Te Ao Māori News Social Media Reels

Client: Te Ao Māori News

Role: Social Media Marketing 

Team: Individual Contributor

Tools: Canva

Platforms: Facebook, Instagram

Executive Summary

The Problem

Te Ao Māori News wanted to increase engagement on social media, but its video content wasn't capturing attention. Reels lacked strong covers, clear titles, and engaging hooks, making it easy for users to scroll past without watching. The content also lacked a consistent visual style that reflected the professionalism of a news organisation.

My Goal

My goal was to create a series of short-form reels that would grab attention quickly, encourage engagement, and help build a stronger social media presence. The project aimed to support audience growth, increase engagement, and drive more traffic back to the Te Ao Māori News website.

What I Did

I researched Te Ao Māori News' target audience and reviewed content from New Zealand and international news organisations to understand what made short-form video content effective. Using this research, I developed a series of reel concepts focused on Māori culture, tikanga, community stories, and business promotion. I created engaging covers, stronger headlines, and a more consistent visual style to make the content easier to recognise and more appealing to viewers.

The Outcome

The project produced a collection of reel concepts and designs, providing Te Ao Māori News with a more consistent approach to short-form video content. The reels were designed to encourage audience interaction while supporting the organisation's goals for engagement, follower growth, and website traffic. Achieving engagement rates of 4% on Instagram and 2% on Facebook. Increasing follower growth by 5-10% 

What I Learned

This project reinforced how important the first few seconds of a reel are. A strong cover image, a clear message, and an engaging hook can make the difference between someone scrolling past and stopping to watch. It also showed me the value of creating content around topics that are meaningful and relevant to the audience.