How to Create B-Roll Reels with 6 Easy Formulas

Does anyone remember what Instagram looked like waaay back in 2019?

Grids were filled with pretty squares of photos, some selfies, and statement graphics (you know, those images with words on them).

But then 2020 rolled in, TikTok blew up, and videos became the new it girl in town. 💁‍♀️

Instagram wasn’t about to get left behind, so they gave us reels.

The thing is, the statement graphics Instagram was known for didn’t actually go away; they evolved. We swapped the Canva backdrop for 7 seconds of video, added music and we now call them ✨ b-roll reels ✨.

Now, b-roll reels are hands down the easiest and most consistent way to get views on Instagram.

What started as a trend has become a go-to format that consistently gets you views when you do it right.

The best part is, they’re SOOO easy to make – even if you don’t like being on camera. 🙈

So, I’m going to let you in on exactly what you need to create your b-roll content, PLUS 6 easy formulas you can use to write copy for them fast.

Let’s dive into it!

What is a B-Roll Reel?

Here’s the thing about b-roll reels: they’re stupidly simple.

They’re literally just a video with words on top. That’s it – done. A statement graphic, but in motion.

The term “B-roll” itself comes from the world of TV.

When the news talks about a truck, they’re going to show you a truck. It might not be THE truck that they’re talking about, though. It’s just a little clip to fill the screen.

In TV land, they call it “say truck, see truck,” but you can bring the same idea into your content creation.

The video ideas for your b-roll reels don’t have to be complicated. The clip is meant to just be filler footage – nothing fancy.

 I know it can feel like a big production to set up the camera and record little clips of yourself throughout the day. It’s intimidating, for sure, but this part doesn’t have to be complicated. Instead of looking at it as “creating content,” try to look at it like grabbing quick little snippets of your day instead. 

Here are the most common types of b-roll footage to get you started:

Types of B-Roll Footage for Reels

There’s no “wrong” way to film b-roll videos.

The footage itself can be anything. It can be super casual, maybe even a little random and quirky. Just like the truck, your video is mostly just filler running behind the text on the screen.

Here are a few easy b-roll format ideas to get you started.  

Classic B-Roll Footage

This is the most common style of b-roll footage for reels. It should just be you doing everyday, normal things while the copy on the screen delivers your message.

Think…

• Drinking your morning coffee
• Typing on your laptop
• Writing in a notebook
• Reading a book by the window
• Setting up for a Zoom call

The key is to not overthink it. Just set up your camera and hit ‘record.’

Faceless B-Roll Footage

For those of you who are camera-shy, yes, you can create b-roll footage without ACTUALLY being on camera.

This could be just a shot of your tea steeping in your favorite mug…

The camera panning over the flowers in your garden or wind rustling the leaves in a tree…

Just your hands arranging your work gear…

This style works well when you need something low effort but still ✨ aesthetic. ✨

(Quick tip though… While you don’t HAVE to be in your b-roll content, but you SHOULD be. Your content will perform better if you are. Don’t rely on faceless footage too too often. After all, YOU are the greatest asset you have in your business.) 

Pointing B-Roll Footage

You’ve DEFINITELY seen this type of b-roll while scrolling.

It’s the b-roll reels of a person smiling, then they point to different areas of the screen and words appear.

To do this, just find a comfy place to sit or stand and make sure there’s empty space around you.

Then, gesture to the places you plan to edit words into.

Simple as that. Just you waving to invisible things around you. 💁🏻‍♀️

6 Simple Formulas for Writing B-Roll Reel Copy FAST

The point of a b-roll reel isn’t necessarily to have your written content match your text, which, admittedly, can be hard to wrap your head around.

In fact, the most high-performing b-roll reels have text that has nothing to do with what’s happening on screen.

The text is the juicy part of your b-roll reel.  It’s where you’re educating, nurturing, or selling your service. 

So, to make writing your b-roll reel copy as easy as possible, here are 6 formulas I teach in my Magic Marketing Machine program to write b-roll reel copy fast. ⬇️

1. Question/Answer

When your leads or clients ask you questions, they’re essentially writing your content FOR you. 

Question/Answer b-roll reels are perfect for posting those FAQs. 

(Because if one person is asking, there are DEFINITELY at least 10 more wondering the same thing. They just haven’t DM’d you yet.)

You can use the question and reformat it into a hook, or just leave it as-is.

Then, leave a small pause before revealing the answer in 1-2 sentences over your footage. 

You can even add “Read more in the caption” if you need to elaborate your answer even further. 

The question hook gets people curious, and the pause keeps them glued to the screen waiting for your answer.

And more watch time = a positive engagement signal that tells the Instagram algorithm your content is worth showing to way more people. 🙌

2. Hook/Reveal

Hook/Reveal is like Question/Answer’s spicier cousin. 

They’re perfect for flipping someone’s way of thinking, calling out a mistake, or dropping an awesome tip that makes viewers stop and go, “Wait… really?!”

Start by taking a hook from the Hook Library – something super punchy and scroll-stopping. 

Pause for 1-2 seconds, then reveal the answer on-screen in a big TA DA ✨ moment. 

You can also pause and leave a “Read the caption” statement instead of a full reveal if you need a bigger space to really dive into the information you’re dropping. 

Example 1

Example 2

3. Backwards Storytelling

Have you ever watched food or recipe reels that start with an amazing-looking pie or a mac and cheese casserole? Then, a second later, it rewinds and goes through the recipe step by step from the start?

That format is called backwards storytelling, and it’s something you can absolutely use to market your service-based business, too. 

This works perfectly for telling stories or showcasing results.

First, you start with the final product or end result.

For example, in my case, I might say: “My client grew her Instagram x3 in just 15 minutes a day!”

Then, the text on the screen – or even the clips themselves – takes the viewers through the beginning of the story all the way back to the end. 

Example

4. 3 Steps to Result

This one’s a classic for a reason – it just WORKS.

(And honestly, you’ve probably already done this format in a carousel, so you already know what to do.)

People LOVE clear, simple steps, and that’s what the 3 Steps to a Result format is all about. 

Start with a hook that promises a result:

“3 Things I Do to Get My Kids in Bed – WITHOUT Complaining!”

Or “How to Create an Instagram Content Strategy with These 3 Things”

Then, reveal each of the 3 steps to get there. 

Keep the steps short and practical, and have them appear one at a time so viewers stay and watch longer. (Instagram LOVES when viewers stay to watch full reels!)

If you want, you don’t even have to reveal all three steps. Tease the final step in your reel, but leave the big explanation for your caption. 

Example

5. Guts Spill

Got something important to say? Spill ALL of your thoughts into words on the screen. 

Create one big lump of text and lay it over your 5-7 second b-roll footage. 

Unless people are reading insanely fast, your video will probably play through at least twice while they read. 

And what does the algorithm see? 

TONS of people watching your video all the way through. Not just once, but twice.

That sends tells Instagram that your content is worth watching, so it shows it to even MORE people.

Example

6. How To with a Loop

Content that teaches people how to do something will always be popular.

But teaching in a way that also gets you extra views? Perfection 🙌🏻

For b-roll reels, you lay out the how-to info you’re teaching, but add a loop in your video.

Looping your video just means designing it in a way to make it look like it never ends.

So as viewers watch the clip, they keep watching and accidentally view it completely more than once. All the extra views send extra engagement signals up to Instagram’s algorithm, and your reel will get shared to more and more people!

To create a loop, choose footage where the camera stays completely still. 

The easiest thing you can do is enter from one side of the frame and exit through the other. 

Lay a hook over your video that tells viewers how to get something they want.

Then, add in a couple of steps they can take to get to that result. 

Like Guts Spill, it’s a big chunk of text, but because of the looping effect, viewers don’t even notice they’ve watched the video more than once. 

Example

👉🏻 Side note: I know these last two are kind of sneaky. 

You might be thinking, “What’s with all the trickery?!”

Just know that, yes, you are tricking Instagram’s algorithm a little bit. 

But you HAVE to optimize your posts if you want people to hear your message. 

You’re not cheating. You’ve just optimized your way of creating value and getting more reach. 

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B-roll reels work so well because they remove some of the pressure of content creation. 

There’s no need for perfect footage that needs tons of editing. 

The video is the easy part. It’s the words that do the heavy lifting. 

BUT with these 6 B-roll formulas, even writing the copy doesn’t have to be difficult.  

Instead of staring at a blank screen, you have a simple and repeatable way to share your message and stay consistent. 

Just quickly film your b-roll idea, then add your copy following one of these formulas. 

Remember, don’t overthink your video content. B-roll is just filler footage with your oh-so-important copy layered on top.

The words are the part you can’t afford to mess up. 

A weak hook is the #1 reason most people’s b-roll reels flop.

If your opening doesn’t grab attention, people will read it, say “meh,” and scroll away.

That’s exactly why I created the 50 Hooks Bootcamp!

You’ll never waste 20 minutes stuck trying to figure out what to write for your reel copy.

In the bootcamp, you’ll get a full library of hooks, video training on hook strategy, AND ChatGPT prompts to come up with hundreds of amazing hooks in seconds.

So instead of crossing your fingers and hoping your copy stops the scroll, you’ll know it will.

Ready to start collecting views just because of your awesome copy?

Grab the 50 Hooks Bootcamp mini course today!