Before You Make Another Reel...

photo source: www.pexels.com

I always ask myself:

How can I make this better?

How can I spend less time on it but make it better?

How can I spend less time on it, make it better, and create more with the time I have?

These are questions I constantly ask myself.

So, you've created a reel for your brand and posted it.

A few days later, the engagement dies down, and it's time to post a new one.

But before you do, you start wondering:

Is what I'm putting out actually working?

Why are my engagement numbers so low?

Why isn't anyone buying?

Why aren't people reaching out?

To be honest, it's completely fine to bombard yourself with questions like these.

What's important is what you do next.

How can you make it better?

Let me give you an example of something I still practise today.

A major part of what I do is photography and video. Naturally, the easiest thing for me to do is to simply publish my best work on Instagram.

Nice photos.

Beautiful videos.

Cool reels.

But after a while, I got bored.

Because let's be honest—there will always be someone out there who is better at photography or videography than I am.

So I started asking myself:

How do I stand out?

How do I make my content feel like me?

My answer?

I tell a story.

Instead of simply posting the final photos or videos I created for my clients, I started adding my own voice to the work.

Sometimes, I'll talk about the story behind the brand.

Sometimes, I'll share a content strategy we worked on.

Sometimes, I'll talk about a lesson I learnt from the project.

The important thing is that I'm bringing something that comes from me.

And that's something no one can copy.

You and I have lived different lives.

We've experienced different things.

We've met different people and taken different paths.

Those experiences shape the way we think and the way we see the world.

That's what makes your perspective yours.

And that's what can help you stand out.

For example, instead of simply posting a completed brand video, I could film a few simple behind-the-scenes clips using my iPhone.

Nothing fancy.

Just a few static shots of me working with my client.

Maybe I'll show how I filmed them, how we worked together, or even some of the small candid moments that happened during the shoot.

Then, I'll end the reel with a short snippet of the final product.

On top of that, I'll write a script and record a voiceover talking about what I learnt from the project, what we did together, and how we arrived at the final result.

Now, instead of one piece of content, I have a story.

I have the process.

I have the experience of working with me.

And I have the final result.

I'm not just showing people what I made.

I'm showing them how I think, how I work, and what it's like to work with me.

That's how I make my reel better.

Let's say I have a client who creates gift baskets for all occasions, and I'm hired to photograph her products and create a few short reels.

Instead of simply showing the finished gift baskets, I could tell her story.

My voiceover might sound something like this:

"I never realised how something as simple as a gift basket could mean so much to someone until I met Clara. When she was young, Clara loved looking through the gift baskets her mother received from time to time. She was fascinated by the little details—the way the items were arranged, the colours, and how ordinary things could come together to create something special. Over the years, that fascination grew into something more. Eventually, Clara decided to turn her passion into a business, creating customisable gift baskets for all kinds of occasions."

Then I could pair the voiceover with behind-the-scenes footage of Clara and me working together.

Show her carefully putting each basket together.

Show me photographing her work.

Show the little details.

And maybe include a few candid moments too.

Because we're professionals, but we're also human.

We make mistakes.

We laugh.

We have fun.

We work together.

And finally, I can end the reel with snippets of the finished photos and videos.

Do you see what happened here?

I killed three birds with one stone.

Instead of simply posting a final product, I:

1. Told a story.

2. Showed what it's like to work with me.

3. Showed the final result.

That's three different types of value packed into one reel.

This is how I try to improve my content before I start creating another batch of reels.

Instead of immediately thinking, "Okay, I need to make another reel," I ask myself:

How can I make the next one better?

How can I add another layer to what I'm already doing?

How can I make one piece of content do more than one job?

You can do the same.

Let's say you're a career coach and you want to create an educational reel about why someone might need a career coach.

That's perfectly fine.

But how can you stack another idea on top of it?

What if, instead of simply talking to the camera, you invite one of your clients or a friend and have a real conversation?

Now you've elevated the idea.

You're still educating your audience about why someone might need a career coach.

But you're also showing people what it's like to work with you.

They get to see how you communicate.

How you ask questions.

How you listen.

How you think.

Your personality.

Your character.

Suddenly, you're not just telling people that you're a career coach.

You're letting them experience a small part of what it feels like to be coached by you.

See how you've just killed two birds with one stone?

You're positioning yourself as someone with expertise while also giving potential clients a glimpse into what working with you could actually feel like.

And that's the whole point.

Before you make another reel, take a step back.

You don't always need a completely new idea.

Sometimes, you just need to look at what you're already doing and ask yourself how you can make it better.

You can create a series instead of trying to squeeze everything into one video.

You can add a story to your existing content.

You can show the process behind the final product.

You can bring someone into the conversation.

You can combine education with entertainment.

You can show your personality while teaching something valuable.

Don't just create more.

Create smarter.

Stack your ideas.

Make one piece of content work harder for you.

And most importantly, don't forget to be yourself.

Because your ideas might be copied.

Your format might be copied.

Even your editing style might be copied.

But your experiences?

Your perspective?

Your story?

Those belong to you.

And that's something no one else can replicate.

If all of this sounds super confusing, please don't pull your hair out!

Feel free to reach out to me instead.

Save your beautiful hair.

They are innocent.

Thanks for reading!