With the ability to reach new customers and showcase your beautiful arrangements in a creative and engaging way, Instagram Reels can take your social media presence to the next level. Whether you’re new to Reels or looking to refine your strategy, we asked our Marketing Partners, Queen Bee, to help you get started and share some tips that will make your Reels shine.
Why Reels Matter for Florists
Reels allow you to capture short, engaging videos that can highlight your floral designs, tell your brand story, and connect with your audience in a really visual way. They also receive priority in Instagram’s algorithm, appearing prominently in user feeds and the Explore page, so can be a great way show off your creativity, reach a wider audience, and engage customers who love video content. But creating effective Reels requires a little planning and creativity – let’s dive into how you can do this!
Getting Started: The Basics
Before you start creating Reels, it’s important to understand the basics:
Length: Reels can be up to 90 seconds long, but shorter clips are often more engaging.
Format: Reels are vertical videos (9:16 ratio), so make sure you’re filming with your camera in portrait, not landscape.
Tools: Everything can be done in Instagram using its built-in editing tools to add music, text, and effects to your videos. But we also love apps like CapCut and InShot to create more advanced videos and effects.
Crafting Content That Speaks to Your Audience
Instagram recently announced that the fastest growing accounts posted at least 10 Reels a month. And with all the beautiful flowers you have to work with 2-3 videos a week is definitely achievable.
And it all starts with a PLAN! Plot out your Reel ideas for the month ahead based on what you’ve got coming up – everything from events to new products to offers. But most importantly, with every video you plan, just ask yourself ‘Would my dream customer enjoy and get value from this?’ Then hit RECORD!
When planning your Reels, it’s important to strike a balance between entertaining, sales, and educational content. Here’s how you could think about it:
1. Entertaining (50%)
- Purpose: Keep your audience engaged and coming back for more.
- Content Ideas: Fun behind-the-scenes showing you in action, your version of a reel trend that’s gone viral, shop dog/cat (everyone loves a cute animal video!)
- Tip: Make these Reels light-hearted and visually appealing. Use music or original audio, effects, and relatable content to capture attention.
2. Educational (30%)
- Purpose: Establish your expertise and provide value to your followers.
- Content Ideas: Quick floral tips, how-tos, care instructions or insider knowledge
- Tip: Focus on solving common problems or sharing insights that your customers didn’t even know they needed.
3. Sales (20%)
- Purpose: Drive conversions by showcasing your products and services.
- Content Ideas: Product spotlights, limited-time offers, client testimonials.
- Tip: Keep sales content subtle and authentic. Show your products in use or tell a story about them that will resonate with your audience whilst giving them the option to buy/enquire.
This isn’t a hard and fast rule! You may find a different balance works better for you depending on your audience. For example, you may prioritise more educational content if your audience values learning, entertaining content if personality is a big part of your brand or more sales content if you have frequent promotions or new products. The key is to find a balance that keeps your audience engaged, informed, and excited about what you offer.
How do you know what’s working?
Using your Instagram Insights pay attention to what Reels are getting high levels of Reach meaning your content is getting in front of more people, increasing the chances of converting viewers into customers. Saves and Shares indicates that your content is really resonating with your audience and look at Profile Visits because this suggests your Reel intrigued viewers enough to want to learn more about your business. After all, you’re not on Instagram to become an influencer – you’re looking to turn your followers into customers!
Instagram Settings to Maximise Your Reach
Beyond the content itself, making sure your Instagram account settings are right is key to getting your Reels in front of as many eyes as possible. Here are some settings you should review:
1. Enable Account Suggestions:
On your desktop (not the Instagram app on your phone), go to your Instagram profile, click Edit Profile, and toggle the button ON for “Show Account Suggestions on Profile.” This helps your account get recommended to new followers.
2. Account Status Check:
In the Instagram app on your phone, go to Settings & Activity, scroll down to Account Status, and make sure you have a green tick next to each line item. This ensures your account is in good standing and eligible for all features. Take action on any unticked.
3. Upload at the Highest Quality:
In Settings & Activity, go to Media Quality, and make sure “Upload at Highest Quality” is turned on. This ensures your videos are sharp and clear, which is crucial for showcasing your beautiful floral designs.
4. Enable Sharing & Remixes:
Still in Settings & Activity, find “Sharing & Remixes” and make sure “What people can remix & reuse” is turned on for each line item (reuse of Reels, feed videos, and posts). If your content is remixed, you gain more visibility as the original creator.
5. Share to Facebook:
Remaining on your phone’s Settings & Activity, scroll down to “Crossposting” and ensure you are sharing your content to Facebook – you can decide whether this is just Stories or Posts. This helps you reach a wider audience by leveraging your existing social media connections. Turn on Recommend reels on Facebook too!
Final Thoughts
Creating Instagram Reels can be a fun and effective way to reach new customers and showcase your floral designs. By optimising your settings and creating well thought out, engaging content, you’ll be well on your way to growing your floristry business on Instagram.
For more tips on mastering Instagram Reels and growing your floristry business, be sure to give us a follow over on Instagram @we_are_queenbee. We’ve got a fun Reels challenge coming up in September, just for florists like you!
