4 Easy Ways to Make Better Instagram Reels

Are you struggling to make Reels? Does your video content strategy need to change?

In this article, we’ll explore four easy ways to make better Instagram Reels.

Why Instagram Reels Matter

Instagram Reels have become an important tool for businesses and creators to reach new audiences. However, many people struggle to create engaging Reel content. 

Before diving into the strategies, it's important to understand why Reels are so valuable. Reels offer a unique opportunity to reach people who don't follow you. While other Instagram features like hashtags have become less effective for discovery, Reels are still “reach heavy,” according to social strategist Shannon McKinstrie. This means your Reels have a good chance of being shown to new potential followers.

Reels also help build trust quickly. In a world where we're constantly scrolling through content, video allows you to make a stronger connection with viewers. If you want to grow your following and stay top of mind with your audience, Reels are a great way to do it. Reels are particularly effective for getting in front of new audiences, which is crucial for many businesses.

Another advantage of Reels is that they don't require a background in video production. Anyone can create effective Reels with just a smartphone and some creativity. This accessibility makes Reels a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes.

#1: How to Create Instagram Reels Content That Makes People Feel Heard

The first pillar of Shannon's Reels strategy is to create content that makes your audience feel heard and understood. This type of content helps people feel validated and creates a human connection. When someone feels heard when they see your content, it can have a powerful impact, even if the Reel doesn't go viral.

To create “feeling heard” content, consider your audience's challenges, frustrations, or experiences. For example, a nutritionist might create a Reel saying, “I don't know who needs to hear this, but worrying about the ice cream is more unhealthy than just having a bowl of ice cream,” with footage of swirled ice cream in a cone. This simple message acknowledges many people's everyday struggles and offers a comforting perspective.

The key is to put the main message as text on the screen all at once, rather than revealing it slowly. This approach caters to today's fast-paced content consumption habits.

Other approaches to creating “feeling heard” content include using phrases like “I don't mean to interrupt your scrolling, but…,” “This is your sign to…,” or “I wish more people knew…” These introductions signal to viewers that you're about to share something relatable or important. You can also offer reminders or pep talks related to your niche. For instance, if you're a social media marketer, you might remind your audience that taking a break from posting is okay if they're feeling overwhelmed.

The key to this type of content is understanding your audience deeply. What are their daily struggles? What keeps them up at night? By addressing these issues, you create content that resonates on a personal level, fostering a stronger connection with your viewers.   

#2: How to Create Instagram Reels That Are Helpful

The second pillar of Shannon's strategy is to create helpful content. This is where you can share tips, tricks, and educational information. But be sure to keep it simple and easy to digest. “So what I tend to do for my clients, for the helpful, if it is going to be a list of like five, 10 things again, be so specific and keep it so simple and doable where they don't have to go out and buy the thing. They don't have to go out and build the thing,” Shannon says.

When creating helpful content, focus on providing value your audience can immediately act on. This could be a quick tip related to your industry, a short how-to guide, or a simple solution to a common problem. For example, if you're a coffee shop owner, you might share a quick tip on how to froth milk at home for the perfect latte.

You can also use the phrase “I found” to introduce helpful content. For instance, “I found the best podcast mic for beginners as a newbie podcaster” or “Here's how I use Meta Business Suite to schedule my content as a social media manager.” This approach feels more personal and authentic than simply telling people what they should do. It also establishes your expertise in a friendly, approachable way. 

Another effective format for helpful content is the “POV” (Point of View) Reel. For example, one of Shannon's clients created a POV Reel for parents dealing with toddler tantrums. The Reel said, “POV: You're tired of your toddler having tantrums at the grocery store, and then you find my account.” The video shows the creator holding her child's hand. In the caption, the creator provided helpful tips for managing tantrums.

This format allows you to present a problem and offer a solution in a relatable way. You want to demonstrate the customer's desired feeling or end state here. For example: “POV: You're a coffee lover in Raleigh, NC, and you find this brand new coffee shop that serves birthday cake lattes.” The Reel could show a person enjoying the latte. 

Remember, your helpful content doesn't always need to be complex or revolutionary. Sometimes, the simplest tips can be the most valuable to your audience. The key is to make your content actionable and easy to implement.

#3: How to Create Instagram Reels Using Humor 

The third pillar of Shannon's strategy is humor. This might seem intimidating, especially if you don't consider yourself naturally funny. But it doesn't have to be side-splitting humor—even a small chuckle can be effective.

To create humorous content, create a bank of ideas by thinking of relatable situations in your industry or niche. For example, you could create humor for marketers by “poking fun at Meta Business Suite and how complicated it is” or “thinking this Reel's gonna go viral and it gets 200 views and one spam account.” These situations are relatable to anyone who works in social media marketing, making them perfect for humorous content.

One way to incorporate humor into your Reels is by using trending audio clips. These are often snippets from movies, TV shows, or popular songs that people lip-sync to while adding their own visual content. You don't even have to lip-sync if you're uncomfortable doing so— you can simply use the audio as a background while showing relevant visuals. 

Note: Choose trending audio that is not overly saturated (less than 5K uses). If you have a business account on Instagram, you can go to your professional dashboard and scroll to trending audio to look for the most popular sounds. 

If you're uncomfortable being on camera or lip-syncing, use tools like CapCut to create simple, funny video edits. CapCut allows you to use stock footage or GIFs and add your own captions to create humorous content. For example, you could use a funny GIF of someone looking confused and add text relating it to a common challenge in your industry. For inspiration, look at TikTok, Shannon says. 

Pro Tip: Open your Instagram app and go to the Reels camera. Select your video, and then visit the Clip hub to find funny GIFs. 

Instagram's Stories camera is also a valuable tool for creating Reel content. It automatically films in the correct dimensions for Reels (9:16 aspect ratio), making it easier to create content that fits the format.

Remember, the goal of using humor in your Reels is to be relatable and bring a smile to your audience's face. You don't need to be a comedian to add a touch of humor to your content. Often, simply acknowledging the everyday challenges or quirks of your industry can be enough to create a connection with your viewers.

#4: How to Create Instagram Reels That Share Happenings 

The final pillar of Shannon's strategy is to share “happenings”—behind-the-scenes content, stories, and updates from your life or business. This type of content helps your audience feel connected to you and your brand on a more personal level.

“Happenings” content is what makes social media truly powerful. It lets you share your journey, challenges, and triumphs with your audience. This could include sharing your founder's story, giving a behind-the-scenes look at your work process, showcasing your team or workspace, or sharing updates about new products or services.

For example, if you run a coffee shop, you might create Reels showing how you open the shop in the morning, introducing your baristas, or demonstrating how you make your most popular drinks. Shannon suggests ideas like “Pack a $200 order with me” for eCommerce businesses, showing the process of fulfilling an order.

While this type of content might not always go viral, it serves an important purpose. It helps build a stronger connection with your existing audience, giving them a reason to keep following you and helping them feel more invested in your brand. This content is particularly effective for local businesses, as Instagram often pushes content to Instagram users who are geographically close to you.

When creating “happenings” content, don't be afraid to get personal. Share your journey, your challenges, and your victories. This could be as simple as sharing a quick update about a conference you attended or as in-depth as telling your full founder's story.

Create a longer, more detailed “happenings” Reel to pin to your profile grid. Your pinned content (you can pin up to three pieces of content to your IG grid) could serve as an introduction to new visitors, much like an “About” page on a website. This serves as a home base for people considering your product or business. Think of your pinned Reels as a mini-website, with one Reel introducing you or your brand, another showcasing your services, and perhaps a third highlighting a key achievement or popular product.       

Making Your Instagram Reels Stand Out: ‘The 3 S's’

To make your Reels more effective, Shannon recommends focusing on what she calls the “Three S's”: 

1. Simple: Is your content easy to understand and digest quickly? In today's fast-paced social media environment, you need to get your message across quickly and clearly. Avoid complex explanations or ideas that require a lot of background knowledge. Also, study the text placement in Reels. Make sure it's centered in the middle, not cut off by icons. You want people to notice your text when it appears in your IG grid. 
2. Shareable: Would someone want to share this with their friends? You want to create content that makes people want to be the “group chat hero”—the person who shares something so good that all their friends react positively. Think about what makes you want to share content with your own friends and try to recreate that feeling in your Reels.
3. Specific: Are you being clear about why people should care about your content? It's important to be specific, especially in your hooks (the opening of your Reel). Instead of a general “Instagram tip,” try something like “Instagram Tip to get out of 500-View Jail” or “Instagram Reel idea that helped me get 1K new followers.” By being specific, you're telling viewers exactly why they should care about your content.

When creating your Reels, always ask yourself these questions—think like your ideal follower.  The more you can say “yes” to each of these, the more likely your Reel is to perform well.

Specificity is critical in today's crowded social media landscape. A few years ago, you could simply say “Instagram tip” and get attention, but now you need to be much more specific to stand out. Always consider why your audience should care about what you're sharing and make that clear from the start.

Overcoming Common Instagram Reel Challenges

If you're feeling intimidated by creating Reels, you're not alone. Many people struggle with various aspects of creating video content. Here are some common challenges and how to overcome them:

“I'm not comfortable on camera”: You don't always need to show your face in your Reels. You can use B-roll footage (supplemental or alternative video clips) instead. This could be as simple as filming your hands while you work, showing your product in use, or even using stock footage related to your message. You can then add text overlays to convey your main points.

“I'm not funny”: Remember, humor doesn't have to mean laugh-out-loud funny. Even a relatable situation that makes people smile can work. Focus on the everyday situations or frustrations that your audience experiences and present them in a lighthearted way. Often, simply acknowledging a common challenge can be enough to create a connection with your viewers.

“I don't have time to create complex videos”: Many successful Reels are very simple. A Reel can be as short as 5–6 seconds. It could be a single shot with on-screen text or even just you smiling at the camera with a text overlay sharing your message. Don't let the idea that you need to create elaborate productions hold you back from creating Reels.

“I don't know what to post about “: Use Shannon's four pillars (Heard, Helpful, Humor, Happenings) to brainstorm ideas. Keep a running list of potential topics. Pay attention to the questions your customers frequently ask, the challenges they face, or the aspects of your work that others find interesting. These can all be sources of content for your Reels.

Remember, the goal is to create content that resonates with your audience. It doesn't have to be perfect—authenticity often performs better than polished perfection. Experiment with different types of content and see what works best for your brand and target audience.

Other Notes From This Episode

• Connect with Michael Stelzner @Stelzner on Instagram and @Mike_Stelzner on X.
• Watch this interview and other exclusive content from Social Media Examiner on YouTube.

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