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If you’re anything like me, those Sunday screen time reports can be pretty mortifying.
But – as the resident social media junkie around here, I’m completely #Obsessed with all things social media. One of my favorite things about social media is that it’s always evolving – and usually at a fast pace. The thrill of keeping up with social media trends has captivated me since the days of MySpace, so integrating the latest and greatest in social media has been a top priority of mine since the beginning of my time at LMC.
What better way to combine this social media infatuation and my #AlwaysBeLearning attitude then to create a blog series where we give you the most up-to-date report on social trends, platforms, and content?
So, let’s dive right into one of our new favorites around here…
Instagram Reels
What is it?
Reels are a new way to consume video content while staying on the same Instagram app we know and love. We see day in and out that this type of vertical video content is gaining so much traction on every social media platform. It started with stories, then of course TikTok took over our hearts and lives (at least mine, that is).
This kind of content is authentic, creative and consumable.
– Authentic in the way that these aren’t polished videos. They aren’t professionally shot storytelling videos. They are quick iPhone videos that showcase an authentic look for a business or person.
– Creative in the way that you can use a “sound” on these platforms and see it being used in more scenarios than you could ever imagine. Sounds are different types of audio that users can create or repurpose an already created sound. Sounds can be music, audio from shows or movies, or user-generated dialogue. There is a level of creativity being brought out by this type of content that I don’t think many people realize.
– Consumable in the way that these are quick videos. You have your option for a 15 or 30 second reel, which means when followers begin to scroll they can easily consume 60 Reels within a half hour.
Do we love it?
The answer is, absolutely! We love the entire process of creating them: storyboarding the copy and creative elements, editing, and finally sharing them with our fans. While the editing features don’t QUITE match up to TikTok’s, editing Reels is user-friendly with the same look and feel as editing Instagram stories that we are all very familiar with.
Personally, the added layer of creativity with Reels has me tapping into my creative side more frequently, whether it’s making them for clients or my personal Instagram account. I could spend hours stringing together different videos and pairing them up with different sounds and copy ideas.
How do we use it?
Earlier this year, our Social Media Department sat down after doing a bit of research to discuss all things Reels and how we can integrate them into our clients’ social schedules. Our team had a great time discussing podcasts we had listened to and figuring out how we can use these for our different Instagram clients.
We’ve loved using Reels for an entire mix of content, from Company Culture to Expertise Content, to Behind the Scenes Content.
My favorite ways to use it have been to get in on popular trends already circulating through Reels and TikTok, like satisfying cleaning videos, or by using them as educational pieces for our clients’ services.
As you begin to venture into the world of Reels just remember to be authentic, creative, and consumable when planning/creating your Reels. Follow along with our client’s social media accounts to see what kind of Reels our social team comes up with next:
@barbourhealth
@performancechev
@micrologicwv
@coplinhealth
@senecacaverns_wv
@gotowebsterwv
@integrativewellnesswv
We know social media is constantly changing – but the LMC team has got you covered! So stay calm, start sippin’ on your favorite beverage, and keep your eyes peeled for our next piece of social media marketing advice in The Social Sip.