Young Professionals Network

Let’s Get “Reely” Into Instagram Videos!

By: Ariana Gillooly, Regional Account Manager with GIT Florida Title Services

What are Instagram Reels? They are Instagram’s take on TikTok. You can record and edit multiple 15, 30, or 60-second videos set to popular songs or sounds. Recent studies have shown that “Reels receive 22% more engagement than regular videos and 9 out of 10 users watch Instagram videos weekly.”1 Your Reels can show up on the “Reels page” on Instagram. That means, if your account is public, that even people who don’t follow you can see and engage with your Reels – that’s a major engagement hack and a huge

opportunity to grow your following!

CREATING REELS

STEP 1: CHOOSE A SONG/SOUND

Choosing a trending audio is best. The easiest way to do this is to scroll through your “Reels tab” for 10-15 minutes a day and look for trending sounds you want to recreate. You will know if they are trending by seeing an arrow next to the beginning of the song title on the bottom of the screen. If you would like to use that audio, tap on the audio title. You can either use it now or save it for later. If you choose to use the audio, the screen on the left will pop up. It will tell you how long you have to record to fulfill the full audio. If you choose to save the audio, it will go into your Saved audios. You can access that by tapping on the music button on your Reels screen. You can choose which part of the song you would like to use but I wouldn’t worry about changing it because Instagram always chooses the most popular part of the song for you.

STEP 2: RECORD

There are a few different kinds of Reels. The easiest ones are lip-syncing and the pointing to text bubbles ones. That’s a perfect way to start out if you are a beginner to Instagram Reels. For lip-syncing ones, always put the speed on 2-times speed. This slows down the audio, making it much easier for you to align your lips perfectly with it, - it also speeds up the final product. Always save to camera roll after each take with the download icon. The effects icon is where you can add filters. The sticker icon is where you can add stickers, gifs, captions, etc. The music icon is where you can edit the sound and volume of your voice if you are talking in a reel and add voice effects. The brush tool icon is where you can draw on your Reels. The text icon is where you can add text to your Reels for those people who watch without sound. In the article, The Complete Guide to Using Instagram Stories for Business, Hootsuite stated that, “60% of people watch Instagram Stories with the sound on and 40% watch with the sounds turned off.” I would recommend always using subtitles on your Reels!

STEP 3: POST

Once you are happy with everything, hit “next.” Choose the cover thumbnail from the video (or upload your own). Write your caption and include up to 30 hashtags, and always include the hashtags #reel and #instagramreel, these will increase your following on Instagram and help group content. Always make sure “also share to feed” is toggled on. Also, always tap “Crop Profile Image” and adjust what it will look like as a square on your Instagram grid. Tag any relevant people. Always add a location. Get as specific as you can! Always save the final version to your camera roll. It saves without audio but it is a lot easier to find the audio again than remake the Reel. Drafts get deleted often.

STEP 4: BECOME INSTA-FAMOUS

Only kidding! But if you do, be sure to thank me when you make it big! I hope this quick guide helped those of you who are Instagram Reel rookies. At the end of the day, just be yourself and have fun with it! Good luck! •

Sources: 1 | 17 Amazing Instagram Reels Statistics: What Marketers Need to Know by Tomislav; 35 Instagram Stats that Matter to Marketers in 2022 by Stacey McLachlan. 2 | https://blog.hootsuite.com/how-to-use-instagram-stories/ 3 | https://tomislavhorvat.com/17-amazing-instagram-reelsstatistics-what-marketers-need-to-know/

RASM NEWS RASM Recognizes Meghan Keever as ‘Humanitarian’ for Quarter 1

By: Meghan Keever, Realtor®, NextHome Excellence

RASM has established a Humanitarian Award to be bestowed quarterly, designed to recognize the Realtors® who are doing great things in our community. The RASM Community Outreach Committee has proudly recognized Meghan Keever, Realtor® with Fine Properties, as the RASM “Humanitarian of the Quarter” recipient for the First Quarter of 2022. Meghan has been chosen for this award due to her hard work and many volunteer hours with Care Net Manasota Pregnancy Center.

Care Net Manasota Pregnancy Center is a Christianbased organization that provides multiple levels of aid for women, men, and families who are facing an unexpected pregnancy, and other pregnancy-related needs. They provide free and confidential education, encouragement, and help to their clients who are in crisis, and they offer a safe place to find compassion, hope, and help, without judgment.

“We help women, men, and families who are dealing with all different situations,” said Meghan. “Whatever stage someone is at, we are here to support them. We don’t turn people away. Some women come to us who are excited to be pregnant, but they just need extra help. Sadly, some women have suffered a miscarriage and they are in desperate need of counseling or medical care. Others come to us who are dealing with the fear and anxiety of an unplanned pregnancy. They are lost and desperate and feel alone. We want people to know that we support them, and we are here for them.”

GETTING STARTED

Meghan first learned about Care Net Manasota because she was once in need of their services. Her firsthand experience has motivated her to volunteer with the organization and she is passionate about giving back.

“Care Net Manasota is family,” said Meghan. “I am a Board Member now, but that is not how my journey began. I was first introduced to Care Net Manasota by a dear friend of mine ten years ago because I was dealing with my own crisis pregnancy situation. This was a very difficult time in my life. I was in a desperate situation, and Care Net Manasota provided me with the resources and support I needed to make informed decisions for my future. My son is now almost ten years old and to this day, I am still in contact with my Care Net Manasota Counselors; they are my friends. They were a great support when I needed it the most, and I want to offer that same support to others.”

CARE NET MANASOTA SERVICES

Care Net Manasota offers multiple services to the community that are free and confidential. They care for people in so many different situations, whether it’s women who are excited about their pregnancies, but they need help with resources, or women who are considering abortion or are suffering afterwards, or women who have suffered through a miscarriage and need support. Services offered include free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, emotional support, post abortive healing, men’s fatherhood classes, medical, legal, and social service referrals, adoption support and referrals, and much more.

“I am so honored to be a part of the mission at Care Net Manasota,” added Meghan. “We are active in the community, and we want people to know that there is help and support, without judgment. We want to raise awareness in case anyone has an encounter with someone who is in need. This was the case for me. I didn’t know about Care Net Manasota, but my friend did, and she was able to help. Care Net Manasota gave me hope in a desperate time, and that is what we want to offer others. Receiving this award means so much to me. I am truly appreciative for the opportunity to share what Care Net Manasota offers the community.”

Care Net Manasota also has a “Earn While You Learn” program that allows women to earn points by taking classes on pregnancy or parenting and using those points to select baby items in their “Baby Boutique.” These items include donated baby necessities such as clothing, diapers, strollers, breast pumps, new car seats, maternity clothes, playpens, toys, and more. Care Net Manasota gladly accept any gently used maternity and baby items.

SUPPORTING CARE NET MANASOTA

Care Net Manasota operates in part by relying on volunteers, donations, and monetary contributions. This worthy organization needs our financial and volunteer support to continue helping our community.

“We recently held our Annual Gala in which we raise much-needed funds and awareness of what we can offer the community,” said Meghan. “We want to spread the word that we are here to help, to offer compassion and support when women and families need it most, so every contribution is greatly appreciated and goes to those in need.” Care Net Manasota’s next Gala will be held in October 2023. Date is TBD.

For more information about Care Net Manasota Pregnancy Center, visit https://friendsofcnmpc.org or call the center at 941-751-1966. Care Net Manasota is located at 5111 26th Street W, Bradenton, FL 34207. RASM sincerely thanks Meghan Keever for her dedication and giving spirit, and we thank all our members who volunteer and give to our community and make a difference in the lives of others. To nominate someone for the RASM Humanitarian Award, email outreach@myrasm.com. •