There have never been as many opportunities for artists to develop audiences through social media. In the second of a four-part series, Christina Theodoropoulou (pictured, left), Meta’s strategic partner manager for music artists, and Julia Killer (pictured, right), Meta’s head of music label partnerships, EMEA, talk us through how artists can refine their image and find success using reels on Instagram and Facebook...
Every new creative expression is a leap. There’s no ‘right way’ for artists to express themselves.
Reels allow users to create fun, short videos, reach new audiences, build communities and be part of cultural moments on Facebook and Instagram. We want to make it easy to create reels on our platforms, which is why we’ve launched a range of editing tools to help artists get creative and be inspired. Whether it’s using the remix feature to connect with fans and other creators, or using one of the many AR effects available, we’ve seen many artists experiment and find a new outlet for creative expression on reels.
Meta’s strategic partner manager for music artists, Christina Theodoropoulou, has worked with artists and managers to connect with fans on Facebook and Instagram.
“Reels provide an exciting opportunity to create an even deeper connection with fans,” she says. “They also help artists build a loyal audience who listen to their music and buy tickets to see them.”
Julia Killer, head of music label partnerships, EMEA, agrees.
“Nearly 70% of music listeners who follow musicians on Facebook and Instagram say they do so to keep up with artist news,” she says. “Creators can use the power of reels to increase their fan base by promoting experiences that bring people closer together and to grow their business by converting loyal fans into loyal listeners. One great way to create excitement amongst fans is by teasing new music on reels.”
Creators can use the power of reels to increase their fan base by promoting experiences that bring people closer together
Julia Killer
Let’s look at some of the ways in which artists can make the most of them...
Ten golden tips for artists using reels
• When applying music to your reel, you can use audio from Meta’s Music Library if the track you want is already released. Consider teasing new tracks by pre-releasing your song on reels. When pre-releasing the song by utilising original audio, make sure to rename the original audio so fans know what they are listening to.
• If you are releasing a track that features someone else, remember to use the collaboration feature, for up to two profiles. It’s a great tool for artists who are touring together. Think about the additional exposure your support act could get if the main act creates a collab post with them.
• Interactivity is essential. We’ve launched a number of interactive features on reels, such as polls, the emoji slider and the quiz sticker. All of these will help to engage an audience and encourage them to comment on and share a reel. How about utilising the question sticker to ask fans which track they are most excited about hearing at your next show, or engaging them via the poll and quiz sticker?
• Always check your insights tool to find out more about what your audience likes and engages with, and adapt your content strategy accordingly.
• Be consistent. A recent study showed that public accounts with over 10,000 followers that posted at least five reels in 60 days gained over 2.5 times more followers than those who did not post reels.
• Get creative with reels. More than 700 million people use AR effects across Meta’s apps every month. Adding effects into your reels is a great way to add visual depth and engage an audience. Why not try out effects like green screen to put videos or images behind you and add an extra layer of interest?
• Engage with your community and other creators. You can now post reels as an answer to a comment to show fans that you are taking part in the conversation. We’ve also released new remix tools which make it easy to react to reels, respond to fans, set challenges or even duet on reels.
• Be authentic. Reels content doesn’t have to be highly produced – in fact the best content is always the one where you present your most authentic self.
• You can now easily crosspost your Instagram reels to Facebook reels. You can turn this on in your Instagram settings.
• Need more inspiration? Make sure to follow @creators for tips and tricks.
What makes a great reel?
• Relatability: content that clicks with people.
• Being expressive: share your passions, or just something that’s uniquely you.
• Current: put your twist on conversations of the moment.
• Confidence: remember that there’s no right way. If you’re having fun, chances are your audience will, too.
• Surprising: plan a big reveal, add a punchline or end with a plot twist, even a small one.
Reels production tips
• No watermarks. Don’t post reels that are visibly recycled from other apps.
• Shoot vertically. A dimension of 9:16 will make your reels feel more immersive.
• Tell a story. Great reels typically have a beginning, middle and an end.
• Look into the lens. Try using your selfie camera to create approachable content.
• Make a cover photo. You can use stories to add text to a photo, then save to your camera roll and upload.
• Share! Don’t forget to share your reel in your Facebook or Instagram stories.
“We’ve seen how music in reels can build community and connect people to content on a deeper level,” concludes Theodoropoulou. “Think about how music could allow artists to connect with creators outside of the music space, for example finding collaborations with food, dance or fashion creators. Music is a huge part of culture that intersects across all content areas.”
“Working with creators who are also fans on a release campaign is such a great way to connect these two worlds,” adds Killer. “It’s the 2022 version of the street team.”
