Quick Guide: How To Use Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels, the platform’s built-in TikTok competitor, has officially launched for all users in the United States.

Reels are short, looping videos similar to Instagram’s Boomerang feature except they can contain multiple clips and audio. If an account is pubic and a user creates a Reel featuring original audio, that sound may then be used by others.

To begin creating your video masterpiece, open the Instagram Stories camera and select Reels from the bottom menu.

From here, there are multiple options.

Record:

Users can begin recording a video right away by holding down the Reels icon. Similar to TikTok, recording can start and stop multiple times during the maximum 15-second video period.

Add Audio:

Music from Instagram’s audio library can be added by selecting the note icon. This function works exactly like the music sticker feature for Instagram Stories where users can search for audio and trim their selection to the part of a song they want featured in their video.

Speed:

The play icon allows for the adjustment of video recording speeds. Currently, slow motion options of .3x and .5x are available as well as fast forward options of 2x or 3x.

Effects:

Instagram’s AR filters or effects are also available to apply before recording with both the back and front-facing camera. Users can choose from the filters shown or scroll all the way to the right to browse more effects.

Timer:

The stopwatch icon leads to a timer that allows users to select how long they want each clip within their Reel to be. When selected, the timer allows for hands-free recording and offers a 3-second countdown before that recording begins.

Align:

Once a recording occurs via the timer option, an align feature pops up that offers a video overlay so users can match up the next sequence in their video.

Add Footage:

Video content from the user’s camera roll can be added to a Reel by tapping the square in lower left corner. If the video selected is longer than 15-seconds, a trim tool is available to selection which portion of the video should be added.

GIFs & Stickers:

After a recording is complete, a number of Instagram Story features are available to decorate the captured footage. Among these are a number of Instagram Stickers, the draw and text tools, and GIF tool.

Once a Reel is finished, users can choose to share the video exclusively to Reels (where it will appear under a separate tab on their profile and within the Explore feed) or to both Reels and their Instagram Feed. These options include the ability to add captions and hashtags, and even custom thumbnails.

Alternatively, the Reel can be shared as an Instagram Story.

---

Want to make the most of this new feature? Contact us!

Facebook's Redesign & Creator Studio App

A year after its announcement, Facebook is finally rolling out a redesign of the desktop version of their site - complete with dark mode. The new design, while significantly different from the current one, closely mimics the look of Facebook's mobile app so users shouldn't have trouble navigating the platform.

Users will notice more blank space in the makeover, although it isn't clear yet if changes to cover image sizes will occur to fill some of that space or not. Here are the biggest differences that page admins should expect:

Facebook Live Producer

Stream settings for launching a Facebook Live broadcast have moved from the Publishing Tools tab to the main page feed. Once users click on "Create Live" above the "Create Post" box, the new Facebook Live Producer platform will open.

According to Facebook, “users can manage live broadcasts, scheduling and other settings in the left-hand column. Critical functions such as Source Details and Stream Health, plus interactive features like Polls, are located in the top navigation bar. A small stream preview is available in the bottom right-hand corner; while users can simply scroll up to access a larger stream preview.”

Live Producer can also be accessed from: facebook.com/live/producer.

New Group Features

With the updated look, Facebook Groups are getting a handful of new features that are specific to the individual group type. Bloomberg News noted that members in health-related groups can ask group admins to post on their behalf to better protect their privacy. Groups with a focus on gaming are getting a group chat feature.

Creator Studio App

As a companion to the new Facebook desktop site, mobile users can now also download the Creator Studio app. With this app, users can:

• Access insights

• Manage post content

• View notifications

• Communicate with their audience

• Switch between Pages

Users will still need to use Creator Studio on their computer to create a posts or initiate messages, although Facebook has indicated that this essential feature is in the works. For now, we recommend sticking with the official Pages app.

Where to Focus Your Social Strategy in 2020

Now that the New Year is off to a roaring start, you might be wondering what areas of social media you should focus your energy on in 2020. Here’s a few suggestions.

IGTV

After a bumpy start in 2018, IGTV has grown into a massive opportunity for users to consume video content. IGTV videos no longer have to be in vertical format, so that means you can upload any standard horizontal video your team may have produced and it doesn’t have to be less than one minute. You can easily share a clip to your Instagram grid and feed.

Note: The separate upload button for IGTV videos is a thing of the past. Simply upload the video as you would a regular Instagram posts and the app will guide you to sharing the full clip.

Micro-influencers

The Kardashians took influencer marketing to an entirely new level, but if you can’t afford them, don’t worry. Micro-influencers may only have between 1,000 and 10,000 followers but their small, niche audiences are highly engaged.

With platforms like TikTok dominating among younger users, micro-influencers are going to be key in reaching audiences on social networks that aren’t very brand-friendly.

Social Media Regulation

2020 is an election year in the US which means we’ll be hearing a lot about fake news, data privacy, and hackers. As the general public, and possibly even our government, starts to pay closer attention to what’s happening on online, expect the major social networks to implement new rules and regulations and be prepared to follow them.

Facebook is about to require marketers to confirm that we have user consent to build Custom Audiences and you can bet that’s just the beginning.

Facebook Groups

As younger folks leave their platform, Facebook is changing their user experience to put Groups and community at its center. Brands that act quickly have an opportunity to truly nurture their own community via a Group, but the trick here is that you have to be open to conversations that aren’t directly about your business. There’s a huge payoff when you talk WITH followers about a range of topics instead of talking AT them.

If you’re interested in chatting more about any of these highlights, hit up Deph Digital Media and we’ll help you develop a social strategy that’s bound to succeed in the New Year.

Introducing & Setting Up Facebook Pay

This week, Facebook rolled out its long-awaited Facebook Pay tool to all users in the United States. The feature will facilitate on-platform payments, providing an easy and secure way for people to buy products on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger.

For now, Facebook Pay is limited in its use for fundraisers, in-game purchases, event tickets, person-to-person payments on Messenger, and purchases from select pages and businesses on Facebook Marketplace. If your page qualifies to accept Facebook Pay, you’ll receive a prompt asking you to link a bank or PayPal account to receive payments. Facebook will collect these bank transfers and credit card payments with a 2.5% fee.

Users can easily start using Facebook Pay by following a few easy steps:

1.) Go to “Settings” > “Facebook Pay” on the Facebook app or website

2.) Add a payment method

3.) The next time a payment is made, select Facebook Pay 

When customers make a purchase via Facebook Pay, your page will be responsible for providing real-time support via Messenger chat. These interactions will impact your page’s Customer Satisfaction Score, where unsatisfactory responses could lead to more expensive ads that reach fewer people. Read our full explanation of Facebook Customer Satisfaction Scores here.

FTC Rules that Fake Followers and Fake Reviews are Illegal

The Federal Trade Commission of the United States has ruled that selling or buying social media followers or engagements (such as likes) is illegal. In the first-ever ruling of this kind, a Florida businessman was fined $2.5 million for faking “indicators of social media influence.”

Additionally, the FTC has also ruled that posting fake reviews (either on a company’s website or social media) is illegal. Although the parties involved in this lawsuit (Sunday Riley and Sephora) ultimately settled, the FTC’s decision sets a precedent for how future violations may be handled.