The No-Fluff Guide to Instagram Reels (From a Social Media Manager Who's Seen It All)

Let's cut through the noise and talk about how to make Reels that actually get you clients – no dancing required (unless that's your thing, then dance away!). As someone who's probably spent more time on Instagram than I'd like to admit, here's what actually works.

The Collaborator Tag: Your Secret Weapon

Okay, this feature is literally Instagram giving us free reach on a silver platter, and I'm shocked at how many people aren't using it! Think of it as the Instagram equivalent of a high-five that reaches twice the audience.

Here's how to not mess it up:

• Partner with accounts that make sense (no random collabs just because they're big!)

• Make sure both parties actually add value (nobody likes a freeloader)

• Plan your content together (winging it = recipe for disaster)

• Track those numbers (because data is cool)

Tagging: The Art of Not Being Annoying

Listen, I know you want to tag everyone and their mother in your Reels, but let's be strategic about this. There's a fine line between smart tagging and looking desperate – and trust me, I've seen both!

The non-annoying way to tag:

• Tag relevant folks who actually contributed to the content

• Share client wins (with permission, obviously!)

• Give genuine shoutouts (not just for attention)

• Use location tags when it makes sense (local businesses, this is your time to shine!)

Building Your Squad

Real talk: engagement is not about hitting like on every post you see while you're on your morning coffee run. It's about building relationships that actually matter.

How to do it without losing your mind:

• Set aside actual time for meaningful engagement (I call it my "Instagram coffee hour")

• Reply to comments like a human being (no bot energy please!)

• Build genuine connections with others in your industry

• Actually care about your community (revolutionary, right? yet nobody’s doing it!)

Content That Makes People Stop Scrolling

After testing approximately one billion different types of Reels (slight exaggeration, but you get it), here's what actually works:

Winning Reels formats:

• Behind-the-scenes peeks (people are nosy – use it!)

• Quick wins and tips (make your audience feel smart)

• Day-in-the-life content (but make it interesting)

• Before-and-afters (everyone loves a good transformation)

The Time-Wasting Traps to Avoid

Let's talk about what NOT to do, because sometimes knowing what to avoid is as important as knowing what to do:

Save your time and skip:

• Those endless follow-for-follow threads (just don't)

• Generic engagement pods (they're so 2020)

• Copying every trend (some trends deserve to die)

• Overthinking every single post (done is better than perfect!)

Keeping It Real with Results

Look, at the end of the day, all these Reels need to actually do something for your business. Here's what you should actually care about:

What matters:

• Are the right people following you?

• Are you getting DMs from potential clients?

• Is your content leading to actual sales?

• Are you building a community that cares?

The secret sauce to Reels isn't doing what everyone else is doing – it's about creating content that your ideal clients actually want to watch and share. And sometimes that means being the one account that isn't jumping on the latest dance trend (thank goodness, right?).

Now go forth and create some Reels that make your ideal clients stop scrolling and hit that save button! And remember, if all else fails, there's always coffee. Lots of coffee.

P.S. If you're still reading this, you're exactly the kind of detail-oriented person who's going to crush it on Reels. Just saying!