The reason why Instagram prioritizes Reels: short-form videos are search engines.

Instagram is focused on Instagram Reels right now, and the reasoning behind this (IMO) is that they understand that short-form video is the future...

You might not have thought about TikTok as a search engine, but teenagers do. 

It’s not just a social media platform for sharing funny videos, although that’s certainly part of it. TikTok is also a place where people go to find out about the latest trends—and not just in fashion/beauty. 

In fact, 40% of teenagers use TikTok to search for quick answers to whatever it is they are looking for. (https://mashable.com/article/gen-z-tiktok-search-engine-google)

This is why I think Instagram is focused on Instagram Reels right now. Short-form videos are the future of online searches.

• Google changed how we "find" things online.

• Pinterest and Google Images made search more visual.

• TikTok and YouTube are making search more engaging with quick answers to your questions.

Social media platforms were designed to make connections easier. Remember MySpace?!?! Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram all started to connect us with friends and family in different ways. 

Video and image platforms like YouTube, Pinterest, and even Flickr were built on sharing and finding interesting content. These platforms are more about search, with some people following their favorite creators to keep up with their content. 

Tiktok combines the two. Their "For You” page (FYP) algorithm determines what type of content each individual user may be looking for, and users can connect with their friends in a different tab. 

What do any of us really want from videos? We want content that educates, entertains, or inspires us. And we also want something quick and easy to consume.

Short-form video can do this because: 

1: Short-form videos are more immersive. Studies have shown that our brains process visuals 60,000 times faster than text, so it stands to reason that we are more likely to pay attention to a video that is right in front of us than something that we have to scroll down to see. 

Short-form videos are also more personal. It often feels like the person or brand is talking directly to you, which is important for relationship building. 

2: Short-form videos get to the point a lot quicker. This is important when you are searching for something specific. Consider this: how many people complain about food bloggers telling their life stories in the intro of a blog post before finally getting to the recipe?

TikTok videos get straight to the recipe!

3. Short-form videos are more shareable than longer videos. Because they are so easy to consume, people are more likely to share them with their friends, which helps to increase a video’s reach.

People are watching more short-form videos than ever before. In 2022, online videos will make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic, which is 15 times higher than that figure was in 2017 (Cisco). So it makes sense that Meta would want Facebook and Instagram to have a share of these views…

How Meta is (trying) to find new ways to compete with TikTok

As TikTok grows in popularity, Meta has felt the pressure to compete. We are watching Meta attempt to switch up their business model in real-time as they focus on connecting people with common interests and helping them find the content they’ll love.

The problem is that Instagram and Facebook started with the goal of connecting people, and now they are trying to be search engines… 

People don’t necessarily want that. They want to see what their friends are up to and share in that experience. They want to connect with people (including the “people” behind their favorite brands) and not just consume content. 

But Instagram pushed recommendations for new content to users (okay, mostly Reels from algorithm-suggested accounts), and the backlash was swift and came from the top—“the “top” being the Kardashians. When people with MILLIONS of followers on Instagram talk, the platform listens.

Instagram stopped flooding the main feed with so many recommendations and is now trying to figure out the next steps in transforming its platform to keep users happy and staying within in the app (the longer viewers watch videos and stay within the app, the more digital advertising dollars they can get from brands). 

… Which, let’s be honest — $$$ is the REAL reason why Instagram prioritizes Reels.

TikTok has largely been successful because it focused on connection and community from the start and hasn’t abandoned that notion in favor of solely becoming search engine material. And that’s something that Meta is going to have to learn if they want to stay relevant in the social media landscape.

Wait, what does this short-form video stuff and Meta having a mid-life crisis mean for small business owners and marketers? 

Well, I am glad you asked: it means that no matter what happens with your favorite social media platforms, short-form videos will only gain in popularity. It’s up to you to figure out how to make it work with your marketing efforts.

I know we are all trying to figure out how to incorporate Instagram Reels and short-form video into our marketing plan, but I will say - it really does help get your brand in front of new customers and helps you grow.

If you want to learn more, sign up for my “RECIPE FOR SOCIAL MEDIA” class where I will go through all the recent changes and help marketers & small business owners come up with a game plan that works FOR THEM… Not videos based on trends. Details: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/387652528147

Here are some more links that can help: 

• Build Confidence With Creating Social Media Videos

• 8 Proven Steps To Take One Idea And Turn It Into Ten Social Media Posts

Finding Trending Audio on Instagram Reels

Being able to find and use trending audio on Instagram Reels has become a big part of both Instagram Reels and TikTok. Trending audio (both trending songs & original audio that creators make) can help even small accounts grow their Instagram accounts. That is, as long as creators have fun with making each trending audio make sense for their niche vs jumping on a trend that doesn’t make sense (see the end of this post or details on what I mean).

How to Find Trending Audio on Instagram

Search your favorite hashtags (make it relate to your products/service, location, or who your target audience is) and click Reels. here you will see some of the most viewed videos from this hashtag. (hopefully soon, Instagram will make their search feature more robust so you can search based on the top videos within the last week, but for now, this gives you an overview of the content that has worked in your niche. Find audio that you like and save it to use later).

The other way to find trending audio on Instagram is to literally just scroll! Click on the Reels tab on the bottom middle of your account and swipe up. If you see a small arrow going up and to the right that means the audio is currently “trending.” You can save the audio to come back to later, or create a video right away.

*but*

Do you ever find audio that you want to make sure to use for your Instagram account then later try to go back and find it but cannot?!? *OR* you find it but you forgot what you wanted to use it for?!

a few tricks to remember to Use trending audio on Instagram Reels:

• On the audio’s homepage click the three dots in the right top corner. Save the link and go to a Google Doc or Note on your phone that you titled “Content Idea Brain Dump” also add a sentence for how it would work for your brand. 

• Save space on your calendar for content creation only time - then go into this braindump document and add your caption.

• Later shoot the video, add text to the screen and add your caption. Save it to your phone.

If you are here with the question “Why can’t I save audio on Instagram Reels?” I have some tips for you as well!

If you have a Business Page (because duh, you are a business) you may not have access to be able to use to save any audio on Instagram Reels.

Well, I have a workaround for you!

Go into your settings and change your business Instagram page to a Creator Page (go into settings, account, and switch account), this way you can still have access to business tools like ads and analytics - but you would be able to create lipsyncing style Instagram Reels for your brand! This workaround also seems to work if you switch your Business Page category to “Entrepreneur” under your Edit Profile settings on your Instagram home page.

If you need a step by step guide on switching your account: https://help.instagram.com/529483457260403

This edit has helped me, and my clients get access to trending audio on Instagram so

One thing I want to note is that focusing on trending audio alone may grow your following on Instagram (playing with the algorithm), but it’s not a great marketing strategy for long-term connections with your target audience. Creating content that is educational, entertaining, and inspirational, AND uniquely you is the key - and I am not saying that is easy. But, I will say that building confidence can help.

Here are more resources on how to use Instagram Reels for your business:

1. How to Create Instagram Reel Transitions.

2. 10 Ideas for Wine Marketers to Use Instagram Reels (yes this works for other niches as well).

3. Non-music ideas for Instagram Reels (for those worried about copywriter issues).

4. Building confidence with creating Social Media Videos in general (Instagram Reels & TikTok Videos).

And remember, if you are still having trouble, connect with me for a one on one strategy session or sign up to be first to know more about a future class I will be teaching on the subject. Or, connect with me on Instagram, I share a lot of content with simple hacks and tips for Instagram Marketing! @sharayray.

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A post shared by Shana Bull, East Bay Writer (@sharayray)

Changes to Instagram’s Feed is Coming - What Does This Mean for Social Media Marketers?

Creating social media content for Instagram used to be fairly simple: Plan ahead, look at your promotional calendar and events, and then create posts based on that. (at least, this is what social media marketers should have been doing).

But just recently, Adam @mosseri, the head of Instagram announced that they will be updating the Instagram feed (the main way users see posts from everyone they follow) to have 3 different options for people:

✅  Home - this tab will be the default feed which will be a combination of people you follow & what the algorithm thinks you will like. Let’s be honest... This is exactly how the TikTok FTP works, and Instagram is “borrowing it.”

✅  Following - this Instagram tab will be the chronological feed of people you follow (yes, it's back! And from the sound of everyone on my Instagram Reel this is going to be an exciting feature that users are so happy is back)

✅  Favorites - this tab will be a feed of all the accounts you don’t want to miss. You can make it your own - favoring your friends, competitors, influencers, or funny accounts. Make sure to favor accounts that you don’t want to miss. Also, we will probably be seeing a lot of CTAs from brands on Instagram asking people to add them to their favorites. 

Adam said that Instagram will be testing these new features out, so not everyone will get it, but we can expect the new Instagram Feeds to roll out in the next few weeks. 

I will make sure to keep up on this and see how it impacts how we all use Instagram. But remember - engaging, fun and educational content (*cough* videos) will still be key to connecting and growing. Possibly even more so moving forward. Learn more about some of the ways you can grow your Instagram account right now.

Also — I am providing social media audits for businesses that are looking for quick personalized recommendations for how they can prepare for the upcoming changes! Sign up here: https://shanabull.com/social-media-resources/social-media-audit

Watch the full video to see how the new Instagram feed will look (and let me know which tab you are the most excited for):

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Instagram Reels & Growing Your Instagram Page

The big social media story of the week is that Instagram has finally revealed that they are “no longer a photo-sharing app,” well, what the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri meant to tweet is that Instagram is no longer JUST a photo-sharing platform. They are moving towards where their customers are looking for - video. 

According to Mosseri in an Instagram Live video, “The number one reason people say they use Instagram in research is to be entertained. So this past week in our internal all-hands meeting, we shared a lot about what we’re trying to lean into that trend – into entertainment and into video.”

So, do we have to create Instagram Reels content now?

The answer is yeah, no, yeahhhh. Yes, Instagram is heavily favoring Instagram Reels content right now. This means if you create bite-sized videos that relate to your niche, and make sure to use up to 30 relevant hashtags, then the reach for your Instagram Reels can be much, much higher than the traditional images/videos on your feed. 
No, if you are still not even comfortable with creating regular videos and photos for social media -- I really don’t want to see everyone stressing out about these new changes. 

Yes, right now, creating Instagram Reels is one of the only ways to organically grow your Instagram following.

One of the questions I get asked the most -- WHY do I need to focus on Instagram Reels? My reasoning: it is one of the best ways to grow on the platform right now. The leaders at Instagram have literally told us this when talking about where IG will be focusing (“Instagram is no longer just a photo-sharing app.”).

Other ways to grow your Instagram account:

✔️  Instagram Live with 2+ people in your niche (bonus points if it is is an ongoing live show with up to 4 people)

✔️  Being specific about your hashtags when you share your Instagram Reel *use a mix of local, niche, and general hashtags, and yes -- use all 30.

✔️  Hard-core engagement. aka having a strategy of looking at hashtags in your desired nitch every night — and making sure to like and comment on posts.

✔️  Mass following people (I DO NOT recommend this one though, because many people used the follow/unfollow method to grow and IMO it's shady and doesn't get you your desired connections with your target audience).

Last, but not organic… Paying for:

✔️  Ads on Instagram. 

I have talked about it before, in my article on the “right” way to post on Instagram. “Consistency” is better than perfection, so if you want to grow - make it a point to try out Instagram Reels. Here are some of my suggestions for non-music/non-dancing reels for businesses: https://shanabull.com/blog/instagram-reels-no-music and ultize hashtags that make sense for your location and niche. 

As for coming up with ideas of what to post, I understand that it can be overwhelming when you are not even comfortantle with Instagram to begin with. So I am bringing back my Recipe for Instagram class to help walk you though all of my methods for planning ahead, creating content, engaging with your audience AND selling -- all with the goal to build your confidence in creating ongoing content for social media. Sign up to be the first to learn more about this class (that has sold out all 3 times I hosted it!).

My Favorite Non-Music Instagram Reels Ideas For Hospitality & Wine Marketers

I know, I know… I talk a lot about Instagram Reels lately. And there is a reason. A. After dealing with cancer treatments last year, I am just now jumping on the bandwagon now that I am feeling better. B. Instagram Reels are one of the best ways to engage with your community AND  reach a wider audience. I will say from experience, my Instagram Reels get comments weeks later, and my other posts have a shelf life of about 1 to 2 days. I don’t know about you, but I would much rather create content that people are seeing 2 weeks later!

So, Instagram Reels is a great way to engage with current fans and connect with new ones. So, I will keep encouraging people to share them (that, and video is one of the best ways to showcase your brand story on social media). I recently wrote a blog post about some trending Instagram Reel songs that I would love to see shared by my friends in the wine marketing instrusty. Read the full blog post here: 10 Ideas For Instagram Reels For Wine Businesses.

But, what if you don’t have music on your Instagram account?!? 

For marketers that have business accounts without access to good music (yes, royalty-free music is there, but tbh it is pretty meh) there are two things you can do when it comes to creating Instagram Reels. 

1 - Save Original Music to Use Later in Instagram Reels

When you find a sound or song you like, you can save it and come back to it later. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to save Instagram Reels music. Note, this only works for original music shared by users vs. the song from the musical artist themselves. 

2 - Simply Talk in your Instagram Reel

The second option is to simply talk to the camera, or record a voiceover after you film your video footage. If you have hit a creative roadblock for ideas to talk about in your Instagram Reel, you have come to the right place!

My Favorite Non-Music Instagram Reels Ideas For Hospitality Marketers: 

1. Introduce yourself, and members of your team. Start the 15/30 second video with one thing about you, or what your favorite food or wine (what your fave product) that your brand sells. Keep things short and talk straight to the camera. Then edit to be less than 30 seconds. Add text to the Instagram Reel if you want, or use the Instagram caption feature to add text (just a reminder - not everyone looks through Instagram with the sound on, so the text is always helpful). 

2. Look at your website analytics. Showcase your best-selling products, or think about how you can repurpose your most viewed blog post (mine is all about Linktree and how I think there are better ways to utilize your Instagram link in bio) to create a short Instagram Reel.

3. New products or promotions. Simply tell people about the latest product or service you have coming up. And in the caption and text of your Instagram Reel be VERY clear on how they can purchase with a clear CTA (call to action) that inspires them to take action. 

4. Create a how-to video. Think about your brand passions or products and create a how-to video on recipes or things your customers may need to know to use your product. Think about “how to properly open a bottle of wine,” or “how to create the best cheese plate to pair with our Zinfandel,” or even “how to age wine.” Think about questions you have received from customers and try to answer them in short, straight to the point how-to videos. 

5. Take people behind-the-scenes. Take your community behind the scenes of the tasting room, kitchen, spa, wine cellar, bottling room, or vineyards. What do customers get the most excited about when you are taking them on a real life tour? Start there and create a short behind the scenes video.

I hope these Instagram reels ideas can help your creative juices flowing, because even with each of these ideas - there is a lot of content to be created! Don’t just create ONE product reel, find new ways to have fun and show off the goods (even if you only have one product like we do over at Randall the Blue Spider’s instagram page). 

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10 Ideas For Instagram Reels For Wine Businesses

I will say it. Instagram Reels is intimidating for Instagram marketers who aren’t already creating videos for their social media efforts on an ongoing basis.

I know, because it is intimidating for me. (still). 

Instagram Reels has only been around for a few years (the idea "borrowed" from TikTik), allowing users to create 5-second to 6-second video clips, usually set to music or having someone talk to the camera. These videos can be creative and fun, but they can also be used as a tool for marketing.

When TikTok and Instagram Reels started to become popular -- it was at the beginning of the pandemic. I had a kid at home and was just focused on getting all my work tasks done. Fast forward months later, being bedridden from the cancer stuff, I wasn’t making videos from my bed.

There is so much potential with Instagram Reels, but it seems like there is a lot of pressure to get it right. For example, choosing the right music and making sure the video is interesting and engaging enough to hold people's attention for just a few seconds. It's a lot of pressure!

Now, I am learning by playing around with the Instagram Reels platform, trying to splice videos together, attempting to lip-sync to songs while watching myself on camera, playing around with which Instagram reels music I want to save for later, and figuring out the best formula for creating a good Instagram Reel. 

… And I do this for a living. And it is still intimidating. 

I have also gotten in my own head because when I think of Instagram Reels, I think of people dancing to music. And even after a couple of glasses of wine, you won’t normally find me on the dance floor.  

But -- I am learning that there are many other ways to utilize Instagram Reels for wine businesses that create short-form videos that are fun, showcase the products (aka the wine), and go behind the scenes to create brand awareness and trust with your wine-loving audience. If you are needing a confidence boost, I wrote about some tips for building confidence with creating social media videos that may help you.

Before we go into details, just a reminder that only SOME Instagram Business pages have the full library of music.

But don’t worry - I found a hack to get around this so brands can SAVE music they want to use in the future. If this still doesn’t work for you change your profile to a CREATOR of ENTREPRENEUR profile (you can still create ads, and link to your website, etc but you will have access to the full library of music if you want).

I will say — since not very many wineries are using Instagram Reels, YOU will stand out just for creating these wine reel videos, and right now they are the “hot new thing” on Instagram, so Facebook is definitely making sure its users are seeing reels.

So try it out by creating behind the scenes videos of your team, products, and wine tasting room! (Recently I was written up in an article from the SF Chronicle about Wine TikTok Videos and a lot of the same ideas for TikTok videos about wine work for Instagram Reels also).

Here are a few ideas for Instagram Reels for Wine Businesses:

Level Up

Use this popular Ciara song to showcase a new wine vintage release. Start with a short video clip of the old release, then once the song starts at the level up section, switch the video over to the new release, and then end the video with someone pouring a glass and sipping. 

“Five, four, three, two, one. Leggo! (watch me). Level up, level up, level up, level up, level up. Level up, level up, level up, level up, level up. All this on me, so yummy, all this oh so yummy.”

Sunday Best 

This song by the band Surface isn’t super well known, but it is currently trending on the Instagram reels music list -- and it’s because the song is all about feeling good, and we all need that! Use this Instagram reels song to show off behind the scenes in the tasting room. Create a video of employees having fun, and being safe (super important right now to building trust with customers). 

“Good, feeling good. Ay, feeling good, like I should. Went and took a walk around the neighborhood. Feeling blessed, never stressed. Got that sunshine on my Sunday best (yeah).”

This Is How We Do It

Use this Montell Jordan song from the 90s to show off how to uncork a bottle of wine or how-to decant a bottle of red wine, or sabor a bottle of sparkling wine etc. make sure to add text with how-to tips in your video. 

“This is how we do it. It's Friday night and I feel all right.”

Red Red Wine 

I’m sure you can brainstorm a few ideas for using this red red wine song from UB40 for your winery’s Instagram marketing. And remember just because you use it once doesn’t mean you can’t use it again in a few months! 

“Red red wine, you make me feel so fine. You keep me rockin' all of the time. Red red wine, you make me feel so grand. I feel a million dollar when you're just in my hand.”

It’s Me Again … I’m Back. 

Use the first 15 seconds of the TLC song creep to showcase a new release that is highly anticipated by your customers. It’s a fun play on words to let Instagram friends know that the wine is back. 

“Yes it's me again. And I'm back. Oh I oh I oh I yeah.”

I Love You Baby 

Use this love song from Surf Mesa as a dedication to a video of a wine tasting room team member holding a bottle of a fan favorite wine. Use the captions to talk about why it’s a favorite. 

“Trust in me when I say: I love you, baby. And if it's quite all right. I need you, baby. To warm these lonely nights.” 

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun 

Take a video of team members or customers cheersing with glasses of wine and having fun behind the scenes. Use this iconic Cindy Lauper song to showcase how much fun your team has at the tasting room. 

“And girls they want to have fun. Oh girls just want to have fun.” 

Lovely Day 

Use the Bill Withers song to create a video of the sun shining across the vineyards. Other songs that work with a gorgeous video of the sunshine in the vineyards: The Beatles song Here Comes The Sun or A Beautiful Morning by The Rascals. Any of these songs will inspire nostalgia and the captions could talk about what the viticulture team is doing in the vineyards (bonus points if bud break is starting with a video of the sun shining behind the small buds on the vines). 

“Then I look at you. And the world's alright with me. Just one look at you. And I know it's gonna be.. A lovely day.”

Can’t Stop The Feeling 

This fun Justin Timberlake song is perfect for a quick video of someone pouring a bottle of wine into a wine glass. 

“I got that sunshine in my pocket. Got that good song in my feet.” 

I Want You Back

Because this is my blog.. I will include two JT songs… The chorus of the *NSYNC song I want you back has lyrics that talk about wanting something (okay, someone) back. Showcase this nostalgic 90s song with a wine and food pairing. Use the captions to tell people why the wine pairing works. 

“You're all I ever wanted. You're all I ever needed, yeah.” 

Last tip: Just go into your Instagram Reels music folder and search the word “wine” or whatever search term you are looking for. Other ideas include the word “happy” or “love.”  Most of the songs available under the search term wine will be instrumental music or Amy Winehouse, but there are a few really fun ones like Wine O’clock and Frank Sinatra’s I Will Drink The Wine that could work for wineries looking to up their Instagram Reels.  And remember - have fun and think about what type of content your target audience would WANT to see from you.