Academy / Get more customers from Instagram

Lesson 2 of 5 · 6 min

Reels and stories, the basics

What Reels and stories are each good for, three Reel formats you can film on your phone this week, and stories that start conversations.

Reels and stories do different jobs. Reels can show your work to people who do not follow you yet. Stories are for the people who already do: they keep you in mind and start conversations.

Reels: three formats that need no editing skills

A phone, good light and something your customer wants to see are enough. No trend or dance required.

1. The quick how-to. One tip in 15 to 30 seconds, with the steps written on screen. "One stretch for tight hips, do it at your desk." A barber: "How to keep a fade clean between cuts."
2. The process. Hands at work, sped up, with one line of text. A candle being poured, a dog being groomed, a cake being iced. People watch to the end to see how it turns out.
3. The answer. Film yourself answering one question a customer asked this week. Start with the question on screen.

Three things every Reel needs

• A clear first second. Start with the movement, the result or the question, not a logo or a hello.
• Text on screen. Many people watch without sound. The text carries the point.
• A caption with one next step. Lesson 3 is about that.

In Postfjord, a single video in a post to Instagram goes out as a Reel. Schedule it in the composer like any other post.

Stories that start conversations

Stories are where people talk back. A few that work for small businesses:

• A poll: "Morning class or evening class?" Tells you what people want and gets a tap from people who never comment.
• A question sticker: "What do you want to learn next?" Every answer is an idea for a post.
• A reply prompt: "Reply SPOT and I will send you Saturday's last two places." Each reply lands in your DMs.
• Behind the scenes, the same day: setting up the room, the delivery that came in, the new color.

Let replies get an answer at once

When someone replies to a story, they are in your DMs and waiting. In Postfjord, the automation Reply when someone answers your story answers them. Leave the keywords empty to answer every story reply, or add a word like SPOT so only that reply starts it. You can have it wait a minute or two, so the answer does not land the second they tap. The reply opens a real conversation, so you can take over from the inbox at any time.

Try it now

Write down one question a customer asked you this week. That is your first Reel in the "answer" format. Film it before the end of the day.

In this course

• 1A profile that turns visitors into customersThe name, the bio, the link and the highlights, checked from the eyes of someone who found you a minute ago, with a before and after. · 5 min
• 2Reels and stories, the basicsWhat Reels and stories are each good for, three Reel formats you can film on your phone this week, and stories that start conversations. · 6 min
• 3Captions with one next stepHow an Instagram caption is read, a three part shape that works, why links in captions do not work, and which ask to use instead. · 5 min
• 4Reply fast, and let automation helpWhy the first reply wins the booking, how to answer the same five questions in seconds, and which automations to switch on first. · 5 min
• 5Collaborations and local reachReach new people through the businesses and customers around you: collab posts, partner offers, location tags, and thanking everyone who mentions you. · 5 min