How to Approach Reels & TikTok for Brands & Business Accounts

“Video is King.” For those of us who create content for clients and businesses, we know all too well that photos don't carry the weight they used to in social media marketing. Photography is essential, and I believe it always will be. You need photos for your website, physical marketing, billboards, magazines, and online blogs. But these short, bite-sized videos are the clear winner when it comes to social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and even YouTube.
 
What's so alluring about these videos? They are simple, easy to make, and have a much higher chance of being pushed by the algorithm than photos or longer video content. And while making a 10-second video promoting a product or business might seem like a no-brainer, there are important things to consider to help your reels stand out from the millions of others swarming people's feeds on TikTok and Instagram.

Intrigue & Re-Watch

Hooking your audience with TikToks & Reels is key. If your content is engaging enough to get them to re-watch it, that's even better. Rewatchability is crucial to the algorithm. That means you are allowed 90 seconds of video content, but you don't always need it.

Here are some helpful tips:

1. - Energy & motion goes a long way in keeping your audience engaged in your videos.
2. - Instead of a single shot of a product that lasts seven seconds on screen, try shooting seven different images one second long to keep up the energy. 
3. - Aim to make videos closer to 10-15 seconds to catch someone's attention and draw them into repeatedly watching.
   

Get the Most Bang for Your Buck

Most social media accounts aim to post 3-4 times a week, with some bigger accounts posting once or multiple times daily. Keeping up that output level can be hard if you shoot consistent content for a brand. But there are ways to maximize your time and get the most content possible from a given shoot.

Let's say you are capturing content for a skincare brand and have about two hours on location to capture content. Here's a list of reel ideas that you can easily accomplish in that one session.

Product Feature - Shots of the product from multiple angles with energetic music 

Product with Model - Someone using/holding the bottle. You can overlay facts and details of the product over the video later

Product Feature w/ Person - Shot of someone talking about a new product and features of it

Product Feature VO - Similar to the first video idea, you can even use the same footage in a different order and have a voice-over of a person talking about the product

BTS video - Quick video of the behind-the-scenes of your shoot

Photo Montage - Photos from your shoot with some fun music behind it 

Production BTS - Include "behind-the-scenes" shots of the company making or packaging the product 

Store Front Walkthrough - Shots from around the business featuring the products, their staff, and their facilities"

Creative idea using a "Trending Audio" - Using a TikTok or Reel trend, include audio relevant to the company or product

Upcoming Events - Discuss some of the company's upcoming events or sales/specials in a video

While this is not an exhaustive list of Reel ideas, it shows with a little planning, you can make the most of your time

Making Content Feel Professional 

I firmly believe in the saying, "It's the archer, not the arrow." Just because you have a fancy camera and editing software does not mean you can create stunning and compelling videos. By the same token, you can create amazing videos with just a phone and the social media apps you post on.
 
Use motion to your advantage. Nine times out of ten, a shot with movement will be more engaging than a stationary shot. So try shooting your content with action, even if that slight movement is just pushing in towards a product or even panning from right to left of a scene you are shooting.

Slapping fun audio you find on Instagram over some footage might be tempting. But if you want to tell a story with your content, then it can go a long way to stop and think about what you are trying to say and choose audio that helps support that feeling. Sometimes using trending audio is the way to go, but even in that case, if you are intentionally thinking about what you are trying to say, it will be far more effective. 

Lighting is the biggest factor that makes a video feel professional and well done. You don't need fancy lights and soft boxes to do this. 

- Use windows or natural light to your advantage. Generally speaking, more light is better than less light, but there is a caveat. 
- You want to lean into soft light rather than harsh light. 
- If you are shooting outside, place your subject in the shade or a place not overwhelmed with direct sunlight. 

- For inside shoots, use windows and natural light to your advantage. It may even be worth putting up a white bed sheet to help diffuse harsh sunlight to help create a more pleasing image.

By implementing these simple visual hacks for your videos, your social media business accounts will engage more effectively, garner an audience, and boost your business. Try it out and see for yourself.