What's in this article:
Why Use Slate for Reels?
When it comes to branded, short-form content that's ready for Reels, Slate is your go-to app. Slate combines flexibility, creativity and branded elements with an efficient, social-first user experience allowing anyone to make Reels easily, efficiently and on-brand. Once you're done creating your latest Reel, just export it to Instagram or download for use later.
Does Slate Hurt Performance on Instagram?
It's a question we had ourselves. Fortunately, thanks to a variety of discussions, it became clear that for Instagram, the most important thing you can do for your content is to build your brand. Brand recognition is what powers action and more so than any algorithm chasing methods (switching your focus every few months), building your brand will create an instant awareness and credibility to anything you do.
Creating Content for Reels
To create eye-catching Reels, use these five Slate features:
Video Editing
Captions
Asset Duration
Watermarking
Safe Zones
Photo Editing for Cover Images
1. Video Editing
Whether you use our timeline editor on mobile or on web, combining, trimming, and editing clips through Slate has never been easier with our video editing options. You can also use layouts to combine a video and photo or to have multiple clips playing at once.
TIP: Make sure you turn on safe zones in the mobile app or the web creation studio to make sure that your captions + graphic elements aren't interferring with native overlays.
How to Edit Videos on Mobile
Open up the mobile app and select videos from 'Media' or 'Timeline' buttons in the toolbar. If loading content through the 'Media' drawer, be sure to click the small movie icon at the bottom right of the drawer to select multiple videos
Once videos are added, tap on the 'Timeline' button to trim, split, crop, reorder and edit your videos.
How to Edit Videos on Web
Click the 'Create Content' button at the top right of your web dashboard and select 'New Project'
Load your video clips into your media drawer and click each to add to the timeline.
Once videos are added, you can edit them from the video timeline by trimming, splitting, or duplicating them
2. Captions
Fast, seamless, and always in line with your brand’s look, Slate’s captioning tool on mobile and on web ensures that your Reels content stands out and stays accessible for all audiences. Simply upload your content on mobile, click the caption tool, choose your language, select your font and colors, and place the captions anywhere on screen.
How to Create Captions on Mobile
Upload a video
Click 'Captions' and select your language
Customize your captions by choosing your font, colors, size, and more
Make any text edits you need
How to Create Captions on Web
Upload a video
Click 'Captions' on the left hand toolbar and select your language
Choose your presets, customizations animations, and text placement
Make any text edits you need
If needed, when exporting, make sure to download the SRT file for other captioning uses
3. Asset Duration
For quick hitting text, sponsor logos, GIFs and graphics, asset duration is the key. Add some eye-catching elements to your video content with creative assets that pop on and off the screen according to your timing.
How to Add Asset Duration on Mobile
Add any text, graphic, or media as a sticker to a video
Tap the element to set duration or go to 'Timeline' in the bottom toolbar and set duration there
How to Add Asset Duration on Web
Add any text, graphic, or media as a sticker to a video
Adjust the timing of the element in the timeline view by dragging the side handles of the element
4. Watermarking
In today's social media world, using watermarking overlays is a go-to method of making sure any audience knows your content is actually yours. By applying a simple watermark overlay with your logo (or even a sponsor's logo) you can make sure that the brand stays top of mind no matter where the content is posted.
How to Watermark on Mobile
Design and load in a watermark overlay and load it into your brand dashboard
Choose a piece of media
Scroll through and pick your preferred watermark overlay from the 'Overlays' button in the bottom toolbar
How to Watermark on Web
Design a watermark overlay and load it into your brand dashboard
Choose a piece of media from your media drawer
Scroll through and pick your preferred watermark overlay
6. Photo Editing for Cover Images
Creating custom cover images can be a great to gain and retain attention by providing a preview or context to the Reel that's about to be watched. Organizations across industries use clean, branded cover images to increase their engagement. It's a simple step that can lead to big results.
How to Edit Photos for Cover Images
Choose a piece of media you want to use as a cover image. This could be a photo or a screen capture of the video being used for the Reel
Export the final image by clicking 'Share'
Open Instagram, and load it as the cover image for your Reel.
Customer Success Stories
Creating Reels with Slate is an efficient way to make high-quality, branded content quick. That's why users across the world have chosen Slate for their video content on IG. Examples of customers include the Dallas Mavericks who used Slate fonts and asset duration for an April Fools prank with nearly 15m views. 2K used our watermarks for Wrestlemania, and World Surf League showed off Kelly Slater's perfect 10 with some branded text.
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FAQs:
Q: Will using Slate hurt performance on IG?
A: No. The best thing you can do for success on IG is to build your brand. This is a long-term strategy that plays into the strengths of Slate.
Q: Can Slate translate captions?
A: Not yet! Slate can only transcribe in the language being spoken in the video, and can only service one language per video.
Q: Can I use safe zones on web?
A: No, safe zones are currently only available on mobile.
Q: Can I save my work as I go?
A: Yes! On web, projects automatically save your work as you go. On mobile, go to the three dots in the top right corner to open up a menu and click 'Save Project.' You can then access saved projects from that same menu.