Reels stand as a catalyst for substantial growth among creators, offering vast opportunities for creativity, discoverability, audience development, and monetisation. Yet, achieving success necessitates a strategic approach. Delve into the following twelve best practices, designed to not only enhance your chances of being discovered by new audiences, but also to spark new and innovative ideas.
Best Practices for Reels
1. Relate to Your Audience: Craft content that resonates with your audience. Showcase relatable situations that make viewers think, "That's literally me." Utilise your selfie camera for first-person, approachable content.
2. Share Your Unique Perspective: Highlight your personality, energy, and attitude. Share passions, teach something new, or present what makes you uniquely you.
3. Plot the Plot: Great Reels thrive on storytelling. Craft a clear beginning, middle, and end, or incorporate a strong hook, payoff, or plot twist.
4. Be in the Moment: Share your perspective on current conversations. Add a unique twist to trending moments relevant to your niche.
5. Trending Hashtags for Reach: Boost your reach with one or two trending hashtags relevant to your content. Avoid ineffective hashtags like #Explorepage or #Reels.
6. Start a Trend: Inspire and initiate trends that invite community participation and creative collaboration. Explore cultural moments for inspiration.
7. Let Go of Fears: Remember, there's no "right" way to create a Reel. Have fun, and your viewers are likely to enjoy it too.
8. Leverage Creative Tools: Use text, filters, effects, and interesting transitions to enhance your content. Optimise lighting for a clear view, avoiding direct sunlight or backlighting.
9. Music Library Magic: Set the scene with music and audio tools. Explore the music library by artist, album, or genre. Consider voiceovers or original audio for a personalised touch.
10. Embrace Vertical Content: Create immersive content with a vertical (9:16) format, ensuring a seamless viewing experience.
11. Celebrate Experimentation: Try new approaches to discover what resonates with your community. Experiment with humour, affirmations, skits, and more.
12. Strategic Sharing: After posting your Reel, share it to your Stories for additional visibility. Cross-post to Facebook for maximum exposure. Utilise "recommend on Facebook" and "Share to Facebook" strategically. Add a cover photo for an appealing presentation.
Bonus Tips
Avoid Low-Quality Content: Steer clear of visibly recycled content, third-party fonts, and watermarks. Ensure high resolution, adherence to community guidelines, and avoid spammy or misleading content.
Use Text Overlay: If you want to boost viewership and interaction on your Reels, consider incorporating text overlays! According to a case study, Reels featuring text from public accounts with over 10k followers garnered an average of 71% more plays and 57% more comments compared to those without text.