If you’re here from our weekly newsletter, The Scoop, welcome! This is your roadmap to picking up this week’s social media trend, making it your own, AND making it work for your business.
If you happened upon this useful resource from somewhere else, you should definitely subscribe to The Scoop because we’re sharing the latest audio trends that you can use to grow your Instagram page.
HOW TO USE TRENDING REEL SOUNDS
Tailor the Message for Your Brand: It’s all well and good to go viral using a trending sound, but if it’s not converting for your business, why spend your resources and time? Start by brainstorming how the audio can be used for your brand’s unique messaging.
➝ View the sound’s feed and see how other accounts are using it (you can do this by clicking the link to the audio provided in The Scoop newsletter or by tapping the audio icon at the bottom of the video).
➝ Are there lyrics you can use to relate to your brand, products/services, or unique messaging?
➝ Ask yourself: does the tone fit my brand voice? No matter how crafty you get tailoring the new Taylor Swift track to your business’s sales if your audience isn’t buying the trend or the tone doesn’t align with your unique messaging, it’s going to be hard to make it work.
Save, Save, SAVE: Instagram and TikTok both have features that allow you to save audio for future use. Make sure to save sounds as you scroll that you want to use later. (Or check your inbox for The Scoop!)
Script Your Message: We all get social media stage fright. Start by planning what you want to say, but aim for around 30 seconds. It’s better to be concise than to get lost in the scroll of short-term attention spans.
Collect Your Content: Ideally, you’re planning your content ahead of time and know exactly what to post this month. To keep up with the trends, you should leave yourself the creative wiggle room to meet your content goals while also taking advantage of the rising tide of trends. Here’s a freebie to get your content planning started ➝ Content Gathering List
There are helpful worksheets like this and more in our social media strategy and content posting course, available only in the Library…
Utilize B-Roll Footage: Enhance the quality of your reels by integrating supplementary footage, known as B-roll, which adds depth and visual interest to your storytelling, making your content more engaging and captivating for your audience. These clips could include the day-to-day activities of your brick-and-mortar business, making your morning coffee, going out for business lunches, time-lapses of someone packing orders, etc.
Caption Your Video: Instagram allows users to automatically caption their videos with generated (and editable) on-screen captions. This makes your content ADA-friendly and provides both visual and audio interest.
Add Voiceover: Yes, you can speak and use trending audio! Voiceovers are especially helpful for personal brands where YOU are at the front and center of your business. Once you’ve uploaded your video, here’s how to record a voiceover:
Troubleshoot ➝ Why can’t I use this audio?: If you find your account unable to use specific audio on Instagram, it’s because of your account’s settings as a business vs a creator vs a personal account. There are three levels of accounts, and business accounts (while necessary depending on the business type) have way more copyright rules in place and therefore you’ll have an entire library of different sounds with licensing in place for you to use! Don’t think of it so much as limiting but as an aid to cutting down on any headaches that could arise by using audio that you’re not permitted to use.
Use Instagram Templates: This feature allows users to find templates already created for trending sounds. All you have to do is upload your clips, and they will be automatically cut perfectly for the audio.
WHY USE TRENDING SOUNDS?
Trending sounds are a powerful way to increase the reach of your content online, as social media platforms will push this content to users more often. Take advantage of these resources and don’t be afraid to experiment. Look to others for inspiration, but let your brand’s unique voice and messaging guide the process.
Unsure how to find your brand’s voice? We can help with that.
