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Instagram Edits App Is Here: What It Means for Small Businesses

Instagram

First, it was filtered selfies. Then came Boomerangs. Stories. Then Reels. Now? Instagram has dropped a new standalone video editing app Edits, designed to rival the likes of TikTok’s CapCut.

If you’re a small business owner who’s already juggling 67 apps (and probably a coffee), you might be wondering if you need another app in your life. But before you disregard it, Edits could be a game-changer for how you create content, without needing a film degree, a ring light, or 14 hours of editing time.

If the thought of another Instagram tool is stressing you out (we get it), strap in and we’ll break it down so you can see if it’s worth your time. 

What is Instagram Edits?

Edits is Meta’s free, mobile-first video editing app that lets you cut, trim, enhance, animate and polish your video content so it’s ready-made for Instagram and Facebook. Think of it as your creative sidekick. It’s here to help you whip up polished content that doesn’t look like it was made during your lunch break (even if it was).

Edits rivals TikTok’s CapCut, a popular editing tool among Gen Z creators, small businesses and social-savvy influencers. It’s Meta’s way of saying, ‘If TikTok can do it, so can we.’ 

Why Small Business Owners Should Care

Whether you sell handmade candles, run a boutique consultancy, or operate a dog grooming salon, video content is one of your most powerful tools to engage your audience, build trust and drive sales.

Video content has become indispensable for businesses aiming to engage their audience effectively. 

In Australia, 91% of companies utilise video content as a marketing tool, marking an all-time high since 2016. This trend underscores the growing importance of video in marketing strategies.

But let’s face it – why should you add another app to the growing folder of tools you’ll (probably) never touch?

  • It’s free.
  • It’s mobile-first.
  • It’s designed for non-tech wizards.
  • It interacts nicely with Instagram and Facebook.

That means you can spend more time connecting with customers and less time getting annoyed at your editing software because the captions won’t align.

Key Features of Instagram Edits (A.K.A. The Fun Stuff)

It’s time to jump into the nitty gritty of this new tool and what it’s got to offer: 

1. AI-Powered Animations

Got a product shot that needs something extra? Edits can animate your images with built-in AI, giving static visuals a burst of life and creativity.

2. Green Screen Magic

Channel your inner movie producer by cutting out your background and replacing it with anything you like. Showcase your café against a Parisian backdrop, or drop yourself into the jungle, just coz!

3. Auto-Captions in Multiple Languages

At Oraco, we’re big fans of accessible content for everyone. With Edits, captions are automatically generated and available in several languages, which is great for businesses with a multilingual audience or those wanting to add extra flair to videos.

4. Built-in Templates and Inspiration

Hit a creative block? The app has content templates and a ‘Trending’ section to help spark ideas, including trending audio.

5. Integrated Sound Effects and Audio

You can now add royalty-free music and sound effects straight from the app. No need to go sourcing dodgy MP3s off the internet (we’ve all been there).

How It Works (Without Making Your Brain Hurt)

Instagram’s Edits app is surprisingly intuitive, even if you’ve never edited a video in your life. Here’s a simplified version of how to use it:

  1. Download the Edits app (available on iOS and Android) and log in with your Instagram account.
  2. Create or upload your video.
  3. Use the tools to trim, animate, caption and stylise.
  4. Publish straight to Instagram or Facebook.


Source: Instagram

Edits vs CapCut: The Showdown

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room (aka CapCut). CapCut is known for its pro-level editing tools, but it can be overwhelming for beginners. It’s owned by ByteDance (TikTok’s parent company), which means it works well with TikTok but not so much with Meta-owned platforms.

Edits, on the other hand, is the golden child of the Meta family. So, if Instagram and Facebook are your marketing go-tos, then Edits is where you want to be.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

Feature Edits (Instagram) CapCut (TikTok)
Platform Integration Instagram + FB TikTok
Price Free Free
Templates Yes Yes
AI Animations Yes Yes
Green Screen Yes Yes
Auto-Captions Yes Yes
Watermark on Export No Optional 
Ease of Use Beginners More experienced creators

How to Use Edits in Your Business Marketing

You don’t have to become an expert overnight. Here are a few ways you can start using Edits to boost your business:

1. Product Demos

Show how your product works in real-time, complete with step-by-step captions and animations.

2. Behind-the-Scenes Content

Give your audience a peek behind the curtain, whether it’s how you package your products, how your team works, or even how you plan your day.

3. Before and After Transformations

This works wonders for beauty, fitness, cleaning, or home renovation businesses. Use transitions and AI effects to maximise the wow-factor.

4. Customer Testimonials

Get clips of happy customers, put them into Edits, add some branding, and you’ve got a powerful piece of social proof.

5. Event Recaps or Promos

Whether you’ve hosted an event or are gearing up for a promotion, Edits makes it easy to compile and polish highlights.

Bonus Feature: Track Performance in the App

If you’re a numbers nerd (or just trying to prove your content efforts are working), Edits offers in-app insights like:

  • Views and watch time
  • Engagement rates
  • Video performance over time

These stats can help you decide what content to create next and where to focus your marketing energy.

Handy Tips Before You Hit Record

  • Shoot vertically – Instagram prefers vertical video, and so do your viewers.
  • Keep it short – The best-performing Reels are usually 30 seconds or less. If you want longer-form video on your feed, try to keep it under a minute.
  • Use on-brand colours and fonts – You want your videos to feel like your brand. Consistency equals credibility.
  • Test, tweak and test again – Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all regarding video content. Try different styles, tones, and lengths until you find what works for your business.

What’s Coming Next?

If all of that isn’t enough, Meta has hinted at even more features rolling out soon, including:

  • Keyframe editing (for precision animations)
  • AI styling tools
  • Collaborative content tools (think joint editing with your team or creators)

In other words, watch this space – Edits is just getting started.

I Can’t Get My Head Around It – Help!

At Oraco, we love tools that make our clients’ lives easier, and Instagram’s Edits app fits right into this category. It’s accessible, practical, and surprisingly fun. For small businesses who want to level up their content game without hiring a full-scale production crew, it’s an absolute no-brainer.

Need help creating a content strategy that actually works? Or unsure how to integrate Edits into your toolkit? Get in touch with the Oraco team today. 

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Contents

Good work starts with good relationships.

One of our favourite parts of what we do is getting to know the people behind the businesses we work with. Understanding their stories, sharing ideas, challenging each other`s thinking and seeing those ideas come to life.

Joanna Photography is a perfect example of that. We`ve had the pleasure of working with Jo on her brand, and more recently, the tables turned when we stepped in front of her camera for our own branding shoot.

Jo embraced our creative direction, brought her own ideas and perspective to the shoot, and captured our team in a way that felt genuinely us.

There`s something pretty special about being able to support each other`s businesses, collaborate creatively and share a few laughs along the way.

Thanks for being such a wonderful part of our Oraco community, Jo! 🖤

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Open post by oracoagency with ID 18035340923902469
Good work starts with good relationships. One of our favourite parts of what we do is getting to know the people behind the businesses we work with. Understanding their stories, sharing ideas, challenging each other's thinking and seeing those ideas come to life. Joanna Photography is a perfect example of that. We've had the pleasure of working with Jo on her brand, and more recently, the tables turned when we stepped in front of her camera for our own branding shoot. Jo embraced our creative direction, brought her own ideas and perspective to the shoot, and captured our team in a way that felt genuinely us. There's something pretty special about being able to support each other's businesses, collaborate creatively and share a few laughs along the way. Thanks for being such a wonderful part of our Oraco community, Jo! 🖤

Content is easy to make, but content that actually feels like your brand is a little harder.

It`s why we don`t think content should begin with, “What should we post this week?”

It should begin much further back.

What do we want to be known for? What does our audience actually care about? What stories are worth telling? And how can we tell them in a way that could only really come from us?

Because when those things are clear, content stops being a constant search for something to say. You have a much stronger foundation to keep coming back to.

And that`s exactly why we created the Brand Builder Map and Brand Oracle.

Built on our Eight Brand Marks™ methodolgy, the Brand Builder Map and Oracle helps you explore the foundations of your brand, uncover what makes you distinctive and develop the clarity to guide everything that comes next, including your content.

Because knowing what to say starts with understanding who you are, what you stand for and why people should care.

Here`s Kannika behind the scenes capturing some of the content that brings those ideas to life.

Strategy gives you the story and content gives you somewhere to tell it.

Want to build a stronger foundation for your own brand? Explore Brand Oracle and the Brand Builder Map through the link in our bio.

13 0
Open post by oracoagency with ID 18059985584546895
Content is easy to make, but content that actually feels like your brand is a little harder. It's why we don't think content should begin with, “What should we post this week?” It should begin much further back. What do we want to be known for? What does our audience actually care about? What stories are worth telling? And how can we tell them in a way that could only really come from us? Because when those things are clear, content stops being a constant search for something to say. You have a much stronger foundation to keep coming back to. And that's exactly why we created the Brand Builder Map and Brand Oracle. Built on our Eight Brand Marks™ methodolgy, the Brand Builder Map and Oracle helps you explore the foundations of your brand, uncover what makes you distinctive and develop the clarity to guide everything that comes next, including your content. Because knowing what to say starts with understanding who you are, what you stand for and why people should care. Here's Kannika behind the scenes capturing some of the content that brings those ideas to life. Strategy gives you the story and content gives you somewhere to tell it. Want to build a stronger foundation for your own brand? Explore Brand Oracle and the Brand Builder Map through the link in our bio.

Being different isn`t the same as being distinctive.

A business can have a genuine point of difference and still be difficult to remember. It can also offer something remarkably similar to its competitors and become the brand people recognise first.

That`s because differentiation and distinction do two different jobs.

Differentiation gives people a reason to choose you.

Brand distinction gives them something to recognise, remember and associate with you.

And while differentiation often looks sideways at competitors, distinction starts by looking inward. At the stories, beliefs, experiences, relationships and perspectives that already make a business unmistakably itself.

Because the goal isn`t to be different for the sake of it but to become more confidently and recognisably yourself.

Our latest Studio Paper explores Brand Distinction vs Differentiation, why both matter and where lasting distinction actually comes from.

Link in bio to read more.

•

Studio Paper /002
Filed by: Oraco Agency
Reference: SP-002
Photo source: @joannaphotography.au
Filed under: #BrandDistinction #BrandDifferentiation #Branding #BrandIdentity

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Open post by oracoagency with ID 17971503363155444
Being different isn't the same as being distinctive. A business can have a genuine point of difference and still be difficult to remember. It can also offer something remarkably similar to its competitors and become the brand people recognise first. That's because differentiation and distinction do two different jobs. Differentiation gives people a reason to choose you. Brand distinction gives them something to recognise, remember and associate with you. And while differentiation often looks sideways at competitors, distinction starts by looking inward. At the stories, beliefs, experiences, relationships and perspectives that already make a business unmistakably itself. Because the goal isn't to be different for the sake of it but to become more confidently and recognisably yourself. Our latest Studio Paper explores Brand Distinction vs Differentiation, why both matter and where lasting distinction actually comes from. Link in bio to read more. • Studio Paper /002 Filed by: Oraco Agency Reference: SP-002 Photo source: @joannaphotography.au Filed under: #BrandDistinction #BrandDifferentiation #Branding #BrandIdentity

Attention and brand building aren’t always the same thing.

We believe having a perspective is one of the most important parts of building a distinctive brand. But there’s a difference between sharing an opinion because you genuinely believe it and sharing one because you know it will get a reaction.

Trends can be useful, controversial opinions can start conversations, and reach can absolutely be valuable.

But if the perspective you’re putting out there doesn’t align with what you genuinely believe, how you work or what you want your brand to be known for, what is that attention actually building?

Brand strategy is the long game.

Your perspective should have enough conviction behind it that you’re willing to stand by it long after the views, comments and algorithm have moved on.

Attention might make you visible but it’s conviction that will make you memorable.

34 19
Open post by oracoagency with ID 18219181318347292
Attention and brand building aren’t always the same thing. We believe having a perspective is one of the most important parts of building a distinctive brand. But there’s a difference between sharing an opinion because you genuinely believe it and sharing one because you know it will get a reaction. Trends can be useful, controversial opinions can start conversations, and reach can absolutely be valuable. But if the perspective you’re putting out there doesn’t align with what you genuinely believe, how you work or what you want your brand to be known for, what is that attention actually building? Brand strategy is the long game. Your perspective should have enough conviction behind it that you’re willing to stand by it long after the views, comments and algorithm have moved on. Attention might make you visible but it’s conviction that will make you memorable.

We’ve seen some interesting conversations lately about where brand strategy ends and brand identity begins, particularly around whether things like logos, colour and typography are really that important.

Our perspective? They shouldn’t be separated in the first place.

Colour, typography, symbolism, imagery, language and tone aren’t simply aesthetic choices made once the “important” strategic work is finished.
When they’re done well, they’re strategic decisions.

They’re informed by what the brand believes, where it’s going, who it needs to connect with, what makes it distinctive and what we want people to recognise and associate with it over time.

We don’t finish the strategy and then ask, ‘Okay, what should this look like?’

The identity is already taking shape through the strategic process.

Because good brand identity is strategic thinking made visible. Not just decoration!

27 7
Open post by oracoagency with ID 18079763828693187
We’ve seen some interesting conversations lately about where brand strategy ends and brand identity begins, particularly around whether things like logos, colour and typography are really that important. Our perspective? They shouldn’t be separated in the first place. Colour, typography, symbolism, imagery, language and tone aren’t simply aesthetic choices made once the “important” strategic work is finished. When they’re done well, they’re strategic decisions. They’re informed by what the brand believes, where it’s going, who it needs to connect with, what makes it distinctive and what we want people to recognise and associate with it over time. We don’t finish the strategy and then ask, ‘Okay, what should this look like?’ The identity is already taking shape through the strategic process. Because good brand identity is strategic thinking made visible. Not just decoration!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Picture of Ellie Travica

Ellie Travica

Content Writer

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