Grid Pinning And Other New Reels Features

What's Happening 

Instagram has released several new features recently so I think it’s time for a round up. You can see the announcements here, here and here.

Let’s dig in!

Use it for Your Business 

The new features and how to use them for your business:

Grid Pinning
This new feature is the one I’m most excited about! Pin up to 3 posts to the top of your grid by clicking the three dots in the upper righthand corner of any post on your feed. Other social platforms have had this feature for approximately forever so I’m glad Instagram is following suit. Use this feature to highlight your products or services, introduce yourself, or give your best elevator pitch in a Reel. You could also switch them out based on your current promotions.

90-Second Reels
Reels were previously limited to 60 seconds but this new feature gives you a little extra time to play with. Use this feature to give a series of tips or tell a story.

Import Your Own Audio
You can import audio from any video in your phone gallery that’s 5 seconds or longer. Use this feature to do voice overs on your Reels. Demonstrate how to do something without having to talk while doing it. Or, simply give an inspirational message while showing your audience a soothing outdoor scene. Pro tip: Don’t forget to add captions since most scroll with sound off.

Interactive Stickers
Just like in Stories, you can now add quizzes, polls, and emoji sliders to your Reels – making this addictive short-form video format even more interactive. Pop quiz your audience with mythbuster true or false questions.

Sound Effects
You can now add sound effects over the audio in a Reel. Use these whenever you want to have a bit of fun. I mean, fart noises aren’t exactly on brand for me, but I may give myself a standing ovation with the applause sound effect.

Templates
You can quickly re-create a Reel from your favorite creator. I cover this new feature in-depth here.

Relevancy Rating 

Just because it's new doesn't mean it's worth your time: Is using the latest Reels features worth your time?

Yes!: I give it 5 out of 5 thumbs up.

The few minutes you spend to make your Reels stand out from the crowd are well worth it!

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