Instagram Reels seems to be the biggest benefactor in this.

While for a user, this is just another update on a beloved platform, it is a giant back-to-the-drawing-board move for many small businesses. 

Instagram has over a billion active monthly users. No business can afford not to give 100% here. And 100% on Instagram means ideating, creating, and uploading Instagram reels at a volume you never imagined. Almost one every day. 

Now, as a small business owner, are you conflicted or confused about this number? Do you feel that the nature of your product/service or industry can’t be shared through Instagram Reels? 

Well, it might seem that way. But Instagram Reels can help you improve your engagement and all associated sales metrics. Like boosting the overall reach of your page. One study by Hootsuite found that posting Reels regularly can help you achieve this.

Now you might feel a bit worried that short-form video content is on the rise. And that it’s become a staple across all social media channels. How do you keep up with all that you have to do? 

We’ve got you covered. With a few simple ideas and best practices, you can build an Instagram Reels strategy for your small business easily. 

Why should you create Instagram Reels for your Small Business? 

Let’s look at an example. Max has a small interior design business, and social media has been great for her business to date. Her photos always got an amazing response, and she found many customers on Instagram. 

But, she feels worried after hearing about the new push for Reels content. Everyone seems to be doing it, and she needs the reach for more sales. 

But finding content ideas, amid running a business, in a format Max is not familiar with seems impossible. 

Understanding this unique requirement of millions of small businesses, Kimp decided to take a dive into the ideas that will work best for them.

And we’ve curated the 9 best Instagram Reels Ideas for Small businesses. Get ready to boost your Instagram marketing strategy and make the most of the recent changes in the platform’s algorithm.

Instagram Reels is here to stay, so let’s ensure your business is ready to reach as many people as possible with it. 

9 Instagram Reels Ideas for Small Business + Examples 

For a small business, the approach to Instagram Reels is quite different from any other creator or even a big brand. For a creator, the goal is the likes and comments, or even followers. A big brand is just there mostly to ensure everyone remembers them and they reach the younger demographic.

But, for you, it is a way to market your products, make customers resonate with your values and causes, and hopefully make a difference to your bottom line.

Keeping all this in mind, we have come up with some Instagram Reel Ideas that are just the right amount “educational, entertaining, and inspiring” for you.

With no time to waste, let’s get this show on the road.

1) Instagram Reels Ideas: How-To Videos 

The first leg of the Instagram Reel trifecta is the Educational Reel video. Let’s say, this is for a furniture store, selling products – think Ikea (DIY) style. We all know how people feel about instruction manuals and product catalogs. In this attention-deficit world, no one has the time to read these. But, you know the pearls of wisdom in those are crucial to your sale.

So, convert them into a Reel. You add value to your customer and save them the trouble of reading long documentation, while also pitching your product. Win-Win, we say!

How-To video ideas for small businesses: 

• Demo of a product assembly like furniture, cookware, cleaning products, cameras, tripod, or any electronic item. You can do it for literally any product. 
• Screen-recording for a software or app-based service: Do you have an app or software that can make people’s lives better? Maybe a financial management app. Or a project management tool. Make a screen recording of how to input values and use the app. It is much more engaging and entertaining than reading through your FAQs.

Best Practices

1. Use original audio and voice-over for a personal touch.
2. Include closed captions to make your Reel accessible to all. 
3. Design a unique Instagram Reel cover to grab the audience’s attention on your feed too. 

Kimp Tip: Editing is very influential in Instagram Reels. Ensure that all your action shots align and the captions are in place. Need help with making your edits? Connect with Kimp!

2) Instagram Reels Ideas: Product Highlights 

Using Instagram Reels to take your products to the millions browsing through this app is a genius move. Shoot your products in real-time, animate the catalog, or create videos using the images of your products – but make it engaging. A product highlight Reel must be educational and entertaining to work. 

Take a look at this reel by H&M. The fashion brand brings you looks for different occasions, a curation of sorts, but the edits and transitions make it entertaining.

This is not just for a Fashion or Lifestyle brand. Check out this reel by Yanko Design with over 2.2 million plays. The edit and the video treatment make it an aesthetic and enjoyable watch.

Best Practices: 

1. When you shoot product videos, ensure that you keep the focus on the products themselves. The text placement too must be secondary to the actual product so that customers don’t lose focus.
2. Design a Reel cover with the product in all its glory, making people intrigued enough to click the link. 
3. Keep the reel short and sweet to get better watch time metrics and reach more people. 

Kimp Tip: Get the product highlight Reels spruced up with lighting correction, professional editing, and sound corrections for best results. Ensure that the text format, color, and backgrounds you use only reinforce your brand value. If you have a low shooting budget, connect with the Kimp Video team and give your videos a branded makeover for best results.

3) Instagram Reels Ideas: Story Time 

Storytelling is the biggest arsenal in any marketing strategy. Stories hook people in, make them connect with your brand, and give them a reason to stay invested in you.

Some may also say that stories are best when they are short. So, why not combine these two features and share stories through Instagram Reels? 

Some examples of Storytelling Instagram Reel ideas for your small business include: 

1. Speaking about how the business began and the origin story. You can narrate these yourself with a voice-over and interesting visuals. 
2. Customer transformations before and after using your service. Businesses in fitness, health, interior design, lifestyle, and marketing can use this option to display their prowess.
3. Educational and relevant stories in your industry. 

Check out this series by Shopify where the brand speaks of important founders and business owners’ origin stories. This is on-brand for them being a promoter of small businesses.

Kimp Tip: While having your face on the business origin story is a great idea, you can also include different action shots of your products to make the Reel more engaging. Include closed captions and ensure that the editing is smooth without overlaps.

Try converting your existing video footage into a great story for your Instagram Reel with the Kimp Video team. You can test out the service with a free trial to get started

4) Instagram Reels Ideas: Customer Testimonials 

Reviews and testimonials encourage buyers to trust you. This kind of social proof is what can make your Instagram page blow up overnight if you present it the right way. Now that we know Instagram Reels are your route to a wider reach, go for it.

If you can, persuade a customer to send a video recording of their testimonial. Edit it with captions, product details, and a cover pic for the best testimonial Reel for your small business. Alternatively, do you have a review section on your website where there is a ton of good feedback? Collate all of it into a Reel video. Pair with your product’s pictures and customer’s faces, if possible, and Voila! 

Best Practices:

1. Using a face and name in a testimonial video is very effective in building trust among your followers.
2. If your customers are not willing to shoot a video, you can also request an audio bite or permission to use their picture. Kimp Video team can create a beautiful Reel video for your business from these.

5) Instagram Reels Ideas: Sensory Satisfying Videos 

If you browse short-form content on any social media platform, you know how popular ASMR videos and satisfying videos of paint, artwork, organization, and other niches are. On days when you can’t drum up educational content and don’t want to shoot a labor intensive video, you can use this.

Add exaggerated sound effects to your existing everyday video content to create a beautiful ASMR video. Use animation and editing techniques to transform any How-to or product demo video into one of those “satisfying to watch videos”.

Check out this example of a video by Lego. How many of us fantasize about breaking a Lego work into pieces and seeing the pieces fly in slow motion? Well, if you did not before, you will now, after this video. It may also push you to buy a Lego set.

Kimp Tip: Animated and designed videos can be your savior on a slow day. You can also shoot ASMR videos with the right mic and camera setup that makes editing and finessing the video easier. Our Kimp Video Subscription plan can help you with both. And with a flat subscription rate. 

6) Instagram Reels Ideas: Teasers and Trailers 

Do you have a new post coming up? A new product launch or even an event? Do you want the most people tuned in to your profile when the time for the big announcement is due? Use an Instagram reel for it. 

Instagram Reels for your small business-related announcement boost your overall reach because of the engagement they garner. Sneak peeks, trailers and product teasers make people curious and remind them to come back again. 

You can also ask them to guess what your announcement is about – more comments, more engagement, so more reach. 

What can be better than this?

This video by Later is an outstanding example for on point visual content, brand identity, and teasers. 

Best Practices:

1. The intent is to create intrigue. So, make the shortest reel possible. Reels play in a loop, and the shorter one is, the more people will watch it to decipher the product. This translates to higher watch time and wider reach.
2. Ensure that the branding is intact on all products. Customers should know your product loud and clear. 

Kimp Tip: Having trouble creating a teaser video? Don’t worry. Just record the product the way you would for a launch. Hand it over to a professional service like Kimp Video to add the effects later on.

7) Instagram Reels Ideas: Repurpose Evergreen Content 

Most small businesses create a lot of educational and interesting content on their blogs. To increase their reach you usually have to turn them into well-designed newsfeed or carousel posts on Instagram. But now with the focus on reels, you have a new tool for repurposing them.

You can record a typical and point-type video for Instagram Reels with the content. If you are confident speaking to a camera, summarize the blog or article in a few short sentences the way you would in a presentation.

All of this spreads value to your followers and ensures you don’t run out of content ideas for Instagram Reels.

Check out this helpful reel by Hootsuite on Instagram’s Algorithm. It features a person, has closed captions, and is straight to the point.

You can try that too.

8) Instagram Reels Ideas: FAQs 

Did you do a recent AMA session where you kept getting asked the same questions? Are you tired of answering the same things on your DMs? These things can be very taxing on a small business but are important to get an indecisive customer to choose you. So, here’s a solution.

Curate the questions into an FAQ and make an Instagram Reels series answering and clarifying these doubts. This would be evergreen content on your page and also tell your customers that you want to help them have a better experience.

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Best Practices:

• Try to be on camera when you answer the frequently asked questions. Keep your products handy in case you have to do a demo. Go all out and help people as much as possible.
• As always, include closed captions but ensure they don’t obscure you or the product in question.
• Work on your background too. Set up your background with a lot of branding materials to establish a strong visual identity with customers.

Kimp Tip: Create a branded Instagram Reel cover that clearly mentions FAQ so that people on your feed can see it too. You can also include an action shot in the first five seconds to capture the audience’s attention.
Try out Kimp Video to see how you can enhance your Instagram Reels videos.

9) Instagram Reels Ideas: Trending Audio Content 

Instagram has an interesting way of promoting content. For example, promoting videos that use a popular audio track. Every day, there is a new trending audio clip or track on Instagram, and most businesses miss it for fear of not wanting to look unprofessional.

But, you can use trending audio without turning off your followers. There are even specific sounds meant to boost small businesses.

Use them to the maximum to showcase your story, product Reels, testimonials, or any discounts you may be running. 

This way, you will reach more people and also create something fun for a change. 

Kimp Tip: Use original sound clips if you want to join the trend. Rather than import your own audio file, choose a sound that suits your brand and ensures the video matches the audio.

Use Kimp to Boost your Instagram Reels Game 

Instagram seems to be a big believer in quality content. This means good lighting, professional editing, and innovative transitions that transfix people. Now, you should not have to bend over backward for every Reel. Imagine doing all that every day while managing your business.

Sounds impossible right?

And why do that when you can just get a Kimp Graphics and Kimp Video subscription? You get unlimited design requests, revisions, and a dedicated professional team working on your designs to ensure your success.

Sign up for the 7-day free trial and check it out. No commitment, you cancel anytime.