The problem

Reels aren’t failing because they’re badly made. They’re failing because they’re built for the brand and not the person watching.

People don’t open Instagram to hear what you want to say. They open it to explore what they care about. And they move fast. You have a couple of seconds to earn attention, then they’re gone.

What do people watch Reels for?

Reels aren't just entertainment. It’s where people explore personal interests, learn new things, find ideas, and decide what to buy.

In fact, 79% of people say they’ve purchased something after watching Reels.*

That’s not passive scrolling, that’s active behaviour.

So what actually works?

There are three things that consistently separate good content from everything else.

1. Build around what people care about

Most brands start with: “What do we want to say?”

The better question is: “Why would someone care?”

Reels works when they connect to identity, aspiration, curiosity, and self-expression.

Not just product features. If your content doesn’t tap into something personal, it won’t travel.

2. Speak the language of the platform

Reels has its own visual and behavioural language. The content that performs best is:

Relatable → recognisable behaviours and moments

Digestible → clear, fast, easy to follow

Entertaining → emotionally engaging

When brands ignore this, their content feels like an ad.

When they lean into it, it feels native.

3. Use people, not just product

This is where most brands get it wrong.

They show the service, space or product, but not how it’s experienced.

Adding human presence - whether that’s creators, customers or team - makes content significantly more effective. 

Because people create context.

They show how a space works, how it feels, and why it matters.

Without that, you’re just showing images.

The role of creators

Creators aren’t just a distribution channel.

They’re translators.

They take your brand and express it in a way people understand, in a tone that feels natural, and in formats that work on the platform.

And crucially, people trust them.

Around *50% of people are more likely to buy something if it’s promoted by a creator on Reels.

That's the proper influence.

What most brands still get wrong

They overcomplicate the idea and oversimplify the execution.

They brief too tightly, focus on polish over relevance, and prioritise brand over audience.

The result is content that looks good - but doesn’t move.

What to do instead

Start with a simple shift:

• Build around interests, not messages
• Create in a way that feels native, not produced
• Use people to tell the story, not just show the product

Or put more simply:

Create around what matters to people, in a way they recognise, through voices they trust. 

The takeaway

Reels isn’t a format problem.

It’s a thinking problem.

The brands that win aren’t the ones making the most content.
They’re the ones making content people actually want to engage with.

A question to ask yourself

If you’re creating content and not seeing the return, it’s worth asking: Are you building for your brand - or for the person watching?

‍*Sources: Meta Creative Shop (2026)