Let's get reel
Let's get reel!
That’s not a typo. Here at Fountain Mortgage, you may have heard us say we’re “Getting Real in 2024”! But we also mean REEL. Instagram Reels are all the rage, and all the kids are doing it. And if you’re rolling your eyes right now, that’s too bad. Reels are where the people are at, and it's is a fabulous tool to increase your social engagement and build your business.
If this is something you need help with, reach out to me and my marketing department. We have a monthly “Social Lab” on Zoom for our Realtor partners where we provide you with scripts, audio files, and everything you need to create great reels. We’d also 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, because I’m here to help.
Here are our four best practices and tips for success to get you started as you begin your new REEL adventure.
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. Our first tip is to brainstorm your ideas ahead of time, and try not to just wing it. It’s best to have a plan, so try to assemble 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! So, 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, you can 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.
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 and reuse their templates, if available. You can create similar content and make it relevant to you, but 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 like trending audio or other reels you've liked.
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 or three reels a week. Try to get most of those filmed all in one day instead of doing them sporadically. As you're getting started, just film with your phone and consider bringing a few shirts to change into.
You've already brainstormed your ideas from step one, so at step three you're ready to film and batch all of those together. It'll save you so much time and increase your content output when you can do a bunch of filming all at once.
Edit during downtime
If you’ve ever made a reel, then you know it can take a really long time to edit them to your liking. The solution is to only do it when you have spare time. If you batch them (tip number three), this will be easier. But take a minute to edit when you have downtime like when you're waiting to pick up your kid from soccer practice or sitting in the doctor’s office.
We want you to feel confident that you can up your social media game and GET REEL this Summer! This is ultimately a pretty easy way to enhance your engagement and hopefully generate more business for you, so we hope these four tips were helpful for you as you get started in reels!
xo - Leah