If you’re having a hard time keeping up with Reels, you’ve come to the right place. 

Reels has quickly become one of the most popular features on the Instagram platform, allowing users to create short videos that can be shared across the app. For brands, Instagram Reels offer an exciting new opportunity to engage with their target audience in creative and impactful ways.  

Here are some of the hottest trends for brands to try out when creating content for their Instagram Reels. 

1. Edutainment 

Educational content dressed up in entertaining ways can be a great way to engage with your audience and give them valuable information at the same time.  

It is essential to bring value to your Reels while entertaining in order to maximize the potential reach and engagement of your content. By infusing educational elements or useful information into a short video, users are more likely to watch, like, comment and share it. This will help expand your presence on the platform and boost overall engagement.  

Best example of these 'edutainment' videos you see on social are: 

• How-to content 
• DIYs and recipe videos 
• Explainer videos 

And a lot more. 

You can also read What’s Hot and Not on Social Media Trends.  

2. Get ready with me 

Mostly a social crowd's favorite. Especially for fashion brands (or creators), 'Get Ready with Me' videos are a great way to showcase clothing and creative makeup looks. This type of content gives the audience an insight into the process of creating a look, while also allowing you to show off the different pieces you're about to wear.  

 Essentially, your idea is to share your top styling tips and tricks, while also ensuring that you show off the pieces from your wardrobe or products. This type of content entertains and educates your viewers on how they can style their own looks with pieces from your collection. 

3. Behind the scene 

Behind the scenes videos are a great way to show off more of what goes into creating your brand's product or service. This is especially true when it comes to Instagram Reels. Showing production processes and giving insights into the production process are great ways to engage with your audience and give them an engaging peek behind the curtain.

Best example of these 'behind-the-scenes' videos you see on socials are: 

• Covering an important event; social media takeover 

• Telling stories about how products are made  
• Showing off how creative processes go   
  

Essentially, behind the scenes video content is engaging and allows your followers to get to know you better, while also humanizing your brand. A good example is this Reel from @Createdby.carly. 

4. Share your team 

Half of all employees share content from or about their employer on social media, and 33% of all employees do so without any prompting. And this is not just one-way communication — employees also appreciate when companies include them in their content. 

This is a great way to show off your employees and your company's culture. It's an effective way to introduce people to what makes you unique and let everyone know who is behind all the hard work. Plus, it helps build trust and loyalty with your audience.  

Your employees are a great source of content that can be used in Instagram Reels — from funny behind-the-scenes videos to interviews with key figures in the company. There is plenty of potential for interesting content. Showing off the faces and names behind your business is an effective way to humanize your brand and engage with your audience. 

6. Hauls! 

Who doesn't love a good haul? Creators and brands often use haul videos to showcase their products entertainingly and educationally. The idea is to highlight a product's different aspects and give your audience an insight into what it looks like, how it works, etc.     

But it doesn't just have to be about products — you can also do haul videos for services. For example, a hotel or travel brand could do a “travel haul” where they show off the different amenities and experiences that their customers can expect when they book with them.  

Haul videos are great for getting people excited about products or services because they give your audience an entertaining glimpse at what's in store. This type of content is also a great way to showcase your products in an educational and informative manner. 

The Bottom Line 

Features like Reels have shifted the photo-only dynamic to something more versatile. This has created opportunities to increase your account following and lay the groundwork for the future of your online presence. 

Take some time to explore and experiment with Instagram Reels. You may be surprised at the results. Try creating something unique to catch people's eye — like a music video featuring your product or a show-and-tell video of your services. The possibilities are endless. 

Best of luck in your journey to creating successful Instagram Reels content, and as always — happy creating. If you need help with influencer marketing, you know where to find us.