Instagram Reels for Nonprofits
2 min to read ✭ In this post, you’ll learn about Instagram reels and how you can use them for your nonprofit.
By now, you’ve probably heard about Instagram Reels—Instagram’s newest product release which is basically a direct copy of TikTok. Reels are short videos that are 15 seconds or less, typically set to a song or with some fun audio, and allow for effects and text overlays. So why are we talking about Instagram Reels for nonprofits?
Increase Your Reach
Since reels are brand-new, Instagram is doing everything that they can to promote them. As a user, when you post a reel it will automatically go to your dedicated Reels tab and you can also choose to have it show in your main profile. If you have a public account, your reels can be discovered by the entire Instagram community through the Explore page. This is where the increased reach comes in. Your reels are not only reaching your followers, they have the potential to reach a much larger audience. As we mentioned earlier, because this is a new feature, Instagram is currently promoting reels even more than other post types. When you go on the Explore page, the first thing you will see is a featured reel full-width on your screen compared to the smaller posts and videos below. You’ll also see suggested reels as you are scrolling through your feed. This increased reach means more eyes on your nonprofit.
Widen Your Audience
We often hear from nonprofits that they want to widen their audience. Instagram currently has over 1 billion active users with 37% of adults in the United States on the platform. While your nonprofit is probably already on Facebook, Instagram is a great place to reach a younger audience with half of its users being under the age of 34. You may not see the largest one-time gifts from millennials, but they respond to online giving, as well as recurring giving, and are more likely to donate non-monetary goods and volunteer their time. It is a good idea to diversify your donor base and have strategies that bring in donations year-round.
Get Creative
Now it’s time to make your first reel, where do you start? Take a look at the Explore page for some inspiration and have fun with it! The nice thing about reels is because they are so short, they can be created fairly quickly. Think about aspects of your nonprofit that you can highlight from your staff to your mission. People love to see behind the scenes of the organizations they support, so highlight some of the incredible things that you do!
