Do you struggle with content ideas when you want to post reels on your social media platforms? Whether you’re doing it as a content creator or just for fun, it can be a difficult task to consistently come up with great reel ideas. That being said, I’ve learned it doesn’t have to be that way, and this is coming from a woman who got onto the “video is in” train kicking and screaming. The process of shooting, editing, and posting reels can seem daunting, but as someone who once felt that way, I’m sharing 3 types of reels you can do for social media with less stress and more fun. Ready to start having fun creating your own reels’ content?
3 Easy Types Of Reels You Can Do For Social Media
Behind The Camera:
If you’re like I was when I started posting reels, and hesitant about being in front of the camera, you can start by sharing reels where you are behind the camera. There are a few options for this type of reel. First up is the photo reel.
Photo Reel: This is really as simple as it sounds, add photos that get the purpose of your reel, add the necessary text, and music and you’re done. There are a few trending music selections that work for reels like this or you can create something based on the type of content you’re creating. For example, if the purpose of the reel is fashion, you can add photos of all your outfits for the season or for specific occasions. If you did something fun over the weekend, create a photo reel of the experience. Check out one of the photo reels I posted to Instagram earlier this year, below
Show A Product Or Create A How-To: Did you recently buy a few things you’re excited about? You can film an unboxing, yes some people do this in front of the camera, but it works just as well when you’re behind the lens. If the idea of an unboxing doesn’t appeal to you, you always create a how-to reel. I’m going back to my fashion blogger example because it’s something I’m familiar with. As a fashion blogger, you can do a reel on how to style a new product you bought or putting outfits together. If your Instagram is all about cooking or baking you can create a reel that shows a dish from scratch to completion.
Showing Your Surroundings: A photo reel of a recent trip or event isn’t the only way to show what you’ve been up to. You can take several short videos of your time there to piece together for a reel. I like to think of it as a video version of a photo reel, even if you stay behind the camera the whole time, it can be a fun thing to show the scenery food and other aspects that made the day so much fun for you.
Pointing Reels:
The most common reel-type next to dancing reels, at least to me. These reels are easy to shoot whether you want to stand back so your whole body is in the frame or film a closer one where the text for the reel tends to end up on your face. I doubt there is any difference when posting it, it just depends on what you’re comfortable with and what works for you. I’ve done both types where my body is in the frame someone helps me film those and others where I use a tripod to film with half of my body in the frame. I have fun either way, that being said, because I wanted to get my wheelchair into the photo, I’ve gone with the former and have more fun filming those. There are so many things you could do even with close-up pointing reels so even if you are sticking with this for a time while you get comfortable with the format, don’t worry you can still create great reels for Instagram.
Informational Reels: I find pointing reels great for teaching or educational type reels if you’re not doing a show or how-to type of reel. By pointing you can have a low-key movement video that still makes it entertaining and fun to watch. You can start out with a title such as 3 facts or 3 tips to X,Y, Z, point 3 times, or 4 if you want to point to the title, and you’ve finished the reel. During my reels for Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month early this year, the first time I really played around with reels, I started out with a lot of pointing reels, it was simple but effective and fun. Check out one of the reels from that month below.
Choice Reels: Choice reels are another popular reel type, but I haven’t seen it as much as pointing type reels. You can use choice reels as a get-to-know-me type of reel. You can answer 5 about me questions or you can do a topic-specific type reel such as healthy eating, working out, tools you use for social media, etc. I’ve seen some content creators just point to their choices, but I prefer the ones where people move toward the choices until they’re off-screen which is the type I’d like to do, (if I ever figure out how to film it)>
Just For Fun Reels:
Last, but not least, there are reels you can do just fun that are entertaining, not dancing reels. Whether you’re a content creator with a purpose or just someone creating reels because you like it, doesn’t mean that you can’t create reels with the simple purpose of entertainment for your followers.
Behind The Scenes: People love to see the daily activities we don’t normally show, from grabbing dinner with friends, a cool activity your doing that day or doing some self-care like a facial or getting your hair done of you need to ask before filming those last two, even if you do keep the camera focused on yourself, but either way, you end up with an interesting reel
Getting To Know You: If you have a public account and often receive new followers, then every few months you can create this reel. Create a reel either prompted by music (zodiac song) or answering a few facts about yourself then set it to music. You now have a recurring reel idea and your followers get to learn a little more about the person creating content that they like.
Trends: Last, but not least trends, while I can’t agree to hop on a trend just for the sake of being part of the trend, I do love that with reels and trends you get to create something that’s unique or better said, falls on brand with the type of content you’ve created. A few of the trends I’ve loved filming include Jessa’s I’m Not Pretty, Busy Thinking About… among a few others.
I hope the categories and ideas inspire you to create several reels that resonate with your audience. This post is quite long so thank you if you’re still here, before I wrap up this post, I want to leave you with some things to consider, aspects I take a second to think about every time I create a reel.
3 Things To Consider When Creating Reels Or Any Social Media Content
- Consider The Message & Purpose Of Your Reel
- It Doesn’t Have To Be Perfect
- Have Fun With It And Be Creative: Whether you stick to one type of reel or do all the different ones that I talked about here, you can have several different reels that are fun and your followers will engage with.
9 months from when I posted my first reel, and nearly 30 reels later, I can honestly say I have so much with the process. From filming to editing and posting, then engaging with followers that found it helpful or entertaining. Reels can seem daunting when you’re first getting started, but it’s a great way to reiterate a point or concept while still sharing something new to the platform. I hope this post has inspired some reel ideas whether you’re just getting started or in need of some new ideas. Remember, have fun with the process.
~Kimberly
