Let's Get Reel
That’s not a typo.
Here at CrossCountry Mortgage, you may have heard us say we’re “Getting Real in 2023”! But by “real,” we also mean REEL. Yes, Instagram reels. It’s all the rage. All the “kids” are doing it. And if you’re rolling your eyes at me right now, that’s too bad. This is where the people are and this is a fabulous tool to increase your social engagement and therefore, your business!
If this is something you need help with – reach out to me and my marketing department. We’d be happy to come to your team and do a team class at your location. We’ll go through the basics of a Reel from top to bottom. How do you add text? How do you add music? How do you splice different video pieces together? What should your reel be about? Don’t let it overwhelm you. I’m here to help.
Here's an easy place to get started as you begin your new REEL adventure. Here are four best practices and tips for success!
1. Brainstorm your ideas
If you’ve ever dabbled in Reels at all, then you know that they can take a long time- especially for those of us who are inexperienced. The first tip is to brainstorm your ideas ahead of time. Try not to just wing it. It’s best to have a plan. This will help to make things more efficient! Try to plan a full month of content (ideas!) ahead of time. Remember, Reels have a different audience than just your Instagram feed. These will be served to more people than just your followers, especially if your content is relevant enough! If you’re using trending audio, dances, or whatever – really THINK about who your target audience is, and who is going to see that Reel. What does that mean for your business?
Try not to make it a pitch every time. Of course you’re a phenomenal realtor- but if, for example, you’re a realtor in Prairie Village- be a local expert. Fill your content with Reels that highlight your local area. You’re going to get eyeballs from people who are in your target audience.
2. Keep it simple.
As you’re starting out- keep it very simple! Don’t try to do the really fancy transitions and camera tricks. Be inspired by other people in your field who are doing great Reels. Save their Reels. Reuse their templates – if available. You can create similar content and make it relevant to you. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Put your own twist on it! Maybe it’s a simple little lip sync to some dialogue that you're going to look into the camera and say with a little bit of text related to your business. Hopping on the trend wagon is a great way to generate more engagement, too – just don’t overthink it! Keep it simple. Use the tools that are already at your disposal (trending audio, other Reels you’ve liked, etc.).
3. Batch your content!
This tip will save you tons of time. When you’re ready to film your reels, try to batch them into one or two days a month. Let’s say you set a goal for yourself to do two maybe three Reels a week - so try to get most of those filmed all in one day instead of doing them here and there. As you're getting started, just film with your phone and then a few different shirts to maybe change out!
You've already brainstormed your ideas from Step number one, now on step number three you're ready to film and batch that all together it's going to save you so much time and it's going to really increase your content output when you can just do a bunch of filming all in a row! Knock them all out at once.
4. EDITING
If you’ve ever made a Reel, then you know that it can take a really long time to edit them to your liking. Do it when you have time. If you batch them (like tip number 3)- this will be easier. But take time when you have downtime… like waiting to pick up your kid from soccer practice, or sitting in the doctor’s office. Just make sure you bring your headphones so you don’t irritate the person next to you by listening to the same audio over and over and over again.
I want you to feel confident that you can up your social media game and GET REEL! This is ultimately a pretty easy way to enhance your engagement and hopefully generate more business for you! I hope these four tips were helpful for you as you get started in Reels! We’re still getting started in Reels here at CrossCountry Mortgage and on my team, so we're learning along with you!
Let’s Go!
xo - KG