Instagram reels has taken the digital world by storm and has established videos as the number one media. With the advent of this 60 second wonder, Instagram has become more than just a photo sharing app. Instagram reels has also benefitted many small business owners.
What does it mean for us creators and those who rely on Instagram for business? If you don’t already know, reels is a must-have in the content strategy for your online business, especially if you rely on social media for customers. This is my first advice when small business comes to me for marketing consulting.
The Instagram algorithm constantly pushes reels. They want users to watch more reels. This means that you are missing out on a lot if you haven’t started using reels yet.
You might know how to make a reel. But, you may not be getting the desired effect. After reading this blog, you will walk away with lots of clarity on reels, a bunch of ideas, and strategies to try out for your art business.You might know how to make a reel. But, you may not be getting the desired effect. After reading this blog, you will walk away with lots of clarity on reels, a bunch of ideas, and strategies to try out for your art business.
Let’s dive in.
What are reels?
What are reels and how can it benefit your art business? Reels are the latest Instagram content format which allows you to create short and engaging 60 second videos. It’s similar to TikTok and has tools that allow you to edit content. Reels can include multiple video clips, filters, stickers, interactive backgrounds, and more.

The biggest benefit of reels is that people who are not your followers can see your content! The explore page and reels tab are places where your content can get more views and followers. So, don’t miss out on this golden opportunity!
Instagram algorithm promotes reels more than any other content format. There’s a section on Instagram exclusively for reels. Ever since its release in 2020, brands and influencers, big and small, have been using it to grow their business. And as a creative business coach, my top tip for small business is to use this feature wisely. the potentials are many.
Strategies for Instagram Reels for your art business: How to Reach More Audience
Here are some tips that will help you to create better reels.
1. Keep your ICA in mind
The first thing that you always have to consider while creating any content for your business is knowing your ideal client. So, reels should not be randomly made.
2. Use trending music:
This might seem like an obvious tip, but it’s something that really works. Use trending audios and sync it into your content to get more reach. To know which audios are trending, go to the reels section. Watch a few reels and see if any audio is repeating. Those are the trending ones.
3. Attractive cover image and title:
Using eye-catching cover images is the best trick for reels to perform well. Design your cover images with precision and give your audience that lasting first impression. Also, give a catchy title to go with it.
4. Make shorter reels:
Although reels are of 60 seconds, the ones that perform better are 15 to 20 seconds long. This is because a shorter reel will play on loop more often, giving it more views and thus more chances of going viral. Also, the attention span of humans are very less. So, it’s obvious why shorter reels perform better.
5. Experiment with different filters and effects
Instagram reels has one of the best collection of filters and effects. So, make sure that you experiment and try out different effects. Another technique you can use is transitions. People love to see unpredictable content. So spice up you reels by transitioning scenes.
6. Don’t avoid captions
Many users watch reels without audio. So, if you do not put text on reels, you’re missing out on a lot of views. Also, keep your text short and precise. Play with words and use your style.
7. Use editing software els
Ironically, Instagram is not the best place to edit you reels. I recommend you to edit and crop your reels using third-party editing softwares. Some really good one are YouCut, . Make your reels beautiful and have fun!
4 ways to use Instagram reels for your art business
As a business coach for creative entrepreneurs I get asked a lot on how to leverage reels creatively as part of your marketing and get more leads for your business. Here are my top 5 tips :

1. Create educational content
Any kind of audience loves content that gives them value. So, create and share educational content related to your niche. For example, if your art business is in watercolour, make tutorial reels on water colour art for beginners.
2. Share behind the scenes content
What’s more relatable and trustworthy content than behind the scenes? This kind of content is easier to make and it doesn’t have to be polished.
3. Showcase your products
In the midst of all the creative content, don’t forget to show off the actual thing of your business — your products! Remember, your reels can show up in the explore section and reach a wide audience. So, make sure you make your products look attractive.
4. Announce your sales and discount offers
If you have a sales going on for your art business, why not spread the word with reels? Many popular brands have done this by creating engaging reels to promote their discount sales. But make sure that you don’t seem too salesy.
To Conclude
Since we are artists, we already have a flair for creativity. So, all you need to do is give it a little push and create reels consistently. You could batch-create Instagram reels and make it more efficient.
At the end of the day, it’s all about having fun and enjoying the process. Because, as artists, that’s our primary objective!
If you want to know more about having a perfect content strategy and scaling your business online, join my 90 day coaching program — Creative Business Accelerator where my expertise as a small business owner and coach is put into good use. To know more details, click here.