The Reel deal:
3 creative tips t help make your ads shine
The cultural shift toward relatability and authenticity is an opportunity to partner with creators and take inspiration from the everyday—here’s the 101 for marketers and creative agencies to win Instagram’s fastest-growing format, Reels.
Why Reels is the place to b
Social apps have become so central to our everyday lives. Of the social apps that focus on short-form video, Instagram is the largest, with 2 billion active monthly users, Meta, the platform’s corporate parent, announced in October 2022. Reels—Instagram’s short-form video format—has given people even more new ways to discover and connect around content they love.
Short-form videos have exploded in popularity
When Instagram launched Reels in 2020, it immediately began gaining traction. Meta introduced Reels on Facebook the following year and launched it in more than 150 countries at the beginning
of 2022.
Source: Meta Q3 earnings call, Oct. 26, 2022
For advertisers, this fast-growing creative canvas hits all of the major selling points. There’s a reason short-form video has the highest ROI of any social media marketing strategy. When done right, authentic and snackable ads can elevate the viewer’s experience. And at a time when budgets are getting squeezed, short-form video is a proven, low-hanging fruit for cost-conscious marketers.
All Reels ads should be immediately clear. If you can nail the hook and capture the viewer’s attention in the first few seconds, that will make it clear why they should stay and watch the full video. Try show and tell—to reinforce ideas simply and clearly, use both text and voiceover to strengthen key brand and product takeaways.
Reels ads are easily accessible when viewers can recognize their stories, codes and tone and feel a connection through them. To help achieve this, feature people in your creative, whether that’s “real” people, creators
or influencers.
In many ways, the language of Reels is part of the broader cultural shift away from polish and toward a culture that celebrates relatability and authenticity.
o
Short-form videos are quickly becoming the most fun, sharable digital content out there. But don’t think of Reels as just a format, but rather as a language. Luckily, the language of Reels doesn’t involve tricky vocabulary or complicated linguistics. Reels is about emotional connection, and its language is entertaining, digestible and relatable.
Reels ads can drive real business results.
Brands across all regions and verticals are seeing success with Reels ads. From brand to direct response outcomes, Reels ads are an effective placement to help grow business.
There are more than 140 billion Reels plays across Facebook and Instagram each day, and younger viewers in the U.S. are increasingly using video formats like Reels to discover new brands. With more than 3.7 billion users across Meta technologies, businesses can build authentic relationships with the people who matter most.
Reels drives discovery at scale.
Reels drives participation.
Viewers aren’t simply consuming Reels, they’re actively engaging, responding and forwarding to their friends at a rate of 1 billion reshares a day through direct messages on Instagram.
Reels ads can drive real business results.
SEE HOW
Reels drives discovery at scale.
SEE HOW
Reels drives participation.
SEE HOW
How to create ads in the language of Reels
of Reels are viewed with the sound on.*
The best Reels ads are surprising, magical and uplifting. They provoke an emotional response and dazzle and delight with visual effects. And as Reels are intended to be multisensory, that means whether you use trending audio, stock tunes or have the video’s subjects speaking, your audience will be all eyes and ears.
The product demo
There are dozens of ways to achieve entertaining, digestible and relatable Reels ads. Think of the stories that resonate most with your brand and your audience, and try one of these creative thought starters to storyboard a worthy Reels ad:
Ready t get started?
o
There’s no need for Hollywood-level production techniques in Reels ads. "Demotainment"—demonstrating how to use your product in an entertaining way—is a great, low-lift way to introduce your product and brand to an audience.
The tutorial
Tutorial videos can cover any number of topics, from teaching viewers how to properly apply liquid eyeliner to showcasing the many uses of a new multitool. The important thing is to educate through entertainment. When viewers see your product in action and feel confident they can replicate what they’ve been taught, they’ll be more likely to convert to a sale. Tutorials are basically the ultimate combination of showing and telling.
The before and after
Who doesn’t love to see a full process complete itself with the snap of a finger or a flick of a light switch? If you want to highlight the magic of your brand, quick-change before and after videos allow you to illustrate the value of your product with the highest flair for the dramatic.
About
Ad Age Studio 30 is the creative content arm of Ad Age. Built on the same bedrock of journalistic integrity, Ad Age Studio 30 specializes in multichannel membership content for Ad Age subscribers, as well as custom and sponsored content that resonates with our audience. To partner with Ad Age Studio 30, email James Palma at jpalma@adage.com.
About
Founded in 2004, Meta's mission is to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. People use Meta's apps and technologies to connect with friends and family, find communities and grow businesses.
click to view next
click to view next
click to view next
8
of Reels use effects.*
4
About
of Reels use the text sticker to overlay text onto the video*
0%
0%
There are now more than
140 billion
Reels played across Instagram and Facebook each day—a 50% increase from six months ago—and it continues to be the fastest-growing format on Meta platforms.*
#1 media platform.
because the format encourages both creator and viewer participation, which makes it a perfect pairing on Instagram.
When it comes to building relationships with brands, Instagram is the
In very tangible ways, Reels is a key player in this social and digital movement.
#1. Make it entertaining:
*Source: Instagram internal data, August 2022
*Source: Global Media Study by Ipsos (Meta-commissioned online study of 35,017 people ages 13-64; internet population; monthly mobile internet users, monthly video viewers and monthly messaging app users in AU, BR, CA, DE, FR, JP, SE, TR, US and UK), December 2021-January 2022. Media platforms in the study included TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat, Facebook and TV.)
#2. Make it digestible:
#3. Make it relatable:
*Source: Instagram internal data, September 2022
w
More than three-quarters (78%) of consumers say that creators are influential in helping them to discover new brands.† Meta recently launched the Instagram Creator Marketplace, where marketers can find and connect with any number of reputable creators who can help them take their Reels to new audiences and new creative heights.
Partnerin with creators
g
†Source: "Role of Creator Marketing Study" by Crowd DNA (Meta-commissioned online survey of adults ages 18+ across AU, BR, DE, FR, JP, KR, MX, UK, US in March 2022)
e
click through rate than those who did not.*
In an analysis of 2 million Reels ads, those with a human presence in the creative (such as a face, person or child) had a
2 higher
5%
Learn more about Instagram Reels ads.
Explore the Reels ads guide
*Source: Meta internal, June 2022 (Research findings do not guarantee future results.)
Founded in 2004, Meta's mission is to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. People use Meta's apps and technologies to connect with friends and family, find communities and grow businesses.
About
Ad Age Studio 30 is the creative content arm of Ad Age. Built on the same bedrock of journalistic integrity, Ad Age Studio 30 specializes in multichannel membership content for Ad Age subscribers, as well as custom and sponsored content that resonates with our audience. To partner with Ad Age Studio 30, email James Palma at jpalma@adage.com.
About
Learn more about Instagram Reels ads.
Explore the Reels ads guide
There are dozens of ways to achieve entertaining, digestible and relatable Reels ads. Think of the stories that resonate most with your brand and your audience, and try one of these creative thought starters to storyboard a worthy Reels ad:
Ready t get started?
o
The before and after
Who doesn’t love to see a full process complete itself with the snap of a finger or a flick of a light switch? If you want to highlight the magic of your brand, quick-change before and after videos allow you to illustrate the value of your product with the highest flair for the dramatic.
click to view next
The tutorial
Tutorial videos can cover any number of topics, from teaching viewers how to properly apply liquid eyeliner to showcasing the many uses of a new multitool. The important thing is to educate through entertainment. When viewers see your product in action and feel confident they can replicate what they’ve been taught, they’ll be more likely to convert to a sale. Tutorials are basically the ultimate combination of showing and telling.
click to view next
The product demo
There’s no need for Hollywood-level production techniques in Reels ads. "Demotainment"—demonstrating how to use your product in an entertaining way—is a great, low-lift way to introduce your product and brand to an audience.
click to view next
w
How to create ads in the language of Reels
of Reels are viewed with the sound on.*
8
0%
of Reels use effects.*
About
4
0%
CLICK FOR SOURCE
*Source: Instagram internal data, August 2022
The best Reels ads are surprising, magical and uplifting. They provoke an emotional response and dazzle and delight with visual effects. And as Reels are intended to be multisensory, that means whether you use trending audio, stock tunes or have the video’s subjects speaking, your audience will be all eyes and ears.
#1. Make it entertaining:
The Sound Collection has thousands of royalty-free tracks to help make any ad more entertaining. Check out this guide from Meta’s Business Help Center to learn more.
Add sound to your ads
o
In many ways, the language of Reels is part of the broader cultural shift away from polish and toward a culture that celebrates relatability and authenticity.
More than three-quarters (78%) of consumers say that creators are influential in helping them to discover new brands.† Meta recently launched the Instagram Creator Marketplace, where marketers can find and connect with any number of reputable creators who can help them take their Reels to new audiences and new creative heights.
†Source: "Role of Creator Marketing Study" by Crowd DNA (Meta-commissioned online survey of adults ages 18+ across AU, BR, DE, FR, JP, KR, MX, UK, US in March 2022)
Partnerin with creators
g
CLICK FOR SOURCE
Reels ads are easily accessible when viewers can recognize their stories, codes and tone and feel a connection through them. To help achieve this, feature people in your creative, whether that’s “real” people, creators or influencers.
#3. Make it relatable:
click through rate than those who did not.*
In an analysis of 2 million Reels ads, those with a human presence in the creative (such as a face, person or child) had a
2 higher
5%
*Source: Meta internal, June 2022 (Research findings do not guarantee future results.)
CLICK FOR SOURCE
of Reels use the text sticker to overlay text onto the video*
*Source: Instagram internal data, September 2022
All Reels ads should be immediately clear. If you can nail the hook and capture the viewer’s attention in the first few seconds, that will make it clear why they should stay and watch the full video. Try show and tell—to reinforce ideas simply and clearly, use both text and voiceover to strengthen key brand and product takeaways.
#2. Make it digestible:
Short-form videos are quickly becoming the most fun, sharable digital content out there. But don’t think of Reels as just a format, but rather as a language. Luckily, the language of Reels doesn’t involve tricky vocabulary or complicated linguistics. Reels is about emotional connection, and its language is entertaining, digestible and relatable.
Reels ads can drive real business results.
Brands across all regions and verticals are seeing success with Reels ads. From brand to direct response outcomes, Reels ads are an effective placement to help grow business.
Reels ads can drive real business results.
SEE HOW
There are more than 140 billion Reels plays across Facebook and Instagram each day, and younger viewers in the U.S. are increasingly using video formats like Reels to discover new brands. With more than 3.7 billion users across Meta technologies, businesses can build authentic relationships with the people who matter most.
—
Reels drives discovery at scale.
Reels drives discovery at scale.
SEE HOW
Reels drives participation.
Viewers aren’t simply consuming Reels, they’re actively engaging, responding and forwarding to their friends at a rate of 1 billion reshares a day through direct messages on Instagram.
—
Reels drives participation.
SEE HOW
Why Reels is the
place to b
e
There are now more than
Reels played across Instagram and Facebook each day—a 50% increase from six months ago—and it continues to be the fastest-growing format on Meta platforms.*
CLICK FOR SOURCE
140 billion
Social apps have become so central to our everyday lives. Of the social apps that focus on short-form video, Instagram is the largest, with 2 billion active monthly users, Meta, the platform’s corporate parent, announced in October 2022. Reels—Instagram’s short-form video format—has given people even more new ways to discover and connect around content they love.
When Instagram launched Reels in 2020, it immediately began gaining traction. Meta introduced Reels on Facebook the following year and launched it in more than 150 countries at the beginning of 2022.
For advertisers, this fast-growing creative canvas hits all of the major selling points. There’s a reason short-form video has the highest ROI of any social media marketing strategy. When done right, authentic and snackable ads can elevate the viewer’s experience. And at a time when budgets are getting squeezed, short-form video is proven, low-hanging fruit for cost-conscious marketers.
*Source: Meta Q3 earnings call, Oct. 26, 2022
Short-form
videos have exploded in popularity
because the format encourages both creator and viewer participation, which makes it a perfect pairing on Instagram.
#1 media platform.
When it comes to building relationships with brands, Instagram is the
In very tangible ways, Reels is a key player in this social and digital movement.
CLICK FOR SOURCE
*Source: Global Media Study by Ipsos (Meta-commissioned online study of 35,017 people ages 13-64; internet population; monthly mobile internet users, monthly video viewers and monthly messaging app users in AU, BR, CA, DE, FR, JP, SE, TR, US and UK), December 2021-January 2022. Media platforms in the study included TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat, Facebook and TV.)
The Reel deal:
3 creative tips t help make your ads shine
o
The cultural shift toward relatability and authenticity is an opportunity to partner with creators and take inspiration from the everyday—here’s the 101 for marketers and creative agencies to win Instagram’s fastest-growing format, Reels.
Source: Meta Q3 earnings call, Oct. 26, 2022
—
Source: Meta Q3 earnings call, Oct. 26, 2022
—
The Sound Collection has thousands of royalty-free tracks to help make any ad more entertaining. Check out this guide from Meta’s Business Help Center to learn more.
Add sound to your ads
o
Using the language of Reels creative approach improved cost-per-incremental conversions by
Using the language of Reels creative approach improved cost-per-incremental conversions by
*Source: Meta-analysis of conversion lift tests with 11 global advertisers across 9 verticals, comparing using the language of Reels creative strategy vs. a business as usual creative strategy, conducted in November, 2022. These results are inclusive of both Instagram and Facebook Reels. In our tests, using the Language of Reels creative approach improved cost-per-incremental conversions for lower funnel conversion events by a median of 51%. We define lower funnel conversion events as those that happen at the end of the marketing funnel, such as purchasing an item or signing up for a service.
to win.*
Source: Meta Q3 earnings call,
Oct. 26, 2022
Source: Meta Q3 earnings call,
Oct. 26, 2022
*
*
