Reel Talk: Making Instagram Work for Your Small Business
The digital world is fast-paced and capturing attention is more crucial than ever for small businesses aiming to thrive online. Enter Instagram Reels! Alongside the TikTok equivalent, these video nuggets have revolutionised how businesses connect with their audience. Whether you're new to social media marketing or looking to elevate your strategy, understanding the potential of Instagram Reels can be a game-changer.
What Are Instagram Reels?
Instagram Reels are short-form videos designed for quick, creative storytelling. They have recently been extended to allow Reels to be up to 20 minutes long, giving businesses more room to showcase their brand, share valuable insights or simply entertain. From product demonstrations to behind-the-scenes content, Reels are a brilliant way to build visibility and trust.
Why Should Small Businesses Use Instagram Reels?
📱 Boosted Visibility
Reels are featured prominently on the Explore page, meaning your content can reach people beyond your existing followers — ideal for growing your audience organically.
📱 Higher Engagement
Thanks to Instagram’s focus on video content, Reels often outperform standard posts in terms of reach, likes and comments. That means more opportunities for your audience to interact with your business.
📱Creative Flexibility
With a range of music, effects and editing tools available, Reels offer the perfect platform to showcase your brand’s personality. Whether it’s sharing customer stories, jumping on a trending sound or offering a quick how-to, you’ve got freedom to get creative.
Tips for Creating Great Reels
🎥Start Strong
Hook your viewers in the first few seconds — attention spans are short, so make those opening moments count.
🎥Know Your Audience
Speak to your ideal customer. What do they care about? What would they find helpful, entertaining or inspiring?
🎥Use Trending Sounds
Stay relevant by using music or sounds that are gaining traction. This helps you appear in more feeds and boost discoverability.
🎥Add Captions
Many people watch without sound, so adding text ensures your message still gets across.
🎥Include a Call to Action
Whether it’s “visit our website”, “follow for more tips”, or “let us know what you think in the comments”, guide your audience on what to do next.
Short or Long? Choose What Works for You
While longer Reels (up to 3 minutes) allow for deeper storytelling, don’t feel pressured to use every second. Often, the most effective content is short, snappy and straight to the point. The key is delivering value, whether that’s in 15 seconds or 3 minutes.
Instagram Reels are more than just a trend, they’re a valuable tool for small businesses to stand out online, connect with their audience and grow their brand. By embracing this format and experimenting with different styles and ideas, you’ll soon find what works for you.
Tip: If you’re not sure what video content you’re happy posting as a reel, why not try out short clips on your Instagram Stories? They only last 24 hours, and they are mainly seen by the folks who already know and love your brand, so there’s less pressure to get it “right” first time!
Key Takeaways…
Instagram Reels are a creative way to boost your online visibility. Tools like trending sounds, captions, and editing features can help your Reel perform better than standard posts. Use Reels to share tips, show behind-the-scenes moments, or give product highlights, like with any social media consistency is key.
You don’t need to be perfect, test ideas to see what resonates with your audience and make Reels part of your marketing strategy.
Need help creating content? We work with small businesses every day to build marketing strategies that keep them showing up online consistently - and we’d love to help you too!