This is the 4th installment in our 5-Part Instagram Reels Series
We have all heard the rumor that you should be posting a minimum of 4 Instagram Reels a week to see real results but, that is certainly not sustainable for most small businesses. Reels take time to ideate, plan, and execute in turn costing you money.
Did you know that there are ways to trick the Instagram algorithm to save you time and money on your brand’s Instagram Reels? Today we are going to share a few ways to create Instagram Reels using existing photos, and sometimes videos, to make creating Reels easier for you!
How to “Cheat” Making Instagram Reels:
The first and easiest way to create an Instagram Reel is by adding moving text or graphics to a photo. You can do this within Instagram or you can do utilizing another Reel editing app, like Canva. This allows you to use content that you already have and make the most out of it.
Get creative here…think about making your text look like a blinking neon sign or the famous Star Wars scroll, or something that relates to the photo itself. Canva has a wealth of fonts and animations for text and other elements.
This makes turning a static photo into a short, simple “video” that is then recognized by the Instagram algorithm as a reel a breeze.
Another great option is to utilize stock video footage or video that you have captured yourself. Then you can add a tweet that performed well, an industry-relatable quote, reviews from critics/customers, or a quote from an employee.
Think of all of that great b-roll footage you have from production days distilling or brewing or winemaking on your camera that you haven’t used. This is the perfect use for it! Show off that bubbling mash with a funny quote from your distiller or staff. Or even something along the lines of, “View from my office today…” Easy and compelling done quickly with an extra boost from the algorithm since it’s now categorized as a reel!
Last but not least, templates! This is probably one of the easiest way to use existing photos and videos to turn them into reels.
It’s such a great way to “cheat” at making reels that we wrote a whole separate article on it. Learn all about creating Instagram Reel using templates.
If It Looks Like A Reel & Talks Like A Reel…
One important thing here! For all of these methods in this article, if the algorithm thinks it’s a reel then you have to treat it as a reel and follow all of the best practices. In particular, make sure it is 9:16 in aspect ratio, has a good clip for the cover, and will look good on your feed.
The reason we’re teaching this here today is because Instagram prioritizes reels right now, so the more content you can put out that is high quality but in reel format the more visibility you’re going to get for your brand. But remember, this reel priority and love may not last forever so jump on it now while it’s still hot to get the results your brand deserves.
Instagram Reels, are a great way to increase your reach to new consumers, increase your engagement rate and repurpose content you likely already have. So, try one out today and tag us in it so we can check it out and show you some love!
