The secret to success on Instagram? Lead with short-form video aka Reels.
Here’s why:
Recent studies by Meta have shown that campaigns including Reels are 2x effective at driving brand equity compared to static creatives, and Reels outperform longer video formats, generating 126 volume sales per ad impression. (Nielsen)
Plus, these ads can make a substantial impact across the marketing funnel:
- Brand equity: Campaigns that include Reels Ads are 2.1 times more effective at driving brand equity than static creatives
- Ad recall: Reels ads have shown a 54% increase in ad recall and a 93% increase in purchase intent, with a 145% increase in incremental purchase intent among Gen Z audiences. (Meta)
- Brand awareness: Case studies highlight how brands like Samsung Netherlands have seen a 5.5-point lift in brand awareness and a 3.9% increase in incremental reach among Gen Z audiences
Psst…Master marketers (if you haven’t already) this is your sign to invest in Meta’s Reels Ads.
We'll show you how to use Meta's Reels Ads to power your marketing strategy, drawing insights from the gathered knowledge and our expertise.
How to create engaging Reels ad content
Here are strategies and best practices to better your Reels Ad content:
#1 Crack the 4 c's of Reels ads: Community-based, captivating, credible, and clear
- Community-based: Using Instagram Reels Insights is crucial for understanding which types of content resonate with your audience, allowing you to create Reels ads that are not only community-based but also data-driven.
Participating in challenges or featuring popular hashtags, guided by insights on reach and engagement, can amplify your content's impact. - Captivating: Use compelling visuals, narratives, and audio to capture attention quickly, ensuring your content is both engaging and informed by Instagram Reels Insights.
Meta’s guidelines suggest including human elements, such as faces or real-life testimonials, to increase engagement by 25%. (Meta, 2022) This approach, backed by data on what captures your audience's attention, can make your ads more effective. - Credible: Build trust by showcasing real users or influencers, reinforcing your brand’s authenticity. This can be done through testimonials, user-generated content, or partnering with known personalities.
- Clear: Clearly communicate your brand’s message and call-to-action, guiding viewers towards desired actions. By analyzing Instagram Reels Insights, you can refine your messaging to ensure it's clear, concise, and resonates with your audience, driving more effective engagement and conversions.
#2 Leverage trends, popular music, and creative tools:
- Trends: Leveraging current trends in Instagram Reel content, such as popular challenges or themes, can significantly improve engagement and the effectiveness of your ads. Embracing trendy elements within Instagram Reels ensures your content resonates more deeply with audiences.
- Popular music: Including popular music tracks in your Instagram Reels can dramatically increase viewership and engagement, making your content more relatable and appealing.
- Creative tools: Use Meta’s creative tools, such as stickers, text overlays, and voiceovers, to enhance engagement and make your Instagram Reel content more dynamic.
#3 Incorporate your brand message and call-to-action:
- Ensure your brand's unique value proposition is integrated into the content, providing clarity on what sets you apart.
- Include a strong call-to-action, guiding viewers to the next step in the customer journey, whether it's visiting your website, signing up for a newsletter, or making a purchase.
Best practices for compelling reels ads:
- Short and sweet: Keep your reel ads between 6-15 seconds for optimal engagement, ensuring concise messaging that doesn’t overwhelm viewers.
- Diverse content: Include both high-fi and low-fi content to provide variety and keep audiences engaged.
- Test and learn: Continuously test different visuals, narratives, and formats to find what resonates most with your audience.
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Product Level Video (PLV): The answer to better Reels ads
A Product Level Video (PLV) is a solution that allows advertisers to upload video assets directly into their catalog at the product or SKU level.
This enables them to target their audience with product-centric videos across all Meta placements, such as explore, reels, and stories.
Meta reports up to a 48% increase in conversion rates for campaigns using product level videos compared to image ads.
The power of PLV lies in its ability to combine high-impact formats with the Advantage+ algorithms, delivering more personalized and high-performing ads, particularly in video-first formats like reels, where PLV significantly outperforms images.
What is Product Level Video and How to Use Videos for DPAs with Hunch - YouTube
The impact of PLV
- Dynamic content: PLV allows brands to dynamically link Reels Ads to specific products or SKUs, making content more relevant and engaging. This connection drives higher engagement rates, as audiences are presented with products directly related to their interests or needs.
- Full-funnel strategy: Reels Ads with PLV contribute to a full-funnel marketing strategy, driving results from awareness to conversion by guiding audiences through every stage of the customer journey.
- Creative diversity: PLV also offers the flexibility to create diverse content, allowing brands to experiment with different visuals, narratives, and targeting strategies. This diversity can boost campaign performance and contribute to increased reach and efficiency.
Why PLV alone isn't enough: You need a Meta partner like Hunch
Meta recommends having at least 200 video creatives per product set to fully leverage PLV.
This requirement can be daunting, as producing such a large volume of video content necessitates significant time, manpower, and resources.
Meta recommends the following framework:
- CRAWL -> Test PLV in a catalog with a finite number of products
- WALK -> Begin to scale via templated videos by leveraging a Meta Business Partner (this is where Hunch comes in 👋)
- RUN -> Create custom product-level-videos at scale using GenAI solutions (also where we can help you shine)
Hunch can streamline this process, helping you create impactful Reels Ads at scale.
Hunch’s platform offers innovative solutions to enhance the effectiveness of Dynamic Product Ads (DPA) with Product Level Video (PLV).
Here’s how Hunch’s redefine DPA with its AI driven Product Level Videos:
#1 Connect your feed: Plug in the feed from any feed management platform, or prepare it entirely with Hunch’s built-in feed management solution.
#2 Create videos: Design a template and generate thousands of placement-perfect videos using Hunch’s AI-powered Creative Studio.
#3 Publish the campaign: Deploy the campaign manually, through the Advantage+ Shopping Campaign flow on Meta, or directly through Hunch. Meticulously planning your ad campaign details, including target market, budget, and schedule, is crucial to effectively leverage PLV in Instagram Reels ads campaigns.
We also help brands unlock new revenue streams by integrating high-quality videos into their catalog at the product/SKU level. This expands the reach of campaigns across all Meta placements, including Reels, Stories, and Feeds, ensuring your brand is present wherever your audience is.
Want more content like this? Read Next:
- Elevate Your Campaigns with Dynamic Video Ads
- Incrementality testing: how to measure it on Meta
- Product Level Video: Tell Your Product Story Like Never Before
FAQs
#1 Why your brand needs Instagram Reels ads:
- Skyrocket engagement: Reels ads drive unparalleled engagement compared to static ads. Their immersive storytelling keeps audiences hooked.
- Boost your funnel through strategic ad placement: From awareness to conversion, the strategic ad placement of Reels ads can significantly boost a brand's presence through every stage of the customer journey, highlighting the importance of selecting a specific objective for Reels ad placement.
- Unleash creativity: Music, text, influencers—Reels ads let you experiment and craft content that truly resonates with your target audience.
#2 Reels ads vs. other placements
- Dynamic video vs. static images: Reels ads’ captivating visuals, audio, and narrative leave static creatives in the dust.
- Snackable vs. long-form: Reels ads’ concise 15-30 second format fits perfectly into users’ scrolling habits whereas long-form videos may lose viewers’ attention.
- Native integration: Reels ads blend seamlessly with organic content, enhancing engagement and brand recall like no other format. It’s crucial to use the correct dimensions and quality for Reels ads to avoid awkwardly cropped reels ads and blurry ad visuals, ensuring a professional and engaging viewer experience. The Reels tab exclusively shows reels, including ads, providing a unique, immersive viewing experience.
