If you go and ask any e-commerce business owner about their social media marketing strategy, chances are they’ll mention Instagram reels. When Instagram rolled our Reels in 2019, no one knew they’d become the cornerstone of e-commerce marketing. Why? Because Instagram has a staggering 2 billion monthly active users. The younger audience (18 to 34) makes up 60% of the total user base. The age-old marketing advice, “Be where your audience is” makes Instagram a crucial platform for reaching ideal customers. While Instagram is a great platform to reach your audience, it’s e-commerce reels that ultimately engage and convert them into customers.
How are e-commerce reels different from other reels?
Reels is an Instagram feature that shows short-form video content. These videos can be anywhere from 1 to 90 seconds. Since they’re so short, they’re great for quickly engaging the audience. A study found that Reels see an average reach rate of 31%. This is almost double the reach rate of other content formats like static posts or carousels.
This makes Reels a great tool for businesses to reach a wider audience.
E-commerce Reels are videos that e-commerce businesses use to showcase and sell their products. These videos can be anything- from new launch videos to product montages to product try-ons. Since 63% of shoppers use Instagram to research brands and products before buying, you can utilize e-commerce reels to build trust and convert them.
Importance of E-commerce Reels in Social Media Marketing
Are e-commerce reels really that important for driving brand awareness, engagement, and conversions? Consider this-
- “Instagram is the best place to keep up with their favourite brands”- people surveyed at the Ipsos Marketing Study
- 50% of Instagram users become more interested in the brand after viewing their ad on the app. (Instagram Business)
- Reels have the highest estimated reach (34%)- HypeAuditor analysis of 77.6 million posts
- Instagram Reel usage has increased by 57.4% year-over-year- A SocialInsider Study
- Reels drive conversions. A Meta study found that 77% of respondents bought a product after watching Reels. Also, 82% followed the business and 74% sent a DM to the business after watching their Reels.
This clearly proves that Reels not only drive conversions but they also drive action from your target audience. This can help you interact and develop a strong relationship with them.
Now that we’ve covered how e-commerce reels are indispensable for your business, let’s talk about how to create them.
How to create E-commerce Reels that convert- Tips and Tricks
Creating Instagram Reels is pretty straightforward. There are many step-by-step tutorials on YouTube about how to create them. But here are the things you should keep in mind while creating e-commerce reels for your business.
Videos
There are many types of videos you can create for your brand. Some of the common types that most e-commerce businesses use are-
New Product Launch Videos
You can create e-commerce reels about new launches with sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes footage. This will build anticipation around new products and drive sales when they’re available.
Product Montage e-commerce reels
These will help you showcase multiple products in one Instagram reel. You can use them as topical content, like a Diwali collection if you’re an ethnic fashion brand.
These videos are some of the easiest videos to create. You can use AI video creators like Whatmore Studio to create numerous product montage reels in seconds.
How-to (use your product) videos
These videos build trust and provide value to your audience. For example, if you’re a makeup brand, create reels on how to use your product.
User-generated content (UGC)
UGC adds credibility and social proof to your content. It’s one of the most effective types of content you can create for boosting conversions. UGC reels also work well as ad creatives and often outperform over-produced ad films.
Replicating viral trends
Re-creating viral reels to fit the context of your business can increase visibility and attract new followers and customers.
Audio
Choosing the right background music or sound effects to compliment the mood and message of your e-commerce reel is extremely important. It can make or break the performance of your reel. Make sure you browse Instagram’s music library and use trending sounds to maximize the reach of your reel.
Effects
You can add different effects, filters, and stickers to make your e-commerce reel more engaging. Always remember that capturing and holding the audience’s attention is half the battle for improving conversions.
CTAs (Call to action)
Include clear calls to action in your reels. Always tell your audience what you want them to do. Prompt the audience to like, comment, share your reel, or visit your website. Clear CTA’s increase engagement and can drive traffic to your e-commerce store.
You can also take it a step further by embedding interactive CTAs directly into your e-commerce reels. Platforms like Whatmore can help you add CTAs like ‘Add to Cart’ and ‘Buy Now’ on your reels.
How to create interactive Instagram reels for your e-commerce store?
Creating interactive Instagram reels for your e-commerce store has never been easier, thanks to AI. You don’t require a full in-house editing team to create high-performing reels. You can use AI platforms like Whatmore Studio to make them for you. Simply upload your product clips, select the desired vibe, and the platform generates your e-commerce reel in seconds.
You can also use Whatmore to embed these reels directly on your website as shoppable videos. These videos come equipped with CTAs like 'Add to Cart' and 'Buy Now'. This reduces customer effort and increases conversions.
In fact, our e-commerce client Acriine Fashion achieved an additional sale of 7.5 lakhs directly through shoppable reels on their website.
Instagram reels are a goldmine for e-commerce marketing. By incorporating these tips and tricks into your e-commerce marketing strategy, you can create e-commerce reels that resonate with your audience with your audience and drive conversions for your business.
Want to create interactive, high-performing reels for your e-commerce store? Get in touch and we’ll do the heavy lifting for you.