We all know by now that Reels are the perfect opportunity to extend your reach, boost your engagement, and build your community. If you spend a bit of time on any social media platform, you probably notice video content within the first 10 seconds. It’s everywhere – stories, in-feed posts, and even lives. Short-form videos have taken over and we don’t think they’re going anywhere. Over the past year, they have become the best way to grow your account organically. So today, I want to give you a few tips on how you can create the ideal Reel, but let’s start by looking at why these short video formats work so well.

Video content gets more exposure and engagement

The first reason why video content typically performs better is simply that it allows you to be concise and capture your viewers’ interest in the first few seconds. Especially if you keep your videos short, you increase your chances of people watching it till the end, or they might even watch it more than once. And that signalizes to the algorithm that you create great content so it pushes it, and more people get to see it.

On top of that, Instagram also gives an extra boost to its most recent features – since the rise of TikTok, Instagram has been pushing Reels, making it one of the best growth hacks on the app right now.

Video typically has longevity

Not only does video content get more engagement than other content types, it usually also sticks around for longer. That means, that if you post a Reel today, it might still get views in a month! That’s why you should never delete any of them – you never know when they might go viral! Some of our TPI students have already had that happen with their content – have a look:

Btw, if you want to learn all our tips and secrets about Instagram on how to create amazing content, how to make the algorithm work in your favor, how to monetize your account, and more, then join our “The Power of Instagram” course now and become one of our CLD students!

It’s a more personable way to engage with your audience

Video content is also a great way to connect and engage with your audience on a more personal level, If a picture says a thousand words, then imagine how much a video can say! Now more than ever before, people want to get to know the creators and brands they follow. And through videos, you can show so much more of your personality, your style, and your aesthetic – you’ll be able to really connect with your audience and give them the feeling that they know you.

It’s more fun to watch!

Lastly, videos are just so much more fun to watch (and create!). If you’re good at it, people will want to see more and more of your content, which means that they will check out your account and potentially start following you! And don’t worry, you don’t need to be dancing to create a good Reel – on the contrary! You can obviously use video content, but you can also use photos and arrange them according to the beat.

As you can see, there are many different reasons why short-form video content is impactful on social media, and a combination of all of these reasons makes these videos a key formula for success on social media these days. Hopefully, this convinces you to take the leap and create more Reels! If so, then there are 3 things that you should keep in mind to make your content even more successful:

Grab your audience’s attention

According to a study, you have around eight seconds to grab someone’s attention. We simply do not have the time to watch every piece of content that is put in front of us every day, which is why we usually just scroll by a video if it doesn’t catch our eye immediately. That means that your Reels need to start in a way that will make your viewers want to continue. This could be by adding a bold statement at the beginning, or by starting with an open-ended question, you could use a catchy visual, or an exciting announcement. It doesn’t have to be too complicated, sometimes the simple things bring the best results.

Provide value

If you are one of our TPI students, then you already know that there is one thing we can’t say enough: always provide some sort of value. That can be in form of entertainment or education, but your viewers should get something out of your content. If you don’t give anything, people won’t want to see more and they won’t want to share it with others. But if they can relate or take something from it, you’ll see your engagement increase.

Hop on timely trends

There is no doubt that the best way to increase your views and grow your account is by hopping on trends. Whether it’s dances, audio, or challenges, following trends are a major part of creating viral Reels. And the great thing is that you can adapt most trends to any niche and incorporate them into your overall strategy. Look at our students for example. They chose trending songs, created content that suits their niche, and got MILLIONS of views!