Do you want to increase the number of Instagram followers who become customers? Have you thought about merging Instagram Reels and Instagram Stories to attract and convert more customers?

If you haven’t already started selling on Instagram, you may be missing out on a huge opportunity.

You’ll learn how to sell with Instagram Reels and Stories in this article.

Why Shorter-Form Video Is Important

Let’s start with the obvious: why are shorter-form videos like Instagram Reels and Instagram Stories important in today’s marketing? Instagram’s drive for Reels is probably one of the most critical factors. The algorithm favors Instagram reels, which means they get more visibility than any other feature on the platform for now.

It’s not just Instagram, either. TikTok’s entire platform is based on short videos. LinkedIn Stories, Pinterest Idea Pins, and Facebook Stories are just a few of the major social networks that now have some type of short video. And, like Instagram, these other networks are pushing out more of this new content.

One of the benefits of having so many platforms focused on short videos at the same time is that repurposing our videos is easier.

When it came to cross-posting, brands and marketers had to be strategic about making content appear more natural to each network. This involves making various-sized graphics, rewriting copy or captions on occasion, and devoting effort to each article. Every platform’s stories are the same size, so your video will look native on any platform once you’ve finished it.

A lot of this new focus on shorter videos is because people’s attention spans are shorter. Every day, new content competes for our attention, and we have less time to digest it. We want to glance around, absorb information, and decipher the message as rapidly as possible. And it’s much better if the message can be delivered in an exciting and engaging manner.

It’s also worth noting that Instagram recently announced that it will no longer be a photographic platform, which is where it all began. So, while Instagram rose to prominence as a photo-sharing platform, we know that this is not its long-term plan. When you combine that with a push for Instagram Reels and Instagram Stories, it’s clear that Instagram will become a video-sharing platform.

Both Reels and Stories provide a full-screen, immersive experience. This perspective is far more personable than a conventionally produced video, allowing your company to be more approachable. Part of this is due to the fact that the full-screen vertical video more closely resembles a conversational view, such as that of a FaceTime call or video chat. It allows you to get closer to your target audience.

Finally, making short videos is easier than making longer, more professionally produced videos. They take less time, and firms sometimes don’t even have to try to come up with something unique or unusual to say. In fact, the goal of a large number of short videos is to capitalize on a trend. Look for a current trend that you can incorporate into your feed. It is not necessary to develop anything fully unique or distinctive; in fact, it may be advantageous not to.

Here’s how you can start using Instagram Reels and Instagram Stories to grow your Instagram audience and sales.

#1. Turn Viewers Into Followers with Instagram Stories and Instagram Reels.

Instagram Reels and Instagram Stories appear to be extremely similar at first glance. Both are small pieces of material that can include stickers, text, and music. They are usually animated or recorded as a video. So, apart from the fact that they’re in different places, what’s the biggest difference? Exposure.

Instagram reels are discoverable through hashtags and the Explore feed. Instagram Stories, on the other hand, are typically shown only to your existing network. There’s no way to explore and discover stories the same way you can with Instagram reels.

This means that Instagram Reels will help you expand your following. Posting relevant content and using relevant hashtags will help you get in front of your audience.

Then, once they’ve been drawn in by your clips, Instagram Stories is the perfect place to nurture them.

To make your reels and stories function together, your Instagram reels should create people’s interest and direct them to your profile. You can also include a call to action (CTA) in your caption, inviting viewers to watch your narrative for more details or a longer version of your reel.

You can keep your Instagram story top of mind once people start following you by updating regularly and frequently. The more posts per day you can make, the better.

#2. Create Instagram Reels to Attract Your Target Audience

On Instagram, the normal order of things is that someone will be scrolling through their Explore or Home feeds when they come across a piece of material that strikes their interest. That content will most likely be a reel for the time being. They’ll tap through to learn more about the person who shared it if they interact with it and find value in it. This is how people find your Instagram account.

Consistency will also be critical in this situation.

Your feed’s content should all be related to your business or expertise niche. There are several exceptions, particularly in the case of larger accounts. However, for smaller accounts, it’s more crucial to start with a niche and grow from there. Once you have a large audience, you may broaden out.

This is critical since it relates to the premise that individuals are more selective about who they follow. If you post a reel about an at-home workout and someone watches it and then goes to your profile to look at the rest of your content, they’re unlikely to follow you if that’s your sole video about an at-home workout.

If, on the other hand, you publish a video about an at-home workout and someone taps on it to return to your profile, they’ll be much more inclined to follow you because they’ll see numerous more videos about at-home workouts, suggestions for working out at home, and related content. Not only that, but they’re considerably more likely to return to your page in the future.

It’s also critical that your bio clearly communicates what someone will get from following you, including who you serve and how you serve them. Even if all of your material is on-brand, people want to know what they’ll get out of following you.

If, on the other hand, you post a video about an at-home workout and someone taps on that video back to your profile where they see several more videos centered around at-home workouts, tips for working out at home, and related messaging, they’re much more likely to follow you. And not only that, but they’re much more likely to go back to your page over and over again.

It’s also important that your bio accurately describes what someone is going to get out of following you—who you serve and how you serve them. Even if your content is all on-brand, people still need to see what they’re going to get out of following you.

Adapt Trends to Your Niche

When it comes to Instagram Reels, trends tend to lead the way. In fact, if you keep an eye on what’s happening on TikTok, you can sometimes hit a trend on Instagram before it starts to take off there.

However, you want to avoid just hopping on every trend. Rather than finding a trend and asking whether you can use that trend, you should be asking whether you can relate that trend back to your own niche and put your own spin on it. This will still allow you to catch attention from a trend but you don’t risk attracting the wrong people to your Instagram.

#3. Instagram Stories Can Help You Nurture Your Audience

As we previously stated, you can use Instagram Reels to introduce yourself to a new audience. People who have never heard of you before will most likely find you through your Instagram feed. You’ll utilize your reel to invite these folks to view your Instagram story if you have the correct content and caption.

That doesn’t imply you have to come up with new concepts or storylines every time. By incorporating someone else’s experience into your own, you can create stories that you think your audience would find valuable.

You want to post useful stuff that your readers won’t want to miss out on. People check into Instagram multiple times a day, so by providing material that they don’t want to miss, you’re increasing the chances that they’ll check out your stories every time they log in to Instagram.

And because Stories is where you’re cultivating that relationship with your audience, it’s also where you’ve earned the right to sell to them, so it’s where your sales will come from.

You can start adding interactive content inside your Instagram stories to better filter and qualify your audience.

You may, for example, create a poll in which your audience can self-identify with a problem to which you’re proposing a solution to. People who would answer no to that poll might skip the rest of your story or return to their feed, while those who would say yes will jump to the next story to see what else you have to say.

It doesn’t have to be a poll; it might be a fun fact or a question sticker in which you ask people a question about your niche and then post the answers along with your reply afterwards.

This is also a great way to filter for a future correspondence, as you can go back through those answers to send links and more information to those interested.

Conclusion

Figuring out how to sell on Instagram reels and stories will take some practice in order to determine what methods work best for your business. To learn more read about Instagram Reels and how to Increase Your Instagram Stories Reach.