as professional editing software.
If you require high-quality and professional-grade content, working with a digital marketing agency specialising in video creation and editing can be a great option. They can provide expertise, advanced editing tools and a creative approach to elevate the quality of your Instagram Reels.
10 Bonus Tips For Making Instagram Reels
Keep a content calendar
Planning your content helps maintain consistency and ensures a steady flow of engaging posts. It allows you to align your content with your overall strategy.
Hook the user in the first 3 seconds
Grabbing the viewer’s attention early is crucial. Use visually striking elements or an intriguing statement to encourage viewers to keep watching.
Experiment with different content
Diversity in content keeps your audience interested. Try various formats, styles and topics to discover what resonates best with your viewers.
Use text and captions in your reels
Incorporating text and captions can enhance understanding, especially when conveying messages or information. It also makes your content accessible to a broader audience.
Keep an eye on trends
Staying updated on current trends within your niche or the platform helps keep your content relevant and appealing to your audience.
Get the dimensions right
Ensure your Reels are formatted correctly for Instagram. The recommended dimensions are typically 1080 x 1920 pixels (9:16 aspect ratio).
Upload an engaging reel cover
The cover image is the first thing users see. Create a visually appealing cover that accurately represents the content and entices viewers to click.
Shoot vertically
Instagram Reels are designed for vertical viewing. Shooting your content vertically maximises the use of screen space and provides a better user experience.
Go crazy with transitions
Experimenting with creative transitions adds a dynamic and visually interesting element to your Reels. It can elevate the overall quality of your content.
See the reel below it has 191 million views and 12 million likes. Insane isn’t it?
Feature user-generated content
Encourage your audience to create content related to your brand or niche. Featuring user-generated content not only builds community but also provides a fresh perspective.
Collaborate with influencers
Partnering with influencers in your niche can help expand your reach and bring credibility to your content. It also introduces your profile to a new audience.
In Conclusion
Don’t just be a passive scroller – become a Reel sensation in 2024! From creating a content calendar to experimenting with trends and nailing those transitions, this guide has equipped you with the tools you need.
But why stop here? Elevate your Reel game to the next level by considering the expertise of a social media agency. With their professional touch, you can make your mark on Instagram. Stop scrolling, start creating and drop us an email at hello@florafountain.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
The founder and partner of Flora Fountain, Shefali leads the Content and Technology divisions. A one-time engineer who started her career writing front-end code, she took a detour sometime during her 9 years in New York, studied journalism and started writing prose, poetry and sometimes jokes. She now has 15...
