From entertaining snippets to informative tutorials, videos have become a preferred medium for consuming content across various social media platforms. The pet industry, in particular, has witnessed a significant surge in online engagement, with pet owners eagerly seeking out heartwarming, entertaining and informative content centred around their cats and dogs (and exotics too!).
Reels offer businesses in the pet industry a powerful tool to not only showcase their products and services, but also to forge genuine connections with their audience in an engaging and memorable way.
Understanding Reels
A Reel is a vertical short-form video (1080 x 1920 pixels, or an aspect ratio of 9:16) that can display in the main feed AND in the Reels feed. They can be up to 90 seconds long, and will also display on your main Instagram grid, on your Facebook page and on your account’s Reels tab.
How Reels Differ From Regular Video Posts
- Instagram phased out video posts in July 2022, so all individual videos are now Reels.
- It’s possible to use videos in Instagram posts, however, they have to be part of a carousel. They also need to be in square (1080 x 1080 pixels) or portrait (1080 x 1350 pixels) format instead of short-form video (1080 x 1920 pixels) format.
- The Reels algorithm gets your content in front of more new users, so short-form video typically generates a much higher reach.
Creating Reels
You can create Reels from a video, or from a selection of still images. There is also a wide variety of templates available in Canva if you want to create a Reel from scratch.
What Type of Content are Reels Best Used For?
Reels are versatile and offer pet businesses a wide range of opportunities to showcase their brand, products and services in a captivating and engaging manner. Here are some types of content that resonate particularly well with audiences on Reels:
- Behind-the-Scenes Glimpses: Take your audience behind the scenes of your pet business, whether it’s a grooming salon, a pet supply store or a veterinary clinic. Showcasing the daily operations, the care and attention given to pets, and the passionate team behind the scenes can humanise your brand and build trust with your audience.
- User-Generated Content: Encourage your followers to share videos of their pets using your products or services. Whether it’s a pet enjoying a new toy, modelling a stylish collar, or cuddling up in a cosy bed, user-generated content adds authenticity and social proof to your brand.
- Educational Content: Share informative and educational content related to pet care, health advice and tips. Whether it’s demonstrating proper grooming techniques, discussing common pet health issues, or providing training advice, these videos position your brand as a trusted authority in your industry.
- Celebrating Pet Milestones and Holidays: Mark special occasions such as pet birthdays, adoption anniversaries, or pet-themed holidays with celebratory Reels. Create heartwarming montages of memorable moments, or share testimonials from happy pet owners to foster a sense of community.
- Product Showcases: Create visually appealing Reels that highlight your latest products or services in action. Whether it’s showcasing a new line of pet toys, demonstrating the features of a grooming tool, or highlighting the benefits of your pet food, Reels can provide a captivating way to showcase your offerings and entice viewers to learn more.
- Flash Sales and Discounts: Use Reels to announce limited-time promotions, flash sales, or exclusive discounts for your pet products or services. Create short, attention-grabbing videos that communicate the urgency of the offer and encourage viewers to take action, such as “Swipe Up” to shop or visit your website for more details.
- Giveaways and Contests: Host engaging giveaways and contests through Reels to drive excitement and engagement among your audience. Whether it’s a “cutest pet photo contest,” a “caption this video” challenge, Reels can help amplify your promotional efforts and increase participation from your followers.
- Customer Testimonials and Reviews: Share customer testimonials and reviews in Reels to showcase the positive experiences of satisfied customers. Create short, impactful videos featuring happy pet owners sharing their experiences with your products or services, and highlight key benefits and features that resonate with your target audience.
- Interactive Polls and Q&A Sessions: Use Reels to engage your audience in interactive polls, Q&A sessions, or “this or that” challenges related to your products or services. Encourage viewers to participate by voting, asking questions or sharing their preferences, and use the insights gathered to tailor your promotional messaging and offerings accordingly.
Scheduling Reels
- Consistency is Key. Establish a consistent posting schedule for your Reels to maintain visibility and keep your audience engaged. Whether it’s posting daily, weekly or bi-weekly, consistency helps build anticipation and loyalty among your followers, making them more likely to engage with your content regularly.
- Scheduling ahead of time allows you to plan and organise your content calendar more efficiently and ensures a consistent flow of content without the need for manual posting each time.
Tip: Meta Business Suite does not have the same editing functionality as the Instagram app (stickers, audio, text etc.) When scheduling Reels in advance, it’s often easier to create a Reel in Canva first, then upload into the scheduler. - Experiment with different times. Test different posting times and days of the week to identify the optimal times for reaching your audience. While general trends can provide insights, every audience is unique, so it’s essential to experiment and adjust your scheduling strategy based on your specific audience’s behaviour and preferences.
- Save Time: You can share your Reels to both Instagram and Facebook simultaneously if your accounts are connected.
By creating compelling and shareable content that resonates with pet owners’ passions and interests, businesses can effectively leverage Reels to strengthen their brand presence, engage their audience, and drive meaningful interactions on Facebook and Instagram.
Do you have any tips or best practices for using Reels? I’d love to hear about them!
I hope you have a fur-bulous Valentine’s Day!
