5 Reasons Your Business Needs to Start Using Instagram Reels

Yup, it’s happened!

The much-talked-about Instagram version of TikTok has finally been rolled out in over 50 countries and here, in the UK, it’s already making a big splash!

Perfectly timed given Trump’s controversial executive order to ban TikTok in the US, Instagram’s latest feature – Reels – could not have been launched at a better moment, with many people posed and looking for an alternative.

New, exciting and with plenty of opportunity for growth, there’s everything to play for when it comes to Instagram Reels, so here’s our top 5 reasons to start using this new feature to promote your business asap!


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#1 It’s Fresh and Exciting

Instagram Logo

The first reason your business needs to start using Reels today is because this platform is fresh!

Hot off the press, whenever anything is this new, there’s no question jumping on board is an excellent idea!

Not only will this make your business appear on the ball, progressive and forward-thinking, it will also be a key way for your to further capture the millennial audience that inhabit Instagram.

Like TikTok, Reels is based around short-form, vertical platform that is heavy on the fun and inspiration.

Lasting between 3 and 15 seconds, a big feature of Reels is audio – either you can record your own or use clips that are trending.

Similar to TikTok, you can then add text, effects and stickers to spruce up your Reel clip before posting it.

Releasing a Reel will also give you the chance to be featured on the new Reel space in the Instagram Explorer tab – this is marketing gold and you will be given a “featured” notification to celebrate this level of success.

Otherwise your Reel will appear in your Stories feed, as well as on your regular Instagram feed if you choose.

If you want to play with creating and releasing your first Reel, then follow the usual steps you would to create an Instagram Story and scroll right at the bottom until you see the Reel header.

Tap this and get creating!

You can learn more in this step by step guide we wrote to creating your first Instagram Reel.

#2 It’s Quick and Easy

Coworking-Female-Laptop

And if you’ve already done this and explored Reels a bit, you’ll know how easy it is to create fun content here, especially if you’re already familiar in TikTok.

And that’s because it’s amazing just how similar these content platforms are.

Yup, if you’re already adept at using one, you’ll easily slot into using the other, which makes picking up how to use Reels really easy.

It’s also incredibly quick to make content for Reels too, which is another reason you should start using this feature to market your business today.

Because if it takes next to no time to make a content piece for a platform, why wouldn’t you get something up there and potentially accrue a new audience, customer or sale?

The main reason it’s so quick to create content for Reels is because it’s a platform you can easily re-purpose content for.

The 15 second vertical video form is already one we’ve been familiar with for a while with Instagram / Facebook Stories, as well as TikTok, which means you can simply re-purpose content from either of these platforms straight into Reels.

We love repurposed content here at Social Puffin (it’s one of the main reasons we love using Canva Pro for our social media content) as it’s such a super simple, effective and efficient way to amplify your marketing efforts.

So join Reels ahead of the curve and start posting some quick and easy content pieces on there asap.

#3 There’s a Huge Potential for Discovery

Instagram, Reels, Explore Feed

Because there’s no doubt that ensuring your business has a presence on Reels asap will mean you stay ahead of the curve.

And that’s just where you want to be in the social media game!

Quite simply, when platforms like Instagram roll out new features, not only will they promote it heavily and therefore reward your use of it, but there will also be less competition as only the true marketers will have the courage to get involved this early.

So be courageous!

You’re certainly going to be rewarded by Instagram, meaning it’s likely the reach on both your Stories and Feed posts will also improve as a result.

But not just this, the new Reel algorithm seems to work in a similar way to TikTok’s, which means there’s a huge potential for users not following your account to see your content care of the handy Explore tab, which appears to work like TikTok’s ForYou feed.

This means that, unlike the saturated world of Instagram Feed Posts and Stories where the competition for reach and exposure is huge, with Reels not only are less people using the feature (meaning competition is lower) but you have the chance to appear on many new users’ feeds more easily too!

Now if that’s not a reason to start getting onboard with Reels, we don’t know what is!

You can then help your Reel video reach even more people by using carefully selected hashtags, as well as a snappy, engaging caption that asks a question and invites comments from your audience.

#4 It Allows Your Personality Shine

Instagram, Content, iPhone

The 4th reason we highly encourage your business to get on Instagram Reels asap is because of the light-hearted, fun, captivating and authentic nature of the content that’s already popping up on Reels.

Ok, that might sound like a strange advantage for a business, but trust us here, it’s an advantage.

Reels, like TikTok, might not be a hard sell platform, but that doesn’t mean it can’t hold huge marketing clout.

Like we’ve talked about with IGTV and our tips about the importance of getting in front of the social media camera, showing the personal side to your brand – be that company culture, behind the scenes footage, staff having fun or the office pet, there’s tons of ways light, entertaining and amusing content can still have a big impact.

The trend in social media is now far more weighted towards the real, authentic and the personal, so jumping on this trend will absolutely help your business, rather than using social media platforms simply for hard selling.

Showing the human side of your company will also help your business gain trust among customers and clients because people relate more easily to other humans rather than objects!

Using what we term “soft content” in this way, can also give your business a unique opportunity to display your integrity, social conscience, good employment practices and other areas that will make your brand more attractive and appealing in many areas.

All in all, harnessing the personal, light-hearted and approachable nature of Reels, means this new feature is a key way to make your brand shine and stand out above the rest.

#5 You Can Really Show Your Skills & Authority

Chat, Support, Office Team

And finally, the 5th reason we recommend your business starts using Instagram Reels is because it offers a unique way to show off your authority and expertise in your industry or niche.

Now we know we’ve just talked about how Reels isn’t a hard sell platform, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use it show off your products, services or skills.

In fact, we recommen you do this. Just with a fun, personal or inspirational tone.

Quick, 15 second tutorials are an amazing way to do this on Reels and are already showing huge potential among the businesses using them.

Tutorials can range from showing how to use your products, how to incorporate them into peoples’ lifestyles, how to use them in recipes, which features they have and many more ideas.

Getting creative is the key here and if you can appear on camera, even better!

Human proof is massive here, so by trying to show yourself or others using and enjoying a product or service you offer, Reels presents you with a fab opportunity to be brave and jump in front of that camera!

You can also invite other staff members or happy customers to appear too – with their permission of course!

Talking through your product or service can also show how much knowledge and expertise you have in your area, establishing you as an authority and leader in your niche.

But remember, none of this has to be hard-selling, it’s simply a sharing of free information and advice and really can do wonders to elevate your brand’s profile.

As a quick-form video platform, Reels lends itself to this sort of marketing behaviour and is an absolutely crucial way for small businesses to gain trust, increase their customer base and get ahead in the marketing game, even with a low budget!

PIN IT TO PINTEREST!

So there they are, our 5 reasons why we recommend your business starts exploring the huge potential of Instagram Reels today.

And tell us, have you started using Instagram’s latest feature?

Have any successes to share or questions to ask?

Please drop them into the comments box below and we’ll get right back to you!