The Guru’s Advice on Instagram Reels
Sometimes the stars just aline and you are graced with the presence of brilliance. On Friday, fellow VO coach Diana Birdsall and I were lucky to have the amazing voice actor and personal brand strategist Jonathan Tilley in our Clubhouse room. Many know Jonathan from both his courses League of List Builder at nd My Content Calendar, and if you don’t know Jonathan you should. He is both a generous soul who gives his best to help everyone he talks to and a creative genius. From voice actors to models to photographers, working creatives who know Mr. Tilley simply do better! Jonathan himself uses Instagram Reels and was able to book $12,000.00 in new business from one Reel, and if he can do it, so can we! So, if you missed our Clubhouse or if we covered so much you couldn’t get it all down, here are some of my notes on what was covered:
Why Did Instagram Shift to Reels?
We started our chat on this topic. If you think Reels are brand new, they aren’t. This shift actually came in the summer of 2020. The folks at Instagram saw how popular TikTok was. There used to be IGTV. As Reels came into the picture, that went away.
Some of the Best Features on Reels
Jonathan enlightened us to some features that take reels to another level. He loves the timer. The timer allows you to set the button and have 3-10 seconds to wait before filming starts. Jonathan suggests using the 10-second option so that you are tulle camera ready at the start. Next, Jonathan loves the speed settings. He talked about how using 2x can just add a little more energy to your reel. Jonathan also chatted about aligning and how taking the time to align your reels really takes them to the next level.
Should We Be Sharing Our Posts Across Platforms?
Put simply, no. Jonathan explains that just like you don’t go to Tokyo for croissants and to Paris for sushi, do not create your reels on TikTok simply because crossposting is an option. While he hates playing to the algorithm. The algorithm prefers content produced within the app.
What is the Difference Between Videos and Reels?
If you’re like me, you might be surprised to know that there are still BOTH videos and reels!! A reel is a sub-genre of a video. As mentioned before, IGTV, which was the YouTube of Instagram, is gone now. Videos are vertical. Reels do have certain characteristics:
- They use trending audio
- They are fast
- There is no introduction
- This is your chance to bring your own style/authenticity
One of our Clubhouse attendees, Jen Greenfield, made the insightful comment that current TV commercials are actually using both trending audio and dances from Reels, so being savvy to these nuances is important to understanding current advertising trends.
The Deal With Hashtags
I learned so much from Jonathan’s discussion about hashtags. He explained that early in 2021 we were allotted 30 hashtags. Then it changed to 8-15 in the Spring of 2021. Then, it shifted again! First, I had no idea that if you use a hashtag in your stories, it is only seen or reached by those who follow you, so it in no way increases your following. Next, in general, in your Reels, Jonathan suggests using three to five hashtags. He personally always includes his name amongst them. Beyond that, he said it is no longer necessary. I can share that in the 10 days that I have been posting reels, I have increased my reach by more than 400% and I am rarely using hashtags. As Jonathan says, it is more important to create good content.
Do You Need Full Makeup for Instagram Reels?
Jonathan said 50% of your Reels should be show stopping. For me, I am more likely to be show stopping when my hair and makeup is done than when I am in my gym clothes. He also emphasized that it is important to show up, have fun, and be yourself.
How Do We Keep Up With current Trends?
Jonathan said it is most important to learn the 5 steps to Reels. Finding and saving trending audio is essential. Aligning is key. Knowing how to edit your Reel matters. Post them from the app without stickers. Once you have mastered the 5 steps, play and have fun! Jonathan says find your own style. Consider creating a series.
Does the Position of Instagram Reels Matter?
The position matters very much. Jonathan says we all need to stop putting that camera way up above our heads. Whatever we think it is doing, it’s not doing that. Instead the phone needs to be parallel to the back wall and we really just need our head and shoulders. Jonathan also suggests that if you have good light by a window this is always wonderful.
I consider the is to be the “Golden Rule” of voiceover! Whether a job is worth $200 or $2000, I treat every single client the same. If a new student books a single lesson or a five pack, they too are treated equally. First, I truly cherish each and every booking. Whether as a talent or as a 
One of my values is respect of everyone’s time. In the last year, I made a shift to using Calendly to book meetings and sessions. Automating bookings has been a huge improvement not just to my quality of life, but is also a giant nod of respect to my own time. There is no longer a repeated back and forth just ti schedule a 20 minute introductory zoom. Or when a student needs to book a session they have paid for, I no longer waste their time waiting for me to confirm a booking. It all happens seamlessly, which benefits everyone. Another way that I try to be respectful of everyone’s time, whether it is in a Clubhouse or a live session, is that I always am mindful of how much time has been booked. If an hour has been allotted, I try to work within the hour, and not run over. I always keep in mind everyone has a schedule.
Try to be giving when you work with clients. Don’t nickel and dime them, try to think of the big picture. When you go out to eat, and you ask for extra of something, how do you feel when the waitress immediately snaps about extra charges? Even if there are extra fees, there are pleasant way to introduce them, and then there is a tone that makes you seem like an anxious money grubber. Recently the traversing rod in my bedroom broke. I had to reach out to the local upholstery man, John, who had made them to come back and repair them. I had no idea how much he was going to charge and I had to call him repeatedly to beg him to do the work. I was worried that with each pleading call the price would go up. Instead, when he came to do the work, he charged me less than I expected. In this scenario, I was delighted by the quality of his work, his turnaround, and hsi fair price. This is how I want clients to feel every time they work with me.
Make it easy for clients to get what they need. Once you have a booking, turn that booking into a repeat client by making it is easy as possible for your customer to get exactly what they need by being genuinely helpful and kind. For example, I happen to have a lot of international clients. Often, the scripts were clearly not written by a native English speaker, and they need revision. I offer Copy Writing. If the changes are minimal, I do not charge. If the changes are quite involved, I send a helpful and caring note and suggest my usual hourly rate for this before I move forward.
When you build a house, sometimes you are doing an update to make a space your own and sometimes you are doing a gut renovation. Either way, from the outset, you need to consider your goals for the project. In voiceover, knowing your goals enables you to have direction in your daily pursuits. If you know where you want to be, and if you have a clear vision for yourself, it is easier to work towards reaching those goals. And the goals you have might well be completely different from other voice talents you know. For instance, I do not do medical narration or audio books. Two of the women in my accountability group work in both of these genres, so their goals and their day to day marketing endeavors look quite different. As a professional voice over actor, I am very clear about my passions and where I want to spend my time. This is a key component of my mindset.
Even though I am a working creative, from the start I have run my business like a business. Our mindset and the choices we make determine whether voice over is a business or a mere hobby. Do you want this to be your career or something you simply dabble in? For me, from day one, this was going to be a career. There was no other option. When I decided to pursue voiceover, I did so in lieue of returning to teaching, so I had the luxury of plunging into VO full time from the get go. Besides working full-time, other choices helped establish this is a business. Using a CRM is essential. This helps you track all of your outreach, your costs, your bookings, your contacts… all of your efforts in one place. I have blogged before about my experience using Voiceoverview, but I truly believe this specific CRM is essential to the success of my business.
If you really want to succeed in voice over, and establish yourself as a professional voice talent, you need to have a professional studio. First, it is essential to maintain business hours. As a business owner, if you want to be available and accessible to your clients, you should have set business hours each day. For me, I typically work from 8 am- 6 pm, and schedule breaks for myself at my lunch hour for things like exercise classes or seeing friends. I also use my lunch hour to make myself available for consultations with new students or people looking for demo. But, the main point, is that I am available to clients all day, every day, during regular business hours.
