Top 8 Ways To Market Music Using Instagram Reels

Although it had something of a shaky start, Instagram Reels has managed to establish itself as more than just a inferior knockoff of TikTok, and is now one of the most exciting platforms for creative online music promotion!

Guest post by James Shotwell of Haulix

Instagram Reels are the hottest thing in music marketing, so we’re giving you eight proven methods of promotion to boost your career.

Some may say we made a mistake by declaring Instagram Reels dead on arrival back in August, but we argue that the company heard our complaints and took action. In eight weeks, Reels has gone from an inferior knockoff of TikTok to one of the most exciting platforms for creativity and music promotion online. Every week, millions of people are creating looping videos with the latest Instagram development, and that userbase will continue growing in the months ahead.

Since Reels is Instagram’s answer to TikTok, you might assume that marketing is the same on both platforms. After all, both platforms offer creators the ability to make videos up to a minute in length, and both allow people to use music or add original audio. Reels, however, has several advantages that TikTok lacks, including the ability to reach your audience through Stories and Instagram’s main content feed.

In today’s Music Biz 101, host James Shotwell breaks down eight proven methods for successful music promotion on Reels. He utilizes clips to expand on specific ideas, including examples from EDM superstar Marshmello and popular pop-punk group Knuckle Puck. Check it out:

Not sure if the video is for you? Here are some of the marketing ideas we discuss in the clip above:

• Teasers. Everyone loves a tease.
  
• Behind The Song series. People want to connect with the real you, and the best way for musicians to give fans that opportunity is by sharing the stories behind their favorite songs.
  
• Dance Videos. They’re all the rage online, and for good reason. Anyone can make these videos, and that makes them great for music promotion.
  
• Get weird. As we mentioned above, people want to know the real you, and that includes all the strange behaviors and hobbies that fill your days. Share them. Get weird. Be yourself.
  
• Skits. Second only to dancing, skits provide a template that fans can use to make original content inspired by your music. A great skit with a good punchline can spread much faster than a music video or song stream.
  
• AR Effects. Everyone uses Spark AR effects on their IG Stories, but did you know that same technology is available in Reels? We’ll tell you how to make the most of it.
  
• Here’s a word you need to accept as part of promotion: Influencers. Finding an influencer whose audience aligns with yours can forge a great content partnership.
  
• Use your archives! Some of the biggest viral clips of the past year use songs that are years or even decades old! Don’t be afraid to open your library of content and pull from every era of your creativity. You never know what will connect with viewers.