How to Create a Viral Reel on Instagram: Proven Strategies

To go viral means gaining significantly more views than your usual benchmarks. For instance, if your reels typically achieve 2,000 views, a reel with 10,000 or more views qualifies as viral. The goal is to leverage Instagram’s algorithm by creating engaging, shareable content.

Start by pinpointing a key challenge your audience faces. If you target coaches, a common issue might be attracting high-paying clients. Listing multiple problems allows you to choose the most relevant for your audience.

Engage your audience instantly by addressing their problem in the first few seconds of your reel. Add visuals, movement, and proof, like holding a tangible item or showing a screenshot. This grabs attention and encourages viewers to keep watching.

Use your caption to detail a solution. This keeps the video looping as viewers read. Write in clear, simple language, incorporating relevant keywords to improve discoverability.

Direct your viewers on the next steps, such as commenting, sharing, or tagging someone. Offering a free resource, like a guide or checklist, incentivises engagement.

Don’t stop at one attempt. Create multiple variations of your reels, refining your approach with each iteration. Success often requires experimentation.

Maria’s reel succeeded due to a compelling hook, tangible visuals, and strong pacing. Her earlier version of the same content failed because it lacked these elements. Faster transitions and dynamic movement made the difference.

Christina’s reel featured movement, a hook addressing a universal problem, and captions that encouraged replays. Additionally, her CTA prompted thousands of shares, which the algorithm favours.

Instagram’s algorithm prioritises reels with high engagement, including likes, comments, and shares. Content that gets rewatched or shared frequently is more likely to reach broader audiences.

Apply this framework to your reels, test variations, and refine your strategy based on performance. If you’d like to dive deeper into this method, watch the full video on this topic for more examples and tips.