August 2020 - Broad World Business

Monthly Archives: August 2020

Get the full scoop on Instagram Reels

Just when you think you’re getting a grasp on your Instagram content, they throw another feature at us: Reels. Reels are 15 second video clips shared to your feed and new Reels page, offering up new brand-building initiatives.

How is it different from Stories, IGTV, or umm, TikTok? That’s what we’ll run through today.

*Scroll to the bottom of this page to watch the video*

What is Reels?

Instagram Reels are <15 second videos that will be housed in a new icon on your profile page between your Feed and IGTV. These 15 second videos can be created and shared in real-time a la Stories, but can also be created by uploading a video or multiple videos. Reels offers features like music, filters, and stickers to bring your storytelling to life.

Unlike Stories, Reels won’t disappear from your account in 24 hours, and will stay on your Reels feed. Reels aren’t meant to be super polished, but rather a glimpse at your brand’s personality with quick-to-social creative.

So yes, Instagram Reels is Facebook’s clap back to TikTok. But it’s way more than that, too.

Why did Instagram add Reels?

From January through March of 2020, TikTok had more app-installs than any company had ever seen in a single quarter. Proving further what we already knew to be true: video content is queen! Video engages followers — which builds trust, brand loyalty and community.

While Gen Z were undoubtedly the early adopters of TikTok, millennials now account for the highest population of TikTok users. Not because Gen Z has fallen off, but because their slightly older cohorts have also taken on the quirky, roughly-edited way video content is being brought to them. Instagram’s win here is that they have a whopping 1 million users, so this new feature will bring the people what they want, in a place they already are.

Editorial staff have known for a long time that written content is mostly consumed in snack-sized pieces or long form. This is proving true in the world of video as well. Instagram took a page out of Vine’s book with Stories, it’s coming for YouTube with IGTV, and here we see them again using their mammoth user base to maintain their market share over TikTok.

How do you use Reels?

For a straight-up tutorial on Reels, I recommend checking out Later’s post. I want to dive into the strategic side.

Reels are your opportunity to show the human side of you and your business. If you take nothing else away from this post, let it be that. We connect with humans and the human experience. Maybe your brand is funny, or relaxing, or motivating, it doesn’t matter. So how you use Reels should be raw and authentic to that story.

Here are some ideas that would make engaging, storytelling videos:

(Important: keep in mind we aren’t after perfection)

BTS of a photoshoot, great way to tease products or launches
Meet the team or in-office happenings, to promote talent acquisition
Tutorial videos to elevate your expertise, this could be styling, stretching, skin care, changing a faucet!
Before and after ideas, everyone loves a transformation
New arrivals or products
Routines, recipes, funny animals, chubby babies, jokes… honestly, you name it!

As I said above, Reels will be its own tab on your profile but I’d like to add that sharing a new Reel to your Stories and previewing it on your feed is the best way to get the most views.

What are the benefits of Reels?

I’ve heard from clients that the addition of Reels feels like another task in their already hectic lives. And I get it. But, this is a great time to take stock of what marketing efforts you’re putting in and which have room for improvement. Reels is still in its infancy, and is already offering up a lot of value:

1 billion Instagram users: while they don’t all follow you, this app has the most eyeballs
Reels has (proportionately) very little content on Instagram so far, this is a great time to capture a new audience
You don’t need high-quality video budgets: they truly don’t need to be perfect, just engaging
It’s simple video content! (See above)
All editing can be done right in your

More than anything, for me, this is an opportunity for you to build a loyal following and client-base. I’ve said this before and I will again, and again — you are your biggest superpower. You don’t have any issues when a customer walks into your shop/office/studio, but putting yourself out there online is scary! Remember, there are hundreds or thousands of competitors in your area, so breaking that third wall and letting people get to know you is critical.

If you aren’t doing it, they will. Sorry.

Should you be using and creating Reels?

Reels should sit naturally into your content calendar — remember my golden rule about not forcing content!

“Content is like a fart, if you have to force it it’s probably $#!t.”
~ Moi

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If you’re still feeling a little lost in the world of Instagram Reels, that’s OK. I suggest spending some time in Reels as a user to grasp it from the audience perspective. What do you like? What grabs your attention? What kind of content are other people creating?

Don’t forget, you can always book a free consultation with me if you have questions. Or we can go for a fancy a coffee.

Take quality pics with your iPhone

No matter your business, images on social media, your website, and other touchpoints really tell your brand story.

There are more than 95 million photos and videos that are uploaded to Instagram alone each day. Your images need to break through the noise and be as top notch as your business.

The benefits of using a smartphone to create visual content are the cost savings, quick-to-post content, and not needing the expertise to shoot/focus/edit with a DSLR and clunky software. (But keep in mind, there’s a time and place to invest in your business and hire a pro.)

These are my favourite tips, tricks and tools for taking quality pics with your smartphone.

*Scroll to the bottom of this page to watch the video*

1. Lighting is key

A key mistake people make is taking images with poorly balanced lighting. This casts shadows and makes image editing — even with a stock filter — challenging. It will also make parts of the photo hard to see. This is a real bummer for products, clothing or real estate, where key selling features need to shine.

Here’s how to mitigate this in different scenarios:

Outdoor: Never shoot in broad daylight. Instead, shoot in a shady spot, just after sunset, or on a cloudy day.
Indoor: Use a ring light or shoot in a well-lit room that doesn’t have direct sunlight. Face towards the light source so that you’re getting light evenly on you or the product.
Product shots: Place products next to a window. Ring lights can work here but often reflect on products with any metal or glass.

2. Lifestyle shots should be natural

No matter what you’re promoting, lifestyle shots are so, so, so important. I love storytelling, and a photo is the perfect way to show the audience the value of your product in a snap second. Be sure to keep lifestyle shots natural so they don’t look like cheesy stock photos you found in a quick Google search.

Pro tip: Shoot while moving so there’s a bit of energy to your image: walk, spin, sip, bite, laugh, ride.

3. Product shots should be thoughtful

Of course product shots should be clear and minimal on an ecommerce page, but when you’re shooting for your social channels be sure to add a little lustre and storytelling. (Duh, of course this is my advice!)

If you’re shooting a candle, place it somewhere your buyer would love to relax like a bubble bath. Shoot with a close up of the branding and a blurry background of the tub to emphasize the product and add some romance to the lifestyle.

When doing flatlays for social, add in some texture with still life or a piece of fabric. Layer in elements that tell the brand story, like a book and a towel alongside the sunglasses you’re selling.

4. Familiarize yourself with your smartphone’s features

Phone cameras keep getting better and better. As I said above, the main benefit to using your phone is that you can basically just point and shoot without worrying about focus on a DSLR.

Some features that I love for shooting on my own are:

Portrait mode: this is a great way to do a selfie with a small product, food and beverage, or accessory. You can tone down the level of blur in the background depending on your aesthetic.
Self timer: Alex only has so much patience, so this is a great way to snap pics when he’s working or I’m home alone.
Live photos: Combined with the self timer, this gives me the option of multiple images over 1.5 seconds so I can choose the best shot.

5. Get equipment that works for your needs

While you don’t need equipment, there are some key pieces you can buy to really level-up your pic game. This list below will cost you about the same as a two hour session with a pro photog — and you can use it for as long as you’d like.

Small ring light: great for selfies and Zoom calls.
Large ring light: great for selfies, filming, ¾ body shots, and products.
Desk-top tripod: great for taking with you for outdoor shoots, restaurants, fashion shoots.
Stand-alone tripod: bulkier but great for all of your tripod needs.
Plain white backdrop: amazing for fashion shoots.
Printed backdrops: awesome to keep your aesthetic consistent, and great to stories and videos.
Flat lays boards: these come in simple white and black to every print under the sun. You can by wood looking pieces, grass, sand, marble, you name it.

6. Shoot a variety of micro and macro images

Keep your feed and website interesting by shooting and posting a variety of images with different zooms. Post images that show details or branding, and then zoomed out lifestyle and more landscape images.

Just as headers and changing font sizes help a reader digest smaller pieces, a variety of image perspectives helps a viewer stay engaged.

7. Have a consistent post-production routine

At the end of the day, your images tell your brand story. Be sure to stay consistent with your brand feel from thinking up shoots to adding filters. Your audience and customer should have the same feelings from seeing you online, to chatting with you on the phone and to walking into your space. Colour, lighting, prints, and so many more aspects go into telling that story, so be as consistent as possible.

I hope this helped! Let me know in the YouTube comments section if there’s anything I can help you out with further.