Reel in Results: Instagram Reels for Business

Marcos Navarro
May 1
6 min read

Blogger's Note: The following blog post on Instagram Reels is curated with information from Social Media Today, Social Media Examiner, and Sprout Social. It is meant to educate aspiring Social Media and Digital Marketers on using Reels to promote brands and businesses. This blog was written with assistance from ChatGPT.

Filming an IG Reel — Image Courtesy of Unsplash

Instagram has evolved beyond simply photo-sharing. In response to formats from competitors such as Snapchat and TikTok, Instagram has developed other sharing formats such as Stories and Reels.

Instagram isn’t the only one feeling the pressure to adapt — if you’re a marketer, you’ve likely felt it too. Keeping up can feel overwhelming, especially when video content feels outside your comfort zone. But the good news? You don't have to be a filmmaker to succeed with Reels — just a little creativity can go a long way.

Nowadays businesses of all sizes are leveraging the short-form video format known as Reels to drive awareness, tell stories, and drive real growth and business results. Reels have grown to prominence thanks in large part to TikTok popularizing the short-form video format. Even YouTube has developed their own short-form video format known as Shorts.

On Instagram Reels are now favored by the algorithm and boast higher engagement rates than traditional posts. Businesses and marketers can not overlook including Reels into their content marketing strategy.

What Reels Are & Why They Matter: The Marketing Advantage

Whether you are a seasoned marketing professional or a student breaking into the marketing field, it’s important to understand how to harness the power of Reels to build the brand and business you represent.

I’m sure by now you’ve come across a viral video that has either blown up on your feed, your social network’s feed, or even the whole world’s feed. For example, during the pandemic, the world was enthralled by Nathan Apodaca, who rode on his skateboard while Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams played in the background. The sense of tranquility and freedom from the video probably brought much comfort and joy during turbulent times.

The business or brand you represent can instill emotions through Reels. Reels are 15 to 90-second vertical videos designed for entertainment, education, or inspiration. Here’s a glimpse into why they work:

Increased Discoverability: Reels are shown not only to followers but also to users through the Explore and Reels tabs, expanding your reach organically.
Higher Engagement Rates: Compared to regular posts or Stories, Reels tend to receive more likes, shares, and comments.
Trend Alignment: With the rise of TikTok, Reels provide an Instagram-native solution to meet evolving content consumption habits.

Huge brands like WWE have mastered the art of incorporating Reels into their content marketing mix. Clips from iconic television moments — like the return of CM Punk or the heel turn of John Cena — are repurposed for Reels to drive engagement and conversion around the product of sports entertainment.

For small businesses and brands, Reels also offer a cost-effective and impactful way to show up on users' screens. If you don’t believe me, check out the profiles @rah_money and @prospectparkdeli on Instagram. These small NYC delis have become viral sensations through Reels of their chopped cheese sandwich orders. You never know what celebrity or influencer may come in to order a chopped cheese or what crazy order someone may request:

A Dominican chopped cheese with mashed plantains, salami, and fried eggs… Yummy!
Netflix and Chill Ben & Jerry’s spread on a chopped cheese???... WTF!!!

The key takeaway? You don't need a big brand name to make a big impact.

Creating Reels That Resonate: A Visual Strategy

According to Emma Wiltshire from Social Media Today, planning is key to success when crafting Reels. Here are the essential steps:

Hook Your Audience in the first three seconds—start with a bold statement or visual.
Incorporate Text Overlays for clarity, especially since many users watch without sound.
Keep It Vertical: Always film in 9:16 format to optimize for mobile viewing.
Use Trending Audio: Jump on popular sounds to increase discoverability.
Include a CTA: Encourage viewers to comment, share, or follow your page.

It may seem overwhelming with so many businesses, creators, and influencers out there putting out Reels, but your competition is narrower than you think. Remember: the riches are in the niches — meaning it’s better to deeply connect with a specific audience than to try to appeal to everyone.

You don’t need to grab the whole world’s attention like Nathan Apodaca; you just need to focus on attracting your target audience.

From Awareness to Action: Using Reels to Drive Sales

Michael Stelzner of Social Media Examiner outlines a powerful Reels strategy: don’t just entertain—educate and convert.

Build Trust with Behind-the-Scenes Content: Showcase your product creation process or introduce your team.
Educate to Empower: Provide quick tips, tutorials, or how-to guides related to your niche.
Use Reels for Soft Selling: Instead of overt promotions, demonstrate value — show your product solving a problem naturally.
Incorporate UGC (User-Generated Content): Sharing customer testimonials or unboxing videos boosts credibility.

Put yourself in the customer’s shoes. Why should they pay attention to your message? Why should they engage with or purchase from your brand? People don’t just want to be sold something — they need to have a compelling reason or need fulfilled.

Imagine the sense of pride you'll feel when your content genuinely connects with your audience and turns casual viewers into loyal customers.

When used strategically, Reels will guide customers down the marketing funnel from awareness to purchase. Guide them through the journey.

Measuring Success: Reel Analytics That Matter

Instagram Analytics — Image Courtesy of Site FIles

It’s not enough to post—you need to evaluate what’s working. Mahnoor Sheikh from Sprout Social recommends keeping an eye on these key metrics:

Plays: Total views your Reel receives.
Watch Time: Indicates how engaging your content is.
Shares & Saves: Powerful indicators of content value.
Reach: Measures how many unique users saw your Reel.
Engagement Rate: Calculate likes, comments, and shares in proportion to views.

Regularly analyzing these metrics allows marketers to refine content, post at optimal times, and replicate high-performing formats.

A good rule of thumb for your organic content that performs well is to boost it. Boosting a post quickly turns it into an ad and allows it to be viewed beyond just your followers. Once you decide to boost a post, simply set your goal, audience, budget, and duration.

On the other hand, you can also create Reels as ads from scratch through Meta Ads Manager. To learn more about the difference between Boosted Posts and Ads, feel free to read my previous blog post, "The Simple Guide to Instagram Advertising: The Journey from Ad to Landing Page to Conversions."

Conclusion: The Time to Reel is Now

Short-form videos are here to stay. Whether it’s TikTok, YouTube Shorts, or Instagram Reels — this format is now a staple in social media content marketing. Whether you’re building a personal brand, growing a startup, or managing campaigns for a client, Reels can help elevate your business to the next level.

Your brand has a genuine story to share with the world. You might be a local bakery filming the making of your tasty chocolate chip cookies, a pizza shop showing how tasty honey is on a pepperoni slice, or even outlaws promoting a professional wrestling federation out of a NYC subway cart. Shout out by the way to Tim Rivera and the SubwayMania crew.

We may not be Spielberg or Scorsese, but we don’t have to be. Just take out your phone, start filming, and let’s make a Reel.

Start small. Test often. Learn from your analytics. And remember: every 15-second video is an opportunity to leave a lasting impression.

By the way for an overview on Instagram's other content formats, be sure to read my colleague Fiorella Mendez Acevedo's blog "Instagram Content Format Breakdown For Business: What Works Best and When to Use It".

Disclaimer: No AI was injured in the production of this content. AI (ChatGPT) was used as a tool to supplement, enhance, and make suggestions in writing this blog post.