What are Instagram Reels and why are they important?

Instagram Reels, also known as IG Reels, are short vertical videos. They appear in the main Instagram feed, on your profile, on the Explore page, and on their own dedicated Reels tab—which you can find in the bottom navigation bar. They can be up to 90 seconds long, and like on TikTok, users can just scroll up or down to view more videos.

Because of how easy Instagram makes it for users to discover Reels, creating them can greatly boost your potential reach. Plus, with the platform putting a huge emphasis on Reels content in its algorithm, at this point it’s either post Reels or bust.

3 tips for creating engaging Reels

If you’re a content creator or a small business who wants to shine on social media, you should really use Instagram Reels. To help you get a head start, here are three essential tips to create Reels that attract an audience.

Optimize your posting schedule

To maximize your Instagram performance, you need to be consistent with your content creation. But you also need to post regularly so that the algorithm doesn’t leave you out. 

Put together a calendar that makes sense based on best practices and your business’s capabilities. Data compiled by Later found that, for accounts with less than 10,000 followers, posting 14 Reels every week can see an average 4.73% engagement rate—the highest of all post types. 

That's a lot of video content; small business owners or companies with a single social media manager might not be able to keep up with that demand. Instead, creating a marketing strategy that involves multiple types of content—i.e., five Reels and five carousel posts per week—can be just as powerful.

Enhance with creative editing

Usually, your first take won’t be the one that goes viral on Instagram. Take some time editing your footage before turning it into a Reel.

The Instagram app offers several editing tools—music, audio clips, the ability to add a voiceover, stickers, and GIFs. But for more advanced video editing features, you can use a third-party tool like Descript before uploading Reels to Instagram. 

Thousands of creators already use the software to:

• Improve audio quality with Studio Sound  
• Remove filler words like “um” and “uh” in a single click
• Start with an Instagram Reels template to make your video creation process easy

Engage with your audience

Engagement is an important metric on Instagram. Likes, comments, and shares prove to the algorithm that your own Reel is entertaining or useful—two qualities of viral content that Instagram wants to promote.

Take this into account and watch Reels from users in your industry or who fit your target audience. Like and comment on their posts to get your name out there, and reply to anyone who comments on your own posts.

10 Instagram Reels ideas for influencers and creators

If you want to grow your account and start working with brands as an influencer or content creator, these 10 Instagram Reels ideas are the perfect starting point.

1. Tutorials or how-to videos
2. “Get ready with me” videos
3. Product reviews and recommendations
4. Day in the life or behind the scenes
5. Challenge participation
6. Use trending audio clips or memes
7. Storytelling or mini vlogs
8. Before and after transformations 
9. Reaction and commentary
10. Motivational quotes with visuals

1. Tutorial or how-to videos

Create tutorials based on knowledge you have or things you’ve made. Some creators use voiceovers to narrate exact steps in the video to help walk viewers through it; others talk while they’re doing something. The world is your oyster—just figure out the best way for you to showcase how to do something via Instagram Reels.

Here are some Instagram Reels ideas to make the most out of this format:

• Home decor DIYs
• Makeup tutorials
• Organization tips
• Recipes
• Life hacks
• Workouts

Here's an example of a makeup tutorial video from Natalie Kennedy. The creator uses an Instagram Reel to showcase how she puts on her makeup, complete with background music and links to all products used in the caption—a smart technique you could use to make money on Instagram via affiliate links.

2. “Get ready with me” videos

Get ready with me (often abbreviated to #GRWM) videos are another popular trend on both Instagram Reels and TikTok. This type of video showcases someone’s morning routine before they go somewhere—often showing skincare, haircare, makeup, picking out an outfit, or all of the above. 

Here’s an example of a popular influencer, Meredith Duxbury, who shares her makeup routine before heading to an event:

While the best #GRWM videos include some sort of storytime, FAQs, and explanation of what the influencer is doing or where they are going, you can also just play a song in the background of your video. Some creators use time-lapse videos to show the full routine in a shorter video.

3. Product reviews and recommendations

Social media users want to find out what brands and new products some of their favorite creators use, which is why product reviews are a great option for Instagram Reels.

Samantha Hermann, for example, shares her favorite Amazon products in this Instagram Reel. Notice how the caption says: “Comment ‘LINKS’ and I’ll send them to your inbox.” This is a smart strategy because you can’t include links in your Instagram caption—but you can in DMs. The creator can easily send affiliate links and earn a commission each time someone makes a purchase off the back of her Reel. She doesn’t need to DM every commenter individually, either—there are chat marketing services like ManyChat that can do it automatically.

4. Day in the life or behind-the-scenes

A day in the life or behind-the-scenes (BTS) video is a fun way to showcase your daily grind and strengthen the relationship with your followers. This video style is typically reserved for Instagram Stories, but Reels can still be a good place for less styled content like this.

Use this Reel idea to showcase what your day looks like. Share the behind-the-scenes of how you film certain videos, and give a less glamorous look into your life that people rarely see. Breaking down the fourth wall—like Cassie Scroggins does with this Instagram Reel—can make you seem more relatable to help followers connect with you.

5. Challenge participation

Challenges can be incredibly valuable for an influencer trying to grow their Instagram account—or as a content creator trying to grow their dog’s Instagram account, like we see in this example below.

By participating in challenges, especially ones that are currently trending and popular, you’re increasing the chance that your video gets picked up by the Instagram algorithm. Plus, it’s an easy (and fun!) idea to add to your content calendar.

Watch trending videos on Instagram to find existing challenges. Or, try to create your own and challenge influencers in your niche to take part.

6. Use trending audio clips or memes

One of the best aspects of short-form video content like TikToks and Reels is the ability to repurpose funny and trending audio. Not only does this type of content engage viewers, but it’s also an easy way to come up with even more content ideas.

Here’s a funny example from a book influencer who uses a sound clip from Family Guy to talk about buying too many books:

Browse through Instagram Reels to see if you can come up with ideas for popular sound bytes. This can be a great way to reach even more viewers and get them to engage with your content, without having to record your own audio.

7. Storytelling or mini vlogs

As a content creator or influencer, a large part of your job is creating a bond with your followers. Sharing stories from your life or creating micro-vlogs is just one way to do that, while also increasing your reach on the platform. 

Here’s an example video from Helene Sula, a travel and lifestyle influencer who used Instagram Reels to share the story of why she and her husband decided to move abroad:

Use this Instagram Reel idea as an opportunity to get up close and personal with your followers. Share details of your life (that you don’t mind being public) to help followers and viewers feel like they’re closer to you.

8. Before and after transformations

If you’re working on a project, styling an outfit, creating a new makeup look, or trying to lose weight, take footage from the beginning of your journey and share the end result in an Instagram Reel.

Here’s a fun example from Hilary Rose Bodiford, who used an Instagram Reel to show the before and after of sprucing up her backyard fire pit area:

9. Reaction and commentary

Reaction videos are extremely popular. And they’re simple to create, making them a great Instagram Reel idea for any creator.

Take advantage of this content format and find other videos online—preferably funny or shocking videos—and react to them. Film yourself watching the videos for the first time so you can record a genuine reaction.

In this Reel example, online coach James Smith reacts to a video shared on a recent podcast episode. He references the podcast in the video hook to stop people from scrolling, then explains the science behind why he disagrees with the expert. Both of those things can help him boost credibility and drive potential clients towards his coaching services.

10. Motivational quotes with visuals

#QOTD—which stands for “quote of the day”—is always going to be a quick and easy hashtag and content type to use in your social media marketing strategy, including in Instagram Reels.

Take a look at this example below. The creator placed a simple quote from a poem in the center of the screen, using beautiful imagery and background music to make it more engaging. You can easily add this type of video to your content strategy by using stock media inside Descript’s video editor. 

10 Instagram Reels ideas for businesses

Reach potential customers on Instagram by taking advantage of these 10 Instagram Reels ideas for businesses.

1. Product showcases and demos
2. Customer testimonials and reviews
3. Collaborations and partnerships
4. Educational content
5. User-generated content
6. Seasonal promotions and offers
7. Industry or company news
8. Meet the team
9. Tag your products
10. Comedy skits  

1. Product showcases and demos

Above all else, you’ll want to show off your products and/or services on the social media platform. That’s the whole point of your business Instagram, right? So put together videos that show off your business’s offerings as well as how they can best be used.

Here’s a Reel from the survey tool Typeform showcasing how the brand’s new AI forms work. Quick videos like this can be both informative and engaging—a perfect combination for your Instagram Reels.

2. Customer testimonials and reviews

Instagram Reels are the perfect place to share what existing customers think of your products and services. Seeing happy customers is a great form of social proof and can push customers on the brink of making a purchase towards clicking that Checkout button.

Share a video testimonial where you interview customers or clients about their experience, or use jump cuts to include several testimonials all in one video at a faster pace. This caters to the ever-dwindling attention span of a typical social media user. WallyGrow chose the second option, including text overlays of several different five-star customer reviews on top of product photos:

3. Collaborations and partnerships

Does your business often collaborate with other brands? Instagram Reels can be the perfect place to show off these brand partnerships. The cross-promotion can help both your audience and the other brand’s audience expand as users learn about both companies at once.

Take a look at this example below, where the brand Wild One was teasing a product collection it was launching with another brand. The sneak peek-style Reel goes a long way in building hype and anticipation so that when the launch happens, there’s already a group of people excited about it. 

4. Educational content

Educational content is always going to be a solid video marketing strategy for any business. Share tips and tricks that relate back to your industry so that potential customers feel confident and informed as they use your product or service.

Here’s a perfect example from Semrush, an SEO tool that shares what a dip in traffic could mean for a business—and how they can discover the reason right inside Semrush’s tool. This is a two-in-one idea, because the brand is informing viewers of an SEO issue while also promoting how to use its tool for the solution. 

5. User-generated content

User-generated content (UGC) is a type of content that someone else has created—typically a creator or customer who is using your products. It’s another form of social proof that shows Instagram followers that your product is loved and well-used by existing customers. 

UGC can also be a great way to entertain your viewers, as we see in this Instagram Reel from BarkBox. The video incorporates dog toys available in the monthly boxes in a cute and engaging way. The brand also tags the original creator in the post. 

6. Seasonal promotions and offers

If your product offerings change with the seasons, promote them with your Instagram Reels. People love festive content on social media even if it’s promotional, so have a little fun with your content throughout the holiday season.

Here’s a great example from The Marshmallow Co. Its team created a number of Halloween-specific marshmallows to sell during the month of October. Not only can this approach help bring in more seasonal sales, but it’s a simple Reel idea to create fun holiday content for Instagram.

7. Industry or company news and updates

Have you released a new feature or seen a big industry update? Keep followers up to date with changes—and prove you’re a trustworthy news source—by sharing updates through Instagram Reels. 

Take a look at this Instagram Reel that the Descript team put together to share our exciting news about remote recording in 4K:

The key to news-related Instagram Reels is to find the right balance between entertaining and informative videos. It’s the best way to keep your audience in the know about important updates while also ensuring they enjoy watching your content.

8. Meet the team

Introducing your employees to your audience can help build a better rapport between your business and its customers. 

There are a few ways you can do this with Instagram Reels—the first is to have different team members create their own “day in the life” video showcasing what they do on a typical day at work. Or, ask team members for a simple introduction and compile them in a single fast-paced video.

Graphic design tool Visme asked one of its team members what they liked most about working at Visme. By spotlighting one employee at a time, you’re giving yourself more content to work with. If you have a team of ten, for example, this gives you ten video ideas right off the bat. 

9. Tag your products

Businesses using Instagram Reels can tag products from their Instagram Shop—a storefront that shows your products without forcing users to leave the app and browse your website. 

Create Reels to showcase your products and tag the relevant product from your store. In doing so, you’re making it even easier to generate online sales, especially if you enable in-app purchasing. That way, Instagram followers never have to leave the app to purchase a product highlighted in one of your Reels. Here’s an example from Ring Concierge:

10. Comedy skits

A skit is a comedy video that uses humor to connect with viewers. These funny videos are the most liked posts on Instagram. 

Depending on your business’s tone of voice, you could use Instagram Reels to create skits and inject some personality into your business’s Instagram content. It’s a creative idea that can entertain your audience and help you grow a large, loyal following.

Meeting recording app TLDV has done a great job creating skits that are fun to watch but still relate back to its industry, like this one below:

Creating a skit is much more intensive than other types of Reels—think script writing, acting, editing, the works. But it can reap big rewards. Give it a try to see if creating skits can work for your business.

The best video editing tools for Instagram

There’s more to creating Instagram Reels that your target audience will love than shooting footage. How you piece together different video clips (or scenes, if you’re doing a skit) is just as important.

Take advantage of Descript’s Instagram video editor to fine-tune your creative process. With it, you can:

• Use AI Voices to fix audio mistakes without re-recording your Reel
• Remove background noise in a single click 
• Stitch together different video clips for a professionally edited Reel 
• Add captions, titles, and subtitles to your video
• Choose from a library of stock media, including transition templates and background music 

Thousands of creators already use Descript’s AI video editor to edit their Instagram Reels. Take a free tour today and you’ll see why.

Instagram Reels ideas FAQ

What kind of Reels are trending?

Challenge-based Reels are some of the most popular types of Instagram videos. People enjoy watching people do something (like stuff their mouth with marshmallows), which is why this type of Reel tends to trend on Instagram.