Reels have become an integral part of the Instagram ecosystem since bursting onto the scene in 2020. Growing organically on the platform has become significantly more difficult if you only post still images, meaning that many creators have turned to this feature to reach more people.
Reels are an easy way to get your profile in front of more people. However, many people associate it with needing to act silly on camera—and if you're not willing to do that, that's completely understandable.
Fortunately, you don't need to dance, sing, or point on camera to enjoy success and have fun with Instagram Reels. Below is a selection of unique ideas you should try.
1. Quick Tips
Regardless of the platform you use, the primary way you grow in the long run is by providing value to your audience. Instagram Reels provide a way for you to do that in a fraction of the time it takes to read a lengthy caption.
When creating your reel, think about something that many people in your field struggle with. Then, provide a few actionable tips that they can implement straight away. For example, you can show people how to white balance correctly if you're a photographer or filmmaker.
If you regularly write blog posts or publish YouTube videos, you can repurpose these for IG Reels so that they're digestible for your audience. Then, you can direct people to those particular websites to drive traffic elsewhere.
2. Travel Recommendations
Travel has become more accessible, and people are always looking for attractive destinations that haven't been frequently visited. And even if they're going somewhere "touristy," people want tips from others that will enhance their experience.
We've already discussed the benefits of photography in your hometown, but creating reels about where you live can also help grow your audience. As a starting point, you can give unique insights for hidden gems—or list the top things that people shouldn't do when they visit.
If you've recently been on a trip elsewhere or frequently visit certain parts of the world, you can also create reels that give helpful advice. Again, you can repurpose these elsewhere into articles or videos to diversify and grow your traffic.
3. Trip Summaries
Many people use social media because they want to feel like they're living the lives of their favorite creators. If you're planning a trip in the near future, you may also want to think about how you can summarize the adventure on your Instagram page.
One idea for the above is to produce a quick reel that shows some of your trip's main highlights. You don't need to go in-depth with this; taking short videos on your smartphone and compiling them on Instagram is good enough.
You can, of course, take things the extra mile. For example, if you're a videographer, you should consider taking videos with your camera—before putting them together in your favorite video editing software. While not necessary, it'll make you stand out.
4. Behind the Scenes for Your Creative Pursuit
Many people will use Instagram to publish the finished product for their work. There's nothing wrong with that unless you're doing so to brag—but people are just as interested in the entire creative process.
When you're starting out as a creator, it's a little demoralizing when you see someone publish this amazing piece of art that you doubt you could emulate. But in most cases, it's a lot easier than you think; as someone trying to build an audience, it's your duty to show them this.
Before publishing the final piece on Instagram, consider making a quick reel showing how you achieved the final result. For example, you can walk through your editing process or bring people along when you're out on a photoshoot.
By showing the behind-the-scenes of your work, you'll feel more accessible to your audience. As such, your connection with your followers will deepen.
5. Showing Before and After for Projects You've Completed
Every good story starts with a problem and ends with a solution. And with Instagram Reels, you've got the opportunity to showcase this in just a few seconds.
Whether you're a professional or your creative pursuit is simply a hobby, one promising idea for creating reels is to show the before and after for projects you've completed.
You don't need to do much for this. A short video showing the mess you had to clean up at the beginning of your storyboard—followed by the new interior space you've designed or film you've created—will do wonders.
Like the previous tip, showing the before and after will make you less stand-offish to your audience. Moreover, it'll inspire others to get out and start creating.
6. Bloopers of Your Projects
None of the best creators achieved great things through sheer luck. They will typically have failed several times beforehand, but this can be hard to see on a platform where many people only show off their highlights.
One excellent way to build rapport with your audience is to create a reel showing your biggest failures. Besides being educational and stopping others from making the same errors, it'll also show that you've got a sense of humor.
You can make this even more interactive by encouraging others to share their biggest bloopers, allowing your community to learn from each other.
7. The Evolution of Your Creative Pursuit
On Twitter, it's common for photographers and other creators to make threads showing how their work has evolved over time. And if you're an Instagram user, doing so is pretty straightforward with the Reels feature.
For this reel idea, all you need to do is gather a collection of your favorite (or least favorite) pieces of work over the years. Then, put them together using either the Instagram app or your preferred software for creating reels.
If you're feeling demotivated with your photography, this practice might also make you feel a little more grateful about where you are. You'll also find that you're inspired to create even more.
You Can Use Instagram Reels Without Pointing or Dancing
Instagram Reels can be daunting if you've never used the feature before, but the possibilities for creating are endless. You don't need to point or dance if you don't want to; in fact, you don't even have to show your face.
Reels are an excellent way to reach more people than the standard one-photo post, and these ideas will get you off the ground if you're trying to build a following. So, what are you waiting for?