You’ve Got the Photos. Now Here’s How to Actually Use Them.

Most women leave a brand shoot buzzing. The images are good. The b-roll looks brilliant. They post one photo, maybe change their profile photos and get a few lovely comments, and then… the folder sits quietly on their desktop for the next four months while they carry on using the same slightly awkward selfie from 2022.

It’s not laziness or ingratitude. It’s just that nobody told them what to do next.

So this is that bit. The practical, no-faff guide to getting your brand photos and b-roll off your hard drive and onto Instagram in a way that actually works.

We’re focusing on two formats: Reels and carousels. Because right now, those are the two doing the heavy lifting in terms of reach and engagement. A single static post is fine for your existing audience. But if you want new people to find you, Reels and carousels are where it’s happening. So here’s how to use brand photos on instagram.

Reels: Your B-Roll Is Made for This

Here’s the thing about b-roll. It looks like background footage. Hands on a keyboard. Walking into a room. Making a coffee. Flipping through a notebook. But what it actually is, is evidence. Evidence that you’re a real person, with a real business, doing real things. And Reels is the perfect format to use it.

You don’t need to be on camera talking. That’s a common misconception. Some of the best performing Reels are just b-roll with text over the top and a decent trending audio underneath.

Here’s a simple structure that works:

Start with three to five clips of your b-roll, each around two to three seconds long. Add text on screen that tells a story or makes a point. It could be a belief you hold, a myth you want to bust, something your clients always say to you before they book, or a before and after that describes a transformation.

Then add audio. You don’t need to find the trendiest sound on the internet. Something that fits the mood of your content is enough.

A few ideas to get you started with your own footage:

Use a clip of you working at your desk with text that says something like “your clients can’t hire you if they don’t know what you do.” Maybe a clip of you in conversation or looking at your phone with a caption about why showing up online matters more than feeling ready to show up online. Use a clip of your workspace or your products with a caption about the work that goes on behind the scenes. Use footage of you walking somewhere or doing something ordinary to talk about a belief that drives your business.

The point is that the b-roll provides the visual interest. You provide the substance. Between the two of you, you’ve got a Reel.

Carousels: Your Photos Are Perfect for This

Carousels reward people who stop and swipe. And Instagram rewards carousels by showing them twice in a feed if someone doesn’t engage the first time round. That alone is reason enough to use them.

The format is simple: the first slide does the job of stopping the scroll. The middle slides deliver the substance. The last slide tells people what to do next.

Your brand photos are genuinely well suited to this. Here’s how to use them:

Use a strong portrait as your first slide with a bold, direct headline over the top. Think about what your ideal client is thinking or feeling right now, and speak directly to that. Then use a mix of your other images across the middle slides, one image per slide, with supporting text that expands on your opening point.

It could be a list, or a short story broken into steps. It could be a set of truths your clients need to hear. The last slide should have a clear call to action. Not necessarily “buy now.” It could be “save this for later,” “share this with someone who needs it,” or “message me if this sounds familiar.”

The key thing with carousels is that each slide has to earn the swipe. If slide two is boring, nobody sees slides three through eight. So make sure every slide has something worth reading on it.

The Content You Can Make Right Now

If you’re sitting there thinking “yes but I don’t know what to say,” here are some starting points you can take and make your own.

A Reel using your workspace or product footage with a caption about the problem you solve and who you solve it for. A carousel walking through the most common mistake your clients make before they find you, one slide per mistake. A Reel built from your everyday b-roll with a caption about what your clients’ lives look like after working with you. A carousel about the questions you get asked most often, with one answer per slide.

A Reel using footage of you in your element with a caption about why you started your business and who it’s really for. A carousel that tackles the main objection your ideal client has before booking, and works through it honestly.

None of these require a new shoot. They just require you to open the folder and start.