Social media is now a world of endless scrolling and Instagram Reels could be the ticket to slowing the scroll and capturing the attention of your perfect customer. But with floods of videos to choose from, it’s easy to get lost. What is THE secret to standing out? How do you create videos so good, your audience has to stop and stare.
Ready to claim your 15 (or 90) seconds of fame and go from meh to memorable?
Follow these easy steps and you could just break the internet…
Plan, Plan, Plan
The best Reels tell compelling stories, are funny or relate to the audience.
Telling a story that reflects your brand and speaks to your audience’s needs and desires, hooks the audience from the first second and keeps them glued until the end. Funny reels take timing and practice. And finding topics or ideas that your audience can say “that’s so ME” takes time and planning. Which means you can’t just freestyle it. You actually need a plan (unless you’re uber talented and relaxed 😎).
So before you begin, ask yourself these questions:
💡 What is your Reel going to be about?
💡 What are you sharing with your audience?
💡 Does your story have a beginning, a middle, and an end?
💡 What emotion do you hope your audience feels?
💡 What action do you want them to take?
💡 Am I replicating a trend or funny reel? If so, have I practised the lingo and do I have the trending music/audio?
Hook Em In
The first few seconds of your Reel should be like the opening of a pick up line: irresistible, bold and designed to make people stop in their tracks. Whether it’s an eye-catching visual, an intriguing question or a shocking statistic, your hook is your golden ticket to capturing your audience’s attention. Think of it this way: if your Reel doesn’t hook faster than a Wi-Fi signal at a café, your viewers will scroll faster than you can say “algorithm.” So, lead with your best bait and watch those views Reel in.
The Bait in Question:
- “This shocked me. . .”
- “I’ve got a secret. . .”
- “Why are there not more people talking about. . .”
- “This will blow your mind. . .”
- “This was the WORST decision I ever made…”
Caption It
We’re all just tiny word warriors fighting for attention in a sea of scrolls – don’t underestimate the importance of crafting clever captions. Your first two lines need to be snappy, punchy and attention grabbing because everything else gets cut off by the sneaky ‘read more’. So, make those opening words hit harder than a double espresso on Monday morning. Think juicy facts, shocking bites, relatable quotes or clever questions. Also don’t forget to #hashtag.
Visuals
Creating captivating Reels is vital to telling your story so it’s time to get creative with your shots. Have a play with snazzy transitions, interesting angels and perspectives like you’re a director at Cannes. But it’s also important not to get carried away – every shot still needs to have a purpose. While you’re at it, why not experiment with some fun text overlays and graphics too.
Trending Music
A successful Reel isn’t just about fancy visuals—it’s about evoking the right emotions to make it stick in people’s minds. Hello Mr DJ! Whether you’re going for hilarious, heartwarming, shocking or dramatic, your music is like the olive in your dirty martini, it’s the little thing that has the power to tie the whole thing together.
Lastly, it’s important to remember that Reels are supposed to be FUN! So don’t hold back – jump on board trends, experiment with different styles/formats and play with all the shiny features that Instagram offers.
Done is always better than perfect… and every reel you make will bring you closer to one that takes off.
Happy Reelin! 🎣