Quick & Easy Tips to Create Content with B-roll

Do you want to know the secret to creating really quick and effective Instagram reels? It’s B-roll. Put some B-roll with valuable content and trending audio and you’ve got a killer reel. It’s your answer to creating high-quality content without all the extra time and stress. Am I making it sound too easy? This blog post will get you set up so you can start creating your B-roll and viral reels in no time. 

 

 

Creating content for Instagram does not have to be hard. It can be a lot easier than you think and, dare I say, fun. If you don’t believe me, just try creating a reel after you implement my tips from this post and then you can decide if it feels more doable or not. If you’re still not convinced, it may be time for you to join Insta Social Society. Perhaps some guided help and a community are what you need to turn your Instagram journey around!

 

 

What Is B-roll? 

B-roll used to mainly act as a link between scenes in movies. Now, it is used in a completely different way that attracts viewers on Instagram and other platforms. Simply put, B-roll is a 5-12 second video of some type of action taking place. It could be as simple as you walking in and out of the frame. 

The options for filming B-roll are endless, but no matter what you use as B-roll you want to make sure you are using it to boost your reels and videos. For a deeper look on B-roll, check out my post HERE that will answer all of your questions and more.

 

4 Quick Steps to Creating a Reel with B-roll

B-roll Step #1: No matter what you’re filming, the main thing is to keep them as short video clips, usually ranging between 5-12 seconds. 

B-roll Step #2: Your B-roll’s best friend is going to be trending audio that you can find on Instagram. (If you’re tired of looking for trending audio, you should join Insta Social Society because I send you weekly trending audio right to your inbox!)

B-roll Step #3: Add a great hook at the top that will make people stop scrolling and want to watch your reel. Think about the most ideal person you would serve in your audience and what they would want to hear. If you want fresh hook ideas, grab my list of 131 hook ideas HERE!

B-roll Step #4: Add valuable content to the video. As a bonus step, you can direct people to your caption to find out the answer they are looking for about your reel. 

If you use ManyChat, you could also use your reels as an opportunity for people to comment a keyword of your choice that will trigger an automated response and a DM that you created previously. If you haven’t heard of ManyChat or haven’t started using it as part of your marketing strategy, take this as your sign that it’s time to include it! Check my blog posts HERE to get started. 

Quick B-roll Recap:

• Record a 5-12-second video of yourself doing anything
• Attach trending audio
• Add a hook
• Include valuable content in the reel and caption

 

 

Create a B-roll Bank

B-roll takes off some of the pressure of content creation. If you are standing up and doing talking head videos all the time, that takes a lot of time and effort. It’s hard to show up like that consistently and often isn’t sustainable. With B-roll, you can film a batch of content and use it whenever you need to. 

This is what I call a B-roll bank. It is simple and easy to do. Every time I create a bunch of B-rolls I will put it in a folder on my phone so it’s all in one place. Organizing your B-rolls into their own folders can save you valuable time, allowing you to find what you need immediately without scrolling through all your content. 

 

 

You can even reuse the B-roll too. I don’t recommend using the same B-roll footage in the same week, but every month would be okay. If you use the same B-roll but switch up the trending audio, hook, and content that will still be super valuable without having to create yet another reel from scratch. 

 

DISCLAIMER

No strategy, tactic, or hack can overcome bad content. If you’re already posting reels with trending audio, B-roll, etc. and you’re still not growing, look at your content and ask yourself if it’s useful. Is it content that people would save or share? If it’s content that is all about you and not about your audience then you need to switch that around. Your content should always be focused on your audience and their needs–never about you and yours.

As content creators, our job is not to create a lot of noise, but a lot of value. There are different forms of valuable content. They are educational, entertaining, engaging, and empowering. When creating your content, ask yourself which of the four forms your reel falls under. If you’re unclear then you need to do some editing. 

 

Quick Tips for Creating Valuable B-roll Content

 

 

B-roll Tip #1: Movement

This is where you’ve got to have some visual hooks. E.g. walking in and out of the frame, chopping salad, painting on your canvas, etc. Think about things that you’re already doing every day and could be quick and easy to record. You can check out my Instagram HERE for some examples! 

 

B-roll Tip #2: Use a tripod. 

If you are intentionally going out to create B-roll using a tripod allows you to stick your phone wherever you want it to be and hit record. There’s no thought about where to set up your phone or getting the best angles with your phone propped up on something. A tripod is well worth the investment!

An alternative option would be FlipStick. I actually use it all the time. It’s something that goes on the back of your phone case and it acts as a little kickstand for your phone. It also has a sticky side that will stick to any flat surface which makes things really convenient when you want to record. You can check out FlipStick HERE and use code Michelle Gifford to get 20 percent off at checkout!

 

B-roll Tip #3: Record when in a new location.

If you are ever in a new place, take some time to record a B-roll. Whether you’re visiting family, at a retreat, or just at a different location it’s a great time to record because it’s different than what you’d normally record at your house. 

If you are recording in a new place this will probably require you to film in front of people…which can feel awkward. I have felt that and I get it. However, just like I told myself, I’m telling you to do it anyway. We need to get over people judging us. We’ll never see those people again and need to create content so our businesses can grow. That has to be more important than some random person’s judgment. 

 

 

Quick & Easy Tips to Create Content with B-roll

You may be wondering what type of B-roll you can record for your specific niche. Think about what you do every day. There are probably several things you could record in your everyday life that could work for your video content. 

However, I’ve had several of you reach out to me asking what type of B-roll would be best for their niche, so I decided to create the ultimate B-roll list. It’s free and I want you to have it. B-roll should be a part of your strategy right now because it’s simple and effective, so I’m giving you everything you need to make that happen. Grab your free Ultimate B-roll list HERE! 

Do yourself a favor and download the list, take some B-roll, and start your own B-roll bank! It will change how you do Instagram and it’ll make it so much easier. Again, if you want some guided help on your Instagram journey, join Insta Social Society! It’ll save you so much time and give you some focus on actually propelling your business forward. Also, make sure you’re following me on Instagram @iammichellegifford so we can stay in touch!