Why Instagram Reels aren’t working for Creatives in 2023 and What to Do Now

The Problem with Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels was once considered the next big thing for creatives. However, the hype seems to have died down lately, with creators facing low engagement and struggling to make the platform as lucrative as it was when Reels bonuses were first introduced. The declining engagement and reach have led to speculation that the platform is prioritizing ad revenue over organic content.

According to the “Creators x Reels State of the Union 2022” report released in August, users spend less than 17.6 million hours a day using the “Reels” feature, which is a fraction of TikTok’s 197.8 million hours total time spent. This translates to a 13.6% drop in engagement over the last four weeks. In this article, we’ll explore why Instagram Reels aren’t working for creatives and offer practical tips on what to do instead.

In our previous article on shanadigital.com, we highlighted the fact that Instagram Reels Bonuses were pausing their programming that pays bonuses to creators for making Reels and hitting specific benchmarks.

Instagram Reels are not working for creatives due to low engagement rates, algorithm changes, and oversaturation of the platform. This can be frustrating, especially because creators follow the trends and show loyalty to these platforms consistently. Being a full marketing team on your own is hard work, especially when you first start out, and not everyone can afford to have a budget for all of the entities that go along with a content strategy. However, we understand that life cycles are a part of the journey, and when you start to see one thing happening, you already know it is leading to something new!

 The Benefits of Facebook Reels for Creatives

The new thing you may be shocked about is not a new platform but Facebook Fan Pages and Facebook Reels. Gen Z and everyone else before and after should not rule it out. Right now, it is all about ensuring you get the exposure you need to enhance or expose what your personal business goals are.

The benefits of Facebook Reels include higher engagement rates, a larger audience reach, and the ability to cross-promote on other Facebook platforms. Some people started out only on Instagram, and it can be challenging to pivot, especially when you have garnered brand loyalty to that one product. However, what is the goal here? Ask yourself, and after you have a moment to reflect, drop the emotional habit or connection and add more tools to your repertoire.

How to Set Up a Facebook Fan Page in 2023

• Log in to your personal Facebook account.
• Click on the “Menu Icon ” button in the top-right corner of the screen and select “Page” from the dropdown menu.
• Choose “page”  the type of page you want to create: “Business or Brand” or “Community or Public Figure.”
• Enter your page name and category. You can also add a description, profile picture, and cover photo at this stage.
• Click “Create Page” and then follow the prompts to fill in additional details such as your website, address, phone number, and business hours.
• Customize your page by adding more sections, such as “Services” or “Shop,” and creating posts to engage your audience.
• Invite your friends and followers to like your page and start promoting it through your other social media channels.
• Monitor your page analytics to track your audience and engagement metrics, and adjust your strategy accordingly.

How to Use Facebook Reels to Boost Engagement

Create engaging content: The first step to boosting engagement on Facebook Reels is to create content that is engaging and resonates with your audience. Use high-quality visuals, interesting captions, and compelling storytelling to grab your audience’s attention. You can use tools like Adobe Express to create these visuals. Adobe Express is really cool because it allows you to create high resolution graphics and also templates if you aren’t a graphic designer. **Remember to use your brand colors and the same font to create these graphics** You want your audience to remember your brand not colors and fonts from other brands. 

Use trending hashtags: Hashtags are a great way to reach a wider audience on Facebook Reels. Use popular and relevant hashtags that are related to your niche or industry to increase the discoverability of your content.

Post consistently: Consistency is key to building a strong presence on Facebook Reels. Post regularly to keep your audience engaged and interested in your content. Use a tool like Later to help you create batch content and schedule it, so you aren’t stressed day by day thinking of ideas. 

Collaborate with other creators: Collaborating with other creators can help you reach a new audience and increase your engagement. Find other creators in your niche or industry and collaborate on content together. 

Use paid promotion: Paid promotion can help you reach a wider audience on Facebook Reels. Use Facebook’s advertising platform to promote your content to a targeted audience that is likely to engage with your content. ** This is a boost, but test the waters for a bit before you jump into this** 

 3 Tips for Creating Effective Facebook Reels

1. Solve a problem for your audience 
2. Use tools like https://answerthepublic.com/ to help you know what people in your industry are googling. 
3. Create your content based on the questions that people are googling so that you can pop up in the search. 

Our Conclusion

Lastly, understand that your ever-changing content strategy is a part of the process. You can increase your reach, expand your audience, and market your products and services. Just make sure that with everything you do, you have a main hub for people to find you. Drive people to your website, so that you can control the data and analyze who is following you and how they are finding you.

If you are a chef. Use the reels to show you using cool music and transitions to prepare a meal, but if someone wants the recipes, they have to subscribe so you can email them out, or they have to go to your website to get the recipe. Let’s make the most out of a pivot, and keep the focus on our strategies. 

Ready to take your digital skills to the next level? Click Here for FREE tools that will help you Grow your business and personal brand.