Free template · Start here
Make your next Reel explain your offer.
Your mini VSL is a short video that shows who you help, what you fix, and what working with you looks like. Get clear. Show the work. Give people one next step.
Looking for the Instagram phone examples?
See the phone screenshots and Links menu ↓. Real examples show where to tap in Edits and what the clickable buttons look like on Instagram.
beats: person, problem, process, proof, next step
offer and one clear action
invented results or fake testimonials
01 · Make the offer clear
Pick one person. Fix one problem.
Before you record, answer these questions in plain words. If you need three paragraphs to explain the offer, tighten it first.
Who is this for?
Name a specific person and situation. “B2B agency owners who rely on referrals” beats “businesses that want growth.”
What changes?
Name the problem you address and the work you deliver. Use outcomes you can support. Avoid guaranteed revenue claims.
What happens next?
Pick one action: DM a keyword, open your profile link, or watch a related Reel that you actually linked.
Your one-sentence offer
“I help [specific person] solve [specific problem] through [your process or deliverable].”
02 · Fill-in script
Your offer. Five clean beats.
Copy these lines into your notes. Replace every bracket. Keep the full take under about 100 words, then time your own delivery.
Person
Call out the right viewer
“If you’re [specific person] and [frustration], this is what working with me looks like.”
Problem
Name what you fix
“I help you [outcome you can support] by [clear mechanism].”
Process
Show the work
“First, we [step one]. Then, we [step two]. You leave with [concrete deliverable].”
Proof
Use evidence you own
“Here’s [real sample, screen recording, or documented result].” Show it on screen. If you have no results yet, demonstrate your process. Don’t invent a win.
Next step
Make one clear ask
“[One action] to [honest description of what they get next].” Only promise a resource or reply you can deliver.
Three CTA options
“DM me PLAN and I’ll send the checklist.” Or: “Open the link on my profile to see the process.” Or: “Tap the linked Reel to see the walkthrough.” Use the last version only after testing a real native link.
03 · Example, not a testimonial
Show the process. Skip the hype.
This is an illustrative script for a B2B lead generation service. It is not a claim about Ian’s offer or client results. Replace the service details with your actual scope.
Illustrative script · No invented proof
“If you run a B2B agency and referrals are your whole pipeline, here’s what a lead generation setup can look like. We pick one buyer, build a verified prospect list, and write a focused email sequence. You get the list, the copy, and a simple way to track replies. On screen, I’ll show a sample campaign and explain each part. If you want the setup checklist, DM me PLAN and I’ll send it over.”
Opening
The viewer knows who it’s for
“B2B agency” and “referrals” name a person and a real business situation.
Middle
The work feels concrete
List, copy, and reply tracking describe deliverables. Show a labeled sample using dummy data. Hide private client information.
Close
The promise stays small and clear
One keyword sends one checklist. No income guarantee. No fabricated conversion rate. Build the checklist before you publish.
04 · Film and edit
Make it easy to understand.
A clean face-to-camera take and one useful screen recording can do the job. Every edit should help the viewer follow the offer.
Before you record
- Replace every placeholder. Confirm the offer and next step exist.
- Read the script out loud. Cut jargon and repeated ideas.
- Record vertically, 9:16. Put the camera at eye level.
- Use steady light and a quiet room. Listen to a test take.
- Prepare a real demonstration or clearly labeled sample.
Before you publish
- Cut pauses without making the words feel rushed.
- Add accurate captions. Keep key text clear of Instagram controls.
- Show the process when you mention it. Avoid stock footage that implies fake results.
- Check the finished Reel on your phone with sound off and on.
- Use one CTA. Test its full path from a viewer’s account.
Check what happens after the click
Track meaningful replies, resource opens, and qualified conversations. If viewers watch but do nothing, first check the CTA and destination. Don’t change five things at once.
05 · Connect the next step
Give your Reel a real destination.
A mini VSL is the video you make. Instagram calls the native connection “Link a reel.” A button drawn into your video is artwork until you add a supported native link.
Instagram · iPhone steps
- Publish your mini VSL as a Reel on your account first.
- When sharing another Reel, tap Link a reel below the caption field.
- Select the VSL Reel. Add a title such as Watch my VSL, using no more than 15 characters.
- Tap OK, then Share.
Already published?
Open your Reel’s Options (⋯) menu and tap Link a reel. If a link exists, choose Edit linked reel. You can link one Reel at a time; subscriber-only and Close Friends Reels are excluded. Meta’s iPhone instructions ↗
06 · Where to tap in Edits
Use the Links tool.
In the Edits editor, the bottom toolbar shows Links. The menu offers Accounts and Reels. Choose the destination for your CTA, then use Edits’ Instagram sharing flow and check the published result.
Real example screens
These are Meta promotional screenshots, not a mockup or this creator’s account. Original Instagram announcement ↗. Screens reproduced by Social Media Today ↗. UI and availability can vary. Checked October 11, 2026.
07 · Test the full path
Tap it as a viewer.
Native Reel or account link
- Use a real published destination, not a picture of a video.
- Check the clickable link from another account after publishing.
- Confirm it opens the intended Reel or profile.
- If the feature is unavailable, use a working profile link or DM keyword and match your spoken CTA to it.
Template delivered by DM
- A template webpage is a separate destination from a linked VSL Reel.
- Enable your keyword reply and keep comments open.
- Test a genuine keyword comment from another account.
- Confirm the DM arrives, its link opens, and any public reply matches delivery.
Publishing through a scheduler?
Do not assume an uploaded MP4 preserves Edits’ native links. Zernio’s documented Instagram posting fields ↗ do not expose the Edits Links tool. Check the published Reel and use Instagram’s Options menu to add a linked Reel where available. Internal Reel and account links are different from external website linking features.