Your Next Powerful Piece of Content is Already on Your Phone

Your next incredible piece of content is probably already hiding in your camera roll. In this episode, we’re talking about the B-roll moments that are already on your phone, how to use simple visuals to tell stories, and the magic of finding the right identifiers (aka the words and phrases that make your audience feel truly seen). We’ll dive into those identifiers, exploring what your community calls themselves, how to call them out directly in your content, and why that can boost your engagement, reach, and sales to the next level. 

In this episode we’ll be covering:

• The importance of B-roll and using video clips or photos that tell a story, making your content feel more relatable and engaging.
• Tips and examples for creating high-performing Instagram reels that call out your target audience to boost engagement and reach.
• Using ChatGPT, real conversations from DM’s, and testimonials to discover the exact language your audience identifies with.
• How to use those identifiers and specific language that will help your followers feel seen and connected.
• The impact of creating a sense of community and belonging in your social media strategies.

Featured content in this episode:

• Prestonkonrad: If you want your bedroom to look…
• Thewed: Groom Portrait Ideas
• Bylillianzhang: Four things you need to start doing…

Recommended episodes:

• Episode 019: Convert Viewers to Followers with the “That’s Me” Reel
• Episode 042: Your Simple B-Roll Can Become Easy Reels That Actually Convert
• Episode 049: Relatable Humor That Says “They Get Me!”
• Episode 053: Use Customer Insights to Create Reels That Attract and Convert
• Episode 067: The Importance of Belonging on Social Media
• Episode 077: Simple B-Roll and Strong Hooks for Low-Effort, High-Impact Instagram Content

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Transcript

Shannon McKinstrie [00:00:05]:
I am your host, Shannon McKinstrie. Welcome to Good Content, the podcast where I remove the never ending content creation, guesswork and overwhelm so that you can actually enjoy being on social media again and growing your business with what has always worked. Good content. So I just got off the stage back in our hotel room at Disney. Just spoke at the Happy Adventures conference. And I'm fired up because one thing I really loved driving home to them was like, their next really powerful piece of content is probably already on their phone. I mean, we've only been in Disney for 24 hours.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:00:40]:
In the amount of video clips I wish I could give Disney people to use. Like, because when you really think about it, when the visual or the video, it already tells a story, your reel's gonna do even better, right? I love talking about B roll and let's be real, my B roll that I use is typically boring. I talk about it a lot in this podcast about how I always joke that, like, gosh, I wish I sold products or I wish I sold, like pretty things or experiences. I have to make my content feel like an experience, right? Because what we are doing on social media is creating experiences. And we can see ourselves in those experiences, whether it's a restaurant, a conference, we're at a lifestyle, we have things like that. So with that said, I really encourage them to, you know, really take a lot of B roll and to look at their camera roll and B roll, just so you know, just means a video clip where someone's not directly speaking to the camera. There's no main character.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:01:30]:
I mean, there can be because a lot of my B roll is me, but it's me sitting at a computer typing. It's not like I'm doing anything. The text is the star of the reel. When you use B roll like that, or let's say you're a wedding planner, you travel advisor, restaurant. If that video is gorgeous, you guys don't even need any text on the video. But people like me, businesses like mine, we gotta come with it with some copy and some text to help tell the story of what the reel is showing. Right? But anyway, what I'm getting to that is one of the strongest things that you can do as a business owner, a creator, is know those words to put on the B roll or at the beginning of your script or in your caption. That makes us feel seen, where we feel called out, we identify.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:02:21]:
So I want you to. And this is what I told them to do today and this actually wasn't something I plan on talking About, But I told them they need to all go to ChatGPT and find the identifier. What do your people identify themselves as? I did a reel last week where I talked about one of the really powerful talk to camera hooks in talk to camera reels, where it just said if you are blank. So one said if you are a 2026, groom or getting married to one, the next one said, if you want your bedroom to look fuzzy, and I forget what else furry and whatever you said, fuzzy like mine. And it was a green screen. And these will all be in the show notes, it was a green screen and it's like. So right when you're looking at it, you're looking at the visual going, yep. So he said, you know, if you want this, we're gonna tune in.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:03:03]:
And the third was if you don't wanna be broke in your 30s, something like that, they're calling out those identifiers. So what I told them is all this B roll that you hold, all these talk to cameras, I know it can feel silly, like taking all these silly little videos on your phone everywhere you go. You can turn them into really high performing reels by simply calling out your person so they feel seen and then giving them some sort of idea, suggestion, tip or a feeling. Right. I know that was kind of all over the place. But whether you're using B roll one day, a carousel, whatever it is, you need to know what your people identify themselves as or what phrases and words your people attach to. For me, it's 200 view jail, 300 view jail. It could be creators, less than 10,000 followers, right? Whatever it is, I have spent so much time, and I still do every week, looking at my DMs, testimonials of what my people identify themselves as.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:03:57]:
So the reason I wanted to talk about this today was because in today's presentation, which was for Disney travel agents, one of the reels I showed that I said was so powerful and viral, it literally says the reel calls out her people. She's a travel agent. And it said, welcome to the side of Instagram where we celebrate middle travelers. And she goes on to explain what that means. It's not luxury travelers, it's not budget travelers. It's right in the middle. So she goes on to say, not hostels, but not the four Seasons, not D, but this. And it went crazy.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:04:30]:
Do you know why it said it in the comments? I went right to the comments because it went viral. The comments are like, oh, my gosh. I never knew there was a name for Who I am. Do you know how powerful that is that she gave her people an identifier, a place to be right away, they're like, I belong here. This is the person for me. So with all that said, I know I talk a lot about B roll and it's so simple and tactical. I know it's not easy, but once you know what to call your people and what words, phrases that they attach to, you're going to double, quadruple your views, your reach, your engagement, your followers, your sales, everything. I promise you.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:05:04]:
Because that's what happens to my clients, even one of my clients, Katie, we, instead of saying, oh, here's some snacks I like as a nutritionist, do you know how boring that is? Right? So she and I work together. She knew that. She knows that we came up with couch snacks, because how relatable is that? So again, this is why, and I told them too today that, you know, hyperlocal is so big. I see content all the time from creators in Raleigh Durham area because the algorithm knows I attach myself to that area. So there's all sorts of ways you can do this. You don't have to just do it by what if I know you're probably listening. Like, we literally sell stuff to everyone. Okay? Like you sell Scrub Daddy, right? Okay, everyone needs a sponge to clean with, but Scrub Daddy even has a personality.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:05:44]:
There's a certain community around these brands and these products that makes them feel seen and heard. They are now invited and they are part of that world. And that's what I love to help my clients do. You create a space where they are like you have created part of my identity. And that's what social media does quicker than anything can, quicker than a billboard can, quicker than a website can, quicker than a commercial can. Okay, so when I say all this B roll and these carousels and these talk to camera script, what to do with that piece of content is call us out directly. Again, the girl who says, 2026 grooms or people marrying one, this is for you, right? And that's why I told the travel agents today, I said, don't just say you plan honeymoons. Every travel agent does.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:06:25]:
You're going to say, 2026 bride who wants relaxation, but your husband wants adventure. Here's where you're going, right? Let's say you're a yoga teacher. You have a yoga studio. Well, what is different about your yoga studio and how, what do your people identify as? Are they really yogis? Are they beginners? Are they new to it and intimidated? Call that out and lean on ChatGPT. Tell ChatGPT your whole story, why you started, who your people are, how they identify themselves, words they use. Look at your testimonials, look at your competitors testimonials. Again, my people, I do work with creator. I do work with people with hundreds of thousands of followers, some millions.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:07:02]:
But most of my people are trying to break out a 300 view jail. And that's why I say that. Or they've been at 10,000 views, 20,000, a million, and now all of a sudden, they're stuck in a thousand. I use that verbiage because they've told me that if I just said, here's how to grow your reach, no one cares. Here's how to get to 10,000 views again, they're gonna listen up. So when I say identifier, it doesn't just mean middle travelers, it doesn't just mean single moms, it doesn't just mean cancer survivor. It means situations they find themselves in, frustrations they have, and calling those out. And that's why I told all the travel agents, too, how first time we came to Disney World, it felt chaotic.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:07:39]:
We didn't really have a full plan. Now we're here, and I feel equipped because I've learned so much, right? So if I was them, I would have created reel and said. Hey, if you've ever gone to Disney World and felt overwhelmed, I want you to give it a second chance. And here's what you're gonna do. And I would tell them exactly what to do. That's winded and longer, but it works because you've called me out. You've made me feel seen. Whether you speak to people that are ready to drop, you know, a million dollars on a car, or whether you're talking to people who just.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:08:06]:
They're struggling in this economy, call it out. Make them feel seen. Sorry, I didn't really know where I was going with this podcast. I'm just really fired up because so much came up and I went rogue during my presentation a few times. So I was just like, you guys, we're creating experiences. We're making people feel seen, and we're calling them out. And once you do that, watch what happens to your account. Again. Look at the reels in the show notes.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:08:29]:
And we gotta go to Disney Cam and I are Tiana today. If you're watching on YouTube, very silly. We're so excited. I love you, friend. Again, take B roll of everything and use that B roll. Start writing down your thoughts. Turn it into talk to camera scripts. You guys are silly.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:08:43]:
We got to go. These girls are ready to go. And create amazing content that makes your people feel something and see you for who you are and how amazing you are. I love you, friend. Bye.