Reel connections: Building authentic relationships with Reels

The average person’s attention span has decreased over the years—with some experts saying it’s now under 10 seconds¹—due to the large amount of information constantly vying for their attention. Not only is it harder to keep people engaged, but it is now also harder to retain their loyalty, as pandemic constraints have increased people’s willingness to experiment with new brands.²

This shifting landscape can present challenges for businesses’ marketing efforts, but innovative companies are investing and finding value in short-form videos like Reels as a tool to gain attention, build community and differentiate their brand in an increasingly saturated marketplace.

Video has now become a critical part of any modern marketing strategy and more importantly, people are asking for it—consumers are increasingly using video-inclusive formats (like Stories, Watch, Live and Reels) to build relationships with brands, as well as to discover new brands. Compared to this same time last year, we find that consumers are over 13% more likely to use Instagram Reels to build relationships with brands or to discover new brands.³

Reels is Instagram’s biggest engagement growth driver, offering the best way to break through a shortening attention span and grow your business through a meaningful, durable connection with your customers. Not all short-form video tools are the same so businesses should invest their resources where they can best cultivate loyal customers.

Reels are a great way to not only grow your community but define your brand, discover new audiences and develop more authentic relationships with current customers. Curious about the opportunities reels can unlock for your business? Here are some best practices on how to create engaging reels to grow your business and reach your goals.

Captivate your audience with sound and magic.

Use interesting transitions, experimenting with music drops, trying narration styles that highlight a message, task or product can draw your audience in and hold their attention. To get inspired, look at what your most active followers are engaging with to better understand what sounds might resonate with them.

Inspire engagement.

Draw your audience in with a hook upfront and reward their attention with a payoff at the end. Create content that is relatable, recognizable and repeatable. You can invite your community to interact with you—challenge them to Remix your reel, or start a conversation with them in the comments. Behind-the-scenes content shots can often feel more accessible and showing your audience these special moments can help them feel included. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes and think of how you can engage with them, not speak at them.

Use creators to establish trust and credibility.

Creators not only spark new trends and entertain audiences, but they are also a trusted source for recommendations. A recent study by Edelman found that 63% of 18-34 year olds trust what an influencer says about a brand more than what the brand says about itself in advertising.⁴ Tap into the creative storytelling power of creators with branded content and branded content ads.

To drive app downloads among young adults, Planet Art collaborated with an experienced Reels creator for branded content ads. The result? A 2X increase of in-app purchases.

Think about how you can broaden the appeal of your brand and expand your reach with creators by crossing over into other relevant verticals. Try inviting relevant creators to a store opening or event, giving them the behind-the-scenes access your customers love. The more you can do to enable creators to advocate for your brand in their words, the greater your ability to build an authentic relationship with their audience.

Make your reels shoppable to move from discovery to purchase.

You can also tag products in your reels, so audiences can shop and learn more about your products. When you’re working with creators, encourage them to tag your products in their reels, too. This feature makes it easier for people to make a purchase at the moment of inspiration or discovery from their favorite creators.

To help brands and customers, we’re making it easier for more people to discover and interact with Reels relevant to their interests. We’re also investing in our branded content solutions to make it easier for brands and creators to partner together and reach new audiences. As we continue to expand our video offerings to delight and entertain people, we’re excited to bring you along with us.

A version of this post originally appeared in Total Retail.