If you’ve ever asked, “Do I really need to be posting videos to grow my brand?”, you’re not alone. Between juggling campaigns, emails, and product launches, it’s easy for organic social content to slip into the “we’ll get to that later” pile.
Trust us, we get it. Especially since it takes longer to reap the rewards of organic content, and sometimes, the rewards aren’t as clear or measurable.
But the truth is that organic content, especially short-form videos such as Reels, TikToks and YouTube Shorts aren’t just another marketing channel – it’s truly becoming one of the most effective ways businesses can build relationships, drive conversions, and turn casual scrollers into lifelong advocates of your brand.
In this article, we’ll break down:
- Why short-form organic content is essential for brands to utilise
- How brands can use Reels and TikToks strategically
- Simple, effective video content ideas for each stage of the customer journey
Why Reels and TikToks Matter for Brands
Yes, in 2020 TikToks were dominated by teens lip syncing and doing dance trends, but TikTok and thereafter Reels and YouTube Shorts have become much more. They’ve become a way that brands can reach and engage their niche communities, educate, showcase customer testimonials and experiences, and humanise their brand.
Here’s why these platforms matter more than ever:
- Organic reach is still alive: Unlike static posts, Reels and TikToks are actively pushed by algorithms, giving even small brands the chance to go viral (if done right) – although going viral shouldn’t necessarily be the goal.
- Video content builds trust: People want to see real people using real products, not just polished photos! Consumers want to purchase from brands they know, like and trust. So by truly leaning into this process of creating content that will help build trust with your target consumers, you’re doing a lot more than can be directly measured. Because, each time you post content that’s authentic to your brand (consumers are smart, they can see through you if you’re not authentic), it’s building and strengthening the trust that consumers have with your brand. Which, in time, will drive conversion and loyalty.
- Conversion doesn’t stop at checkout: Post-purchase content keeps your brand front of mind, increasing loyalty and repeat purchases.
If you’re still skeptical, 87% of consumers say they’ve bought a product after watching a brand’s social video (Wyzowl, 2025).
Awareness: Catching Eyes and Stopping Scrolls
This is your top-of-funnel moment, where the goal is to turn strangers who haven’t seen or heard of your brand to essentially know who you are.
We want to spark interest and showcase your brand values without pushing for the sale (yet).
Types of Reels and TikToks that build awareness (and are extremely effective at engaging viewers)
- Behind-the-scenes glimpses of your team, processes or packaging – users on social media have proven to adore this type of authentic content from brands. Especially when you showcase the hard work, the ups and downs, the things that go right and equally the things that go wrong.
- Founder story or origin videos: these are so impactful! By showcasing your founder story, you’re being vulnerable and allowing for connection and trust-building with potential customers. These customers will be more inclined to like you and want to eventually purchase from you if they trust you and your founder. Examples of brands who have benefitted from founder storytelling include KORA Organics and Showpo.
- Trending audio with a unique twist relevant to your product or audience: this type of content provides multiple benefits; it creates a greater potential for virality while simultaneously sparking an interest in your brand due to the unique twist you’ve put on the trending type of content.
- “Did you know?” content about ingredients, sustainability or values to educate consumers and spark interest in who your brand is and what you stand for.
Tips to maximise reach:
- Use trending audio, but put your own twist on the reel for authenticity
- Aim to hook your viewer early on, in the first 3 seconds if possible, since the goal is to have scroll-stopping content. Why should people stop scrolling and pay attention to your content?
- Add captions, since many viewers actually watch without the sound on
- Include hashtags that mix niche + general reach (e.g. for a natural beauty brand you could have #naturalbeauty #beauty type hashtags combined the general #eCommercebrand or #BTS)
How to track awareness
Shares and saves – the more people are sharing your content with their friends and saving for themselves, the more you know you’re doing a good job with gaining their attention. Reach is also important, but don’t get lost in this, because at the end of the day, it can just end up being a vanity metric when it’s not reinforced by the other metrics.
Conversion: From Interest to Action
This is the stage of the funnel where you turn knowing about your brand into preferring your over your competitors.
High-converting content includes:
- Tutorials or how-tos using your product in everyday scenarios
- “This or That” comparisons (especially for skincare or fashion ranges)
- Customer reviews or unboxings – this works so great when combined with user-generated content, where potential customers can see themselves in your customers. Not to mention, they’re naturally more likely to trust other people over a brand.
- Before-and-after results – only if they’re real, trust is key!
Don’t worry about high production value since authenticity significantly outperforms polish almost every time. Use natural light, your phone camera, and a bit of heart.
Smart CTAs to weave into your captions:
- “Shop via the link in our bio”
- “Tag someone who needs this”
- “Want to try this? Use code WELCOME15 for 15% off”
How To Track Conversion
- Click-through rate (CTR) – Measures the percentage of users who click on links in your posts. A high CTR suggests compelling content and clear calls to action
- Conversion Rate: This KPI measures the percentage of users who take a desired action (e.g., sign-up, purchase, download) after clicking from a social media post.
Loyalty: Keeping Your Community Coming Back
You’ve made the sale, now what? This is where we want customers to return to you.
Ongoing content to nurture your community is what deepens loyalty, creates community, and drives repeat purchases.
Loyalty-building ideas:
- User-generated content (UGC) reposts with permission
- Q&As about product use, restocks or sustainability efforts
- “Real customer routine” spotlights
- Exclusive peeks into upcoming launches or team life
Here it’s beneficial to nurture your community through rewarding engagement, reply to comments, repost stories, and celebrate your community, even on a small scale. Remember, social media is supposed to be social!
Easy Tools To Help Your Video Content Creation
Getting started with Reels or TikToks doesn’t require a professional studio, just a few simple tools can dramatically improve the quality of your videos:
- Smartphone Filming: Your phone camera is more powerful than you think! Just make sure to give the lens a quick clean before filming, this one simple step can dramatically improve the clarity and quality of your footage.
- Tripod: A tripod is a game-changer for stability. Whether you’re filming yourself or capturing product shots, a steady frame makes your content feel more polished and intentional.
- CapCut: This user-friendly editing app is a go-to for many content creators. The free version offers a suite of tools perfect for beginners, with the option to upgrade later if you want more features. Start experimenting, you’ll be surprised at how intuitive it is.
- Canva: While Canva is often known for graphic design, it also offers easy-to-use video editing tools. We usually recommend CapCut for more seamless editing, but Canva is a solid option if you’re already familiar with it or prefer an all-in-one platform.
Final Thoughts
The best part about Reels and TikToks? They don’t require a big budget or fancy agency shoots.
But they do require consistency, relatability, and a willingness to connect, all things that your brand likely already does offline!
If a video flops, don’t stress! Not every piece of content will perform how you want it to, and that’s just part of the process. Learn, tweet, and continue creating, because it’s about so much more than just going viral.
At Omni Online, we help businesses throughout each stage of the marketing funnel through a full suite of services. So if you’re struggling with your social media, overall strategy, or any aspect of your digital marketing, we’d love to have a conversation!
Book a free digital alignment introduction call to see how we work alongside you to achieve your growth goals through digital marketing!
