Instagram launched Reels in 2020, despite considerable skepticism. The Verge called Instagram’s new feature “its attempt to keep you off TikTok.” Variety dubbed Reels “a copycat of TikTok.” Celebrities like Kylie Jenner even went so far as to share an image that read, “Make Instagram Instagram again. (Stop trying to be TikTok, I just want to see cute photos of my friends.)”
Yet Instagram Reels overcame the backlash and took off. Businesses and creators alike—Kylie Jenner included—have used it to attract millions of views. “For businesses, it’s really exciting that your Reels could get put on a fast track to views in a way that didn’t exist [on Instagram] before,” says Rachel Karten, a social media consultant and author of the newsletter Link In Bio.
If you haven’t done so yet, here’s how you can use Reels to your advantage and grow your business.
What is Instagram Reels?
Instagram Reels is an Instagram feature that lets users create, post, and view videos that are up to 60 seconds long. “Instagram Reels are a powerful tool for small business owners,” Rachel says. “Because Instagram has this Reels tab where you can watch Reels in an almost TikTok-like scroll fashion, a video of yours that picks up steam could be put in front of a whole new audience, and that didn’t previously exist on Instagram.”
How Instagram Reels can benefit small business owners
Unlike traditional Instagram posts, Reels lets businesses and creators get their content in front of a much wider audience.
"A little Reel that you make could end up getting hundreds of thousands or millions of views."
“A little Reel that you make could end up getting hundreds of thousands or millions of views,” Rachel says. “I’ve seen that with a few small brands where, if you look at their audience, it’s pretty small, but then you’ll see their Reels have a ton of views.”
One example of this is Jaju Pierogi. The frozen pierogi maker has just 23,000 Instagram followers, but one of its Reels has five million views. “That just shows how one viral video can just keep going and going and get a lot of traction,” Rachel says.
What’s the difference between Instagram Reels and TikTok?
“[Reels] don’t really differ from TikTok on a basic level in the fact that they’re just short-form videos,” Rachel says. The main difference is that what’s trending on Instagram Reels today will be different from what’s trending on TikTok.
“Instagram Reels’ [audience] tends to be a little bit older,” Rachel says. According to Pew Research Center, 59% of US adults ages 30 to 49 use Instagram, but only 39% of that age group uses TikTok. “The trends move a little bit slower [on Instagram] and they tend to be a little bit more safe, whereas TikTok has a little bit riskier trends,” Rachel explains.
How businesses can use Reels
- Look for trending sounds on the Reels tab
- Offer a unique experience
- Tell the same story in different ways
- Show the people behind the product
- Focus on reach over sales
- Work with creators
- Be consistent
Here are Rachel’s tips for producing engaging reels as a business owner:
Look for trending sounds on the Reels tab
Trending sounds are audio snippets from songs or voice overs that you can add to any video that’s relevant to both the sound and your brand. Instagram’s algorithm recognizes videos with the same sound as similar content. If you use a sound (like a trending tune or talk track) a lot of other people are currently using, you can expand your reach.
Finding trending sounds is relatively easy. “If you just go to the Reels tab [on the Instagram app] and scroll there for like five minutes, you’ll hear the same five sounds over and over,” Rachel says.
Pairing the sound with video doesn’t have to be difficult. “It might just be a sound over you panning over your product and it’s a single shot and it takes you five minutes to edit,” Rachel says.
Offer a unique experience
Reels are an effective way to show potential customers what you know while familiarizing them with your brand. Think of ways to give viewers quick, behind-the-scenes glimpses of your process.
For example, Elizabeth Jaime of Calma Floral, a small Miami floral studio, regularly shares process Reels of arranging bouquets and creating floral installations. “I love her videos like taking us to the flower market because I’m not getting up at, like, 6 a.m. and seeing what happens at the flower market,” Rachel says. “But she does, and she can take us along for that ride.”
Tell the same story in different ways
Once you have a story that makes sense for your brand and resonates with viewers, try different iterations of the same idea rather than creating something entirely new each time you post.
“If you post a photo that does really well, try to think of what the video version of that could be,” Rachel says. “Try telling it in video format, try telling it in meme format.”
Show the people behind the product
Showing the people behind your product can help viewers form a deeper connection with your brand.
“I know it can be uncomfortable to show your face,” Rachel says. “But some of the best brands, the way that they’ve grown from early on is by just showing their founder telling their story.”
Focus on reach over sales
When creating Reels, Rachel recommends focusing on creating awareness for your product rather than trying to make a direct sale. “People like to send Reels to their friends,” Rachel says. “So try to think about Instagram Reels that would be funny or interesting to anyone, not just people who have tried your product before.”
One of Rachel’s favorite Jaju Pierogi Reels is “How to turn your regular freezer into a Polish freezer” by showing an ice dispenser that shoots out pierogies. “That’s not about their product at all necessarily, it doesn’t bring awareness to how good their pierogies are,” Rachel says. “But it’s a joke that feels universal and funny and would be shared by anyone who is Polish or loves pierogies.”
Work with creators
To get the most out of influencer marketing, ask creators to insert your product into an existing video series. “It’s a lot easier to plug your brand into something that already gets views and that the audience is already obsessed with than to ask [a creator] to do something new that their audience doesn’t really know them for,” Rachel says.
Rachel worked with the Mediterranean chain restaurant Cava to produce a Reel with Sabrina Brier, a creator known for her series of humorous skits about friends with annoying habits. For Cava, it made perfect sense for Sabrina to portray the friend who gossips during their lunch break (and just happens to be eating a Cava bowl).
Be consistent
With Reels, consistency pays off, so it’s helpful to create a content strategy. If you’re just starting out, Rachel recommends posting three to five times a week. However, she notes “there’s no perfect amount of posts to do in a week, and I would always try to optimize for good posts rather than post just for the sake of posting.”
To keep things manageable, Rachel suggests sharing a mix of harder-to-execute posts (like a collaboration with a creator or a video that requires multiple shots) and easier-to-execute posts (like a trending sound over a one-shot video) each week.
How to monetize Reels as a creator
In 2023, Instagram ended a program that paid some users to create Reels. Today, “the best way creators can monetize Instagram Reels is through ads and sponsored posts,” Rachel says. Here are her tips for creators:
Create a recurring series
A recurring series makes it easier to create sponsored content. If you’re a beauty creator who posts a weekly “get ready with me” video, your branded content might look like your usual GRWM, but with a full line of new products from a brand partner.
If you share your workout routine, you can film a version wearing a brand partner’s athletic clothing. If you’re an ASMRtist, you can use a sponsor’s product to create new sounds. “A recurring style or series that brands could then plug into is a really nice way to monetize your reels,” Rachel says.
Reach out to brands you already love
One way to get brand sponsorship is to reach out to brands you’ve already featured in your Reels. “A lot of brands like to work with creators who are already fans of the products,” Rachel says.
If you promote products you already like, it will make your work as a creator easier and help maintain your credibility with your audience.
Think beyond Reels
“Yes, you can make money specifically off of a Reel,” Rachel says, but Reels can also “open doors to ways of making money beyond Reels.”
Reels can be great for exposure, but they’re not necessarily going to be your top source of income. Rachel considers Reels top of the funnel for creators. (In a marketing funnel, the top is where you aim for the biggest audience to generate awareness.)
Promote your work on other platforms by creating a YouTube channel for longer-form videos or a newsletter for written content. Another way to earn money is by sharing an affiliate link for every product featured in your Reels; every time someone buys a product using your affiliate link, you get a commission.
As you post on different platforms, think about a bigger-picture goal for your business: Do you want to write a book? Sell merchandise? Create a podcast?
Dan Pelosi is an excellent example of a creator with a diversified portfolio. Not only does Dan create sponsored Reels for pasta companies like Barilla, he also shares affiliate links, sells merch, and most recently authored a New York Times–bestselling cookbook.
Best practices for Instagram Reels
Here are Rachel’s top tips for creators and businesses alike:
Invest in a third-party captioning app
If someone is speaking in your video, you need captions. In Rachel’s experience, Reels with very clear captions from third-party apps tend to get more traction than those using Instagram’s built-in captioning feature. Videos with clear, accurate captions are also more accessible to those with hearing impairments or those who simply prefer to watch videos with the sound off.
Don’t get discouraged
“I find a lot of small business owners try one thing and then they get discouraged,” Rachel says. “But you never know when your viral Reel might come out.”
Instagram Reels is a bit of a numbers game. “Don’t expect every Reel you make to get the same number of views,” she says. “Sometimes they hit, and sometimes they don’t.”
Follow @creators
To create great Reels, post content consistently and learn from other creators. Rachel recommends that anyone who wants to create Reels follow @creators, Instagram’s official creator’s guide.
If you’re a small business owner, following other brands is a form of competitor research. If you’re a creator, follow other creators in your niche to get inspiration and stay on top of trends.
How to monetize reels FAQ
Is the Instagram Reels Play bonus program still running?
No, Instagram shut down its invite-onlyReels bonus program in the US and India in March 2023. The program used to let creators earn Reels Play bonuses based on the performance of their reels.
What are Reels on Facebook?
FacebookReels are short-form videos (up to 90 seconds long) shared on Facebook. (You can also crosspost Instagram Reels on your Facebook Page.)
How do you monetize Facebook Reels?
There are a few ways to monetize FacebookReels as a creator, including the Facebook Stars on Reels program and Overlay Ads.
