How to use Instagram reels and stories to reach more fans

It no secret that short-form videos have taken over the digital space. On Instagram, Reels and Stories are favored by the algorithm and consequently, they get more exposure than any other feature on the platform. As an artist, you can use these to your advantage. Even better, it’s super easy. Want to learn how? Here’s how to use Instagram Reels and Stories to reach more fans…

A guest post by Randi Zimmerman of Symphonic Blog.

First, let’s talk basics…

Why do short-form videos do well in the first place?

We’re all very aware of the powerhouse we know and love called TikTok. They created an entire platform completely based on short videos, and it’s now the most downloaded app in the world. After seeing their major success, other platforms like Facebook, Pinterest, and even Linkedin have hopped on the bandwagon.

The fact is, people have shorter attention spans than ever before. We want to be engaged and informed in a couple seconds or less. With this in mind, Instagram has been working to transform from their original photo-sharing roots into a video sharing hub for the masses.

Luckily for you busy artists out there, creating Reels and Stories is even easier to do then posting full blown videos or ads. You can repurpose existing video content into shorter, digestible clips for Instagram in a couple minutes and post it to the world even faster.

Now that we’ve covered why it works so well, let’s break down how to do it yourself. — Here’s what you can do…

1. Turn Viewers Into Followers

Unlike Instagram Stories, Instagram Reels are discoverable through hashtags and the Explore feed. Stories are just seen by your existing network, but that’s not a bad thing. Both of these factors can be used to your advantage.

With Reels, you can grab the attention of users all over the world whether they’re already following you or not. Once you’ve won their attention, you can keep it by making sure you have some great content to check out once they visit your page.

That being said, Reels are what’s going to grow your audience. — Stories support that growth.

2. Use Reels Attract Your Target Audience

As someone who isn’t already following you explores the platform, odds are the way they’ll find you is through Reels. They’ll see your Reel, love it, then head over to your page to find out more. If they head back to your page and find that your content has nothing to do with what they just saw, they’re probably going to be pretty disappointed. That’s why sticking to and nurturing your niche is so important.

If you’re a producer/jack of all trades like BIIANCO, creating Reels that center around your production skills is a great way to attract people who love amazing, independent producers. And when you go to their page, you’ll find all the other amazing things they do as an artist match up perfectly.

Now, that’s how you build a dedicated fan-base.

3. Intertwine Your Niche Into Popular Trends

Just like on TikTok, Reels on Instagram have tons of popular trends you can jump onto to gain some recognition. If you’re a metal guitarist, however, doing a trend where you show off the plants in your backyard isn’t going to do you any good.

What you can do though is tweak the trend to fit you and your niche. Instead of showing off your plants, show off your collection of badass guitars. This is just an example off the top of my head, but you can really do this with almost every trend out there.

Put on your detectives cap, and do some snooping through the Explore page to see what sparks some inspiration.

4. Don’t Forget About Your Existing Audience with Stories

Remember at the beginning of this article when we talked about how Reels fuel growth and Stories support that growth? Let’s talk about that…

Getting the followers is all fine and dandy, but whether or not they stay is a battle in itself. You need to nurture your existing followers by not only posting consistently, but also sharing authentic content. Stories can help with that.

For example, Stories on Instagram are a great place to post interactive content to gain more engagement from your fans. You can use Polls to ask a question and get real-time answers, post new music and see genuine reactions, let them ask questions and talk right to your audience, or even sell tickets to your next show.

All this helps foster a deeper connection that will keep them coming back for more.

In Conclusion…

Instagram Reels and Stories are the perfect places to post creative video content and engage with your audience on Instagram at the same time. With them, you can expand your reach, get inspired by your peers, create new content, and stay in touch with the pulse of the industry. Whether that be in your own niche or via the inspiration of other creators across the digital space. Hopefully this post has given you some tips and tricks to implement into your Instagram strategy for the new year and inspires you to connect even deeper with your audience, both new and old.

Now, get back to work!