Reels & Stories: Practical Tips to Create More Content

You know you need to be showing up on social media.  And maybe you've already gotten consistent with regular posts, but you keep hearing that you need to show up in stories, and now layer on reels and it just feels like so much.  I totally get it. The overwhelm of content creation can be real, and that overwhelm often leads to inconsistency, which is when the infamous algorithm starts making it feel like no one even sees the content you do create. 

I promise, there is a way to fit it all in. Step number one is to plan your content with the Content Planning Bundle, and start with long form content. Or even start with one longer post.  Then you can repurpose that post as stories and reels, or expand on it with those other content containers. 

Once you dowoload the Content Planning Bundle you'll see there is a template to brainstorm your content, including reels and stories.  I've got a couple extra tips to help you when it comes to getting ideas for your reels and stories, so let's dive in!

Reels

It's easy to go down the rabbit hole when scrolling reels, but it is a great way to get inspiration.  I like to set a timer for 15-30 minutes and watch reels with the intention of getting ideas and saving audio. It's best to do this with your Content Planning Template handy so you can fill your ideas into the spreadsheet. I know sometimes I'll scroll while laying in bed and think I"ll remember my ideas later but then of course I never do. 

Once you come across a song you like or reel that gives you an idea save the audio and add it to your content planning template.  Along with the audio jot down an idea for a hook and a call to action. Your hook is the opening text on the reel and should grab the viewers attention.  The call to action is what you want the viewer to do or think about after they watch your reel.  

I promise reels don't have to be about doing silly dances and it's definitely possible to take trends and use them in a way that relates to your business, Keeping your content pillars top of mind will help you make sure your reels are aligned with your brand and keep the message consistent with your brand. 

Along with blocking time to brainstorm ideas for reels, another best practice is to time block content creation in batches.  Instead of making one reel from start to finish including filming, editing, writing captions and creating covers, try doing each step in batches. 

On a day you've done your hair and makeup and are feeling confident, block some time to film at least 5 reels.  And then stop! Don't feel like yo have to add copy and edit right away.  That's where the overwhelm starts to set in. Just film and save the videos in your drafts and to your phone. When you film make sure you are in good lighting and as a bonus change your outfit once or twice to add variety to the content you are batching. 

The next time block you schedule will be to add copy and edit the reels. I like to do this once a week with the reels I'll be using that week, but you could definitely set a longer block and edit and finish up several weeks worth of reels, depending on how much you filmed.  

The last step is to create a cover image for the reel and write the caption.  This is a step that you shouldn't spend too much time on, because most reels are consumed outside of your profile, and most people aren't reading the captions. Keep it simple and don't stress yourself out with this part! I write the captions for my reels when I am batching other posts for the week, because this is another opportunity to repurpose some of the copy you already wrote for longer form content. 

Stories

Stories are where your audience really gets to know you. It's like inviting someone into your home or business and giving them a little bit behind the scenes. Most stories viewers already follow you, or liked your post or reels enough to click that circle to learn more, so this is where you can be a little less formal. 

But keep in mind, while being a little less formal, you still need to have a plan! While I will add to stories on the fly sometimes to share the real bits of my life, I generally try to plan some content for the week following this formula. 

1. Do a poll. Rotate your polls between business and personal, but really leverage polls to get to know your audience.  If someone answers a poll this is a great opportunity to start a conversation in the DMs and get to know them even better.  You can have the occasional poll about you, but people love to share about them selves, so give them the opportunity with a poll!

2. Show your face. Talk to the camera and share a few thoughts with your audience . You can teach something, share a funny story, recommend something or just give a little commentary on your day. Remember your content pillars and use showing your face as an opportunity to talk about the content that makes you you. Try to keep it under a minute, and don't forget to add captions and copy for those watching stories on silent. 

3. Share a post. Whether it's a recent post from your own feed or a post from someone else that resonates with you sharing a post is a great opportunity to repurpose content, and save you some time. If you share post from another account be sure to tag them so they know you shared!

4. Do another poll or other type of interactive post. Use the question boxer slider tool to give your audience another opportunity to engage. Remember to make it about your viewer more than about you!

5. Show your face again. If the thought of showing your face makes you nervous, don't be afraid to thrown on a filter! The other thing you can do is just pretend you are FaceTiming a friend and try to talk to one person instead of an entire "audience". 

Whether it's all in one day, or over the course of a few days rotating through this type of content will help you keep your stories content interesting and fresh while helping your brand stand out, and adding value for your audience.  

Bonus tip on stories, it's ok to take a day or 2 off! Consistent does not have to mean constant and taking a break from social can help you refresh and come back with new energy and ideas.  If you do let your stories go dark for a day or 2, make sure your first one back includes a poll to jump start engagment. 

I hope these tips were helpful, and if you have any questions don't hesitate to send me a DM! Be sure to use your Content Planning Bundle and I can't wait to see you showing up and standing out!