Remember how six months ago, we were all dyyyyying for an invitation to Clubhouse? There was a ton of buzz around it, everyone was downloading it, everyone was hanging out in their fancy pants rooms and stages and I was counting the minutes till it came out on Android.

(Still hasn’t, by the way.) Am I sad about it? Meh. 

In February, it was download 9.6 million times. Last month, 900K. That’s nine MILLION less downloads two months later.

Who’s to say that Instagram reels aren’t another bright and shiny object?

It’s true, there’s always something new and exciting happening in the social media world. Remember Periscope? And Vine? 😂 Instagram is a giant that’s been around for a heck of a lot longer than ANY of these platforms, so they’ve got a massive user base and they’re not falling off a cliff anytime soon.

The specifics change. But you will NEVER regret wrapping your brain around creating quick, catchy, short-form video. That is still going to be a thing in 2, 5, 10 years — I’d bet every penny I have on that.

What if you’re introverted though? Do you really HAVE to do reels?

Short answer: it’s your business. You don’t HAVE to do anything. We both know plenty of successful businesses that aren’t on social media at all.

Here’s how to know if reels are for you:

1. You’re curious about them (which you are, since you’re here)
2. You have some extra bandwidth to learn something new
3. They fit in with your marketing goals (specifically, you’d like to grow & nurture your audience on Instagram)

Okay, but HOW?

Getting started is the hardest part. If you need to create a dummy account for practice, don’t hesitate! (That’s how I started with stories and I’m so so glad I did.)

1. Find and follow brands that feel GOOD to you. Pointing and shaking your booty aren’t for me, so I steer clear of that when I’m browsing Instagram.
   
   Try to follow content creators who are doing something similar to what you can see yourself doing, and use them for inspiration!
   
   That doesn’t mean copy them — but pay attention to their content and see if you can figure out their framework / structure.
2. Start figuring out the tech side by using stock videos. They’re not going to be nearly as effective as branded content, but they’ll get you over that hurdle so you don’t have to tackle both at the same time. (Pexels.com is one of my fave sources for free footage right now!)
3. At the end of the day the only thing that’s REALLY going to get you any traction is building a routine and making sure you get the practice in. (I know, not what you want to hear. But it’s true!) Carve out a few hours a month and create a handful of videos to publish throughout the month.

What can you talk about?

Start out with faceless video ideas and work your way up to regular videos. Here are a handful of ideas (in order of difficulty) to get you started!

1. Your workspace
   This feels kinda fluffy but it’s important to share exactly what you do so your audience can see some of the love that goes into your business!
2. Fave part of your day
   Include your limbs and / or your voice to get used to the idea of being on camera
3. Before & after images
   Use photographers as your inspiration… I love when they show what’s happening behind the scenes, then the final shot! We ALL have a creative process, so compile some before and after shots into a video so folks can see why they should purchase from you.
4. Style tips
   Literally ANYTHING can be done in your style, so share fashion, photography, or organization tips. Include your voice!
5. Your fave finds
   Share stuff that’s in your shop, your favourite tools, books, apps, or products you’ve purchased. Again, include your voice so you get used to hearing it in video.

Want to kick it up a notch? Yeah you do.

1. A must have
   What’s something that you can’t live without? Demonstrate yourself using it and tell us why you love it!
2. Hot tips (my fave)
   Share a headline (also called a hook) and something your audience can turn around and apply right now — face to camera
3. Pitch
   “Are you tired of ___? That’s where I come in!” Tell your audience exactly why they should purchase & end by calling them to action. DON’T RAMBLE.

Even though the digital marketing world is crazy fast-paced, nothing changes overnight. It’s a quick evolution, but it’s still an evolution… and quick, digestible video content is here to stay. It’s not too late to start!

Click here to sign up for the crash course!

Don’t know what to talk about? We gotchu. The Toolbox includes DAILY story prompts that are more than just fluff like what you had in your coffee or what your toddler is up to today (newsflash: nobody cares). Sign up here!