[Social Scoop] New Instagram GenAI media editing tools // 3 best practices for high-performing Reels // Meet me in San Diego?

... quick update for you You are receiving my weekly Social Scoop email newsletter as you have subscribed via my website and/or via my Social Scoop Facebook Group. If you want to STOP receiving emails from me, you can unsubscribe using the link at the foot of this email. All good, no hard feelings. Cheers! 😊 Greetings {NAME}! Have you had a chance to play around with Instagram's new AI-powered tools yet? I must say, these tools are rather fun. (But, who knows if the novelty will wear off sooner or later. Ha. 😝) Meta's whole goal here is likely two-fold: i) continue to keep up with Generative AI features, in particular, and ii) entice users to spend even more time on the platforms. 😁 I gave the first two tools mentioned below a whirl the other day and put a pic of my brand new, shiny Subaru Solterra Touring EV under a lovely backdrop of the aurora borealis. And then also made a cutout of a cup of snow that Christopher brought down the mountain for me and placed it on top of my car. HA! You know, just for fun. 🙃 ❄️ The tools available for Stories (and Reels) on IG so far include: Backdrop - select a photo with a strong object > just one tap on the object (works just like background remover on Canva) > then use a fun AI prompt to create a totally new background! "With backdrop, you can reimagine your image’s background with just a few taps and a prompt like ‘chased by dinosaurs’ or ‘surrounded by puppies’ to create an entirely new image for your Story," Ahmad Al-Dahle, generative AI lead at Meta, [posted on Threads](=). Cutouts - turn part of any photo or video into a custom sticker that you can use in your Stories and Reels. Templates - create re-usable versions of your Stories formats, enabling you to put together custom quizzes, prompts, etc., based on existing in-stream tools. “People will be able to develop and share their own custom, meme-able Add Yours templates by pinning GIFs, text, and gallery images to a Story template. Add Yours story templates gives people more ways to express their creativity in Stories and share what’s on their mind with their followers," Instagram stated. Plus, new photo filters / vibes. Alas, for now, some of these new AI features are only rolled out to U.S.-based users. But likely coming soon to more areas around the world. Read more on Instagram's blog [here]( and on SocialMediaToday [here](. Are Facebook and Instagram Reels a part of your marketing mix? = 3 Best Practices for High-Performing Reels Whether you’re publishing organic and / or paid Reels, follow these 3 best practices for high-performing reels: - Build for 9:16 VERTICAL video to make your Reels feel immersive. - Build for SOUND-ON to make your Reels ads captivating. - Build inside the SAFE ZONES to ensure your message doesn’t get obscured by the Reels UI. You don’t need to strive for perfection. Done is better than none! Will you create a Reel today?! You can learn more about each of these 3 best practices on [this Instagram Reel]( and / or [this Reel inside my Facebook Group](! #ad #MetaPartner - this is one of the many updates/projects I've teamed up with Meta on to help educate more businesses on Meta tools and features. Will I see you at Social Media Marketing World? Would you like to meet me in San Diego in February? ☀️🌴 It's the annual [Social Media Marketing World mega conference]() and is always such a rewarding experience on so many levels. You'll learn an absolute boatload of exciting, cutting edge, marketing strategies to help grow your business or career, not to mention networking with thousands of your peers, and even making new lifelong friends! I'm honored to speak at SMMW24 for my 12th year in a row. Wow, how time flies! My talk this year is: Facebook Marketing in an AI World: Your Roadmap for the Future If flying/traveling to San Diego is not on the cards for you, there's always a [virtual]() option! Feel free to reach out to me anytime. You can reply to this email. Plus, come connect with your fellow marketers in my wonderfully supportive [Social Scoop Facebook Community](). That's all for now. Cheers 'til the next time! Mari Smith CEO, Mari Smith International, Inc. Premier Facebook Marketing Expert Top Social Media Thought Leader Author, The New Relationship Marketing P.S. I trust you're gearing up (or is it gearing down?!) for a most delightful Holiday Season. I hope it's a meaningful time for you and that you and your loved ones co-create many wonderful memories! 🎅 On a personal note, I am so pumped to welcome back my sister Fiona and her hubby Stuart as my houseguests again. They live in Scotland and are currently on a one-year sabbatical traveling North America. We had a lovely visit in July, and again in the Kootenays, B.C. with our mama in Sept. Ahh, and now it's such a blessing to host family for Christmas and New Year celebrations in my new home in Ashland, Oregon! 🎄 (This is just a GIF... 🔥 I do have a cozy wood stove, 2 cats, but no dog, and not quite a log cabin, but close!) NOTE: the SMMW24 link is affiliate tracking; I may receive a commission if you sign up using my ink. The Meta Lead Gen Ads is a sponsored post as part of the Meta Megaphone program that Meta recently hired me to participate in. If you have any questions or feedback, you can reply directly to this email. If you prefer not to receive any emails from me, click to [Unsubscribe]( from all communications, including my Social Scoop newsletter. Mari Smith International, Inc. 1467 Siskiyou Blvd #7 Ashland, Oregon 97520 United States (858) 215-3001 Manage how we communicate with you, [update your preferences]( anytime.