71: Why Instagram Reels Are Still the #1 Way to Grow in 2025 (part 3)
Reels are still your best friend in 2025 when it comes to reach, impressions, and visibility on Instagram, and I’ve got the stats to prove it. In this final episode of our 3-part growth hacks series, I’m walking you through exactly how to make Reels work for you and your brand, even if you feel awkward on camera.
I’m sharing how to reverse engineer Reels to plug directly into your sales funnel, the one thing Reels do better than any other format, and why short-form storytelling isn’t just about “going viral”, it’s about helping your dream clients feel seen.
If you’ve been resisting video, this is your permission slip to show up imperfectly, get strategic, and let Reels do the heavy lifting in your marketing.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
[01:51] Why Reels still dominate reach and engagement in 2025
[04:41] The remix strategy that’s outperforming other formats
[06:05] How storytelling makes your content more human and more effective
[09:58] Why raw, imperfect content builds more trust than polished videos
[12:48] How to reverse-engineer Reels to plug into your sales funnel
[18:31] The DM automation tool that builds your email list while you sleep
[19:57] A sneak peek at next week’s episode with a DM automation expert
[22:49] How to use Reels to connect, serve, and sell without burnout
Key Takeaways:
Reels still give the highest reach on Instagram.
With 2x the impressions of static posts and 30.8% average reach, Reels are your fastest path to visibility — if you know how to use them.Remixes are an underrated engagement strategy.
Reels with collaborators see 41% more engagement, and remixing trending content with your own spin can massively expand your reach.Short-form storytelling = brand trust.
You don’t have to be funny or go viral. You just have to be real. Stories help your audience feel seen, understood, and connected to your brand.You don’t need a video team. You just need to start.
Raw, low-lift Reels filmed on your iPhone are performing better than polished content. The goal is to connect, not impress.DM automation is the visibility upgrade you didn’t know you needed.
Want to grow your list and deliver free offers without lifting a finger? This episode gives you a sneak peek of the automation tool I use every week.
Links Mentioned in This Episode:
Listen: 5 Underrated Instagram Growth Strategies That Boost Reach in 2025 (part 2)
Replay: The Reel Remix Strategy Behind My 8.8M View Viral Video (Part 2)
A Truth You Need to Hear:
“Stories are the glue that binds us. And short-form video gives you the fastest way to build a bridge between your audience and your offer.”
S3 Ep71 Transcript: Why Instagram Reels Are Still the #1 Way to Grow in 2025 (part 3)
00:00
In today's episode, I'm breaking down why reels are still your best bet for visibility and how to make them work for you and your brand, even if you feel awkward on camera. Are you ready? Let's do it.
00:16
Welcome to Strut It, a podcast about creating bold visibility on social media with zero apologies. I'm Elizabeth Marberry, your host and Instagram marketing coach. I help small business owners get seen on Instagram and monetize their offers so they can make more money doing their sole lead work. If you're tired of spinning your wheels on Instagram and you're seeking simple, proven Instagram marketing strategies that actually work, you're in the right place.
00:45
Let's dive in.
00:55
Welcome back to the show. I'm super pumped that you have joined me for part three of this three-part mini series on Instagram growth hacks that are working in 2025. In part one, we talked about the power of consistency, narrowing your focus, target market research, and Instagram's newest feature, trial reels, and how to leverage that in your marketing strategy.
01:22
Last week, we did a deep dive where I taught you five ways to use collaboration to grow your Instagram account and your business. So if you're new here, go back and binge episodes one and two of the series at some point because we've been really intentionally stacking simple but powerful strategies that will help you to grow your audience, build trust, and of course, make more sales without feeling like you have to be glued to your phone.
01:51
24 seven. So today we are getting into the one content format I still swear by in 2025 and that is Instagram Reels. Reels, which are of course those short form videos on Instagram are still the fastest way to grow your reach and attract new people to your world. And not because I said so, but because the data shows it.
02:19
I have an online business, I have a brick and mortar business, so I'm always testing the strategies I teach you. I'm walking the walk, I'm talking the talk, I'm doing the thing, and I'm teaching you what I know works with my clients. And my clients represent so many different industries, business sizes, all of that. And we have found that reels consistently get shown to people outside of your current following, and that visibility is really what will drive growth.
02:49
In prepping for this episode, I wanted to pull some data that gives you a really clear view of how Reels are still outperforming other content types on Instagram. A recent study found Reels average a 30.8 % reach rate compared to 14.5 % for carousels and 13.1 % for single image posts. In addition to that, Reels generate twice the impressions of
03:19
other content types, meaning the impressions on a reel are about 2x higher than those on just a static image or a carousel. And short form video still really commands the feed, the user experience on Instagram. So in 2025 reels make up 38.5 % of the Instagram feed. So they're still very much dominating there.
03:44
And I found this stat really interesting, remixed reels with collaborators see 41 % more engagement. That is so spot on what I was talking about last week. So one of the strategies I mentioned last week is leveraging remixes to grow your audience. And I have a whole episode where I break down exactly how to do that, but I will tell you that that strategy has been so effective.
04:12
for me and my clients. So if you are not already remixing reels, this is your sign to do it and play with it to see if that will help you to drive more engagement to your account. And if you're listening and you're like, what the heck are remixes? Again, I will tag in the show notes below the episode where I really break it down. And of course you can go back and listen to last week's two where I give you a high level view of how that works. So long story short,
04:41
the algorithm on Instagram continues to really favor reels, okay? Reels are going to give you higher reach, more impressions, stronger engagement than just posting a static image. Now, I will tell you that carousels definitely are working very well for certain brands and accounts. If that is part of your strategy, definitely keep doing that. Make sure that you are adding trending audio to your carousels because a recent update on Instagram was that
05:10
Now if a carousel, which is multiple photos or slides or info graphics when you're kind of having to swipe through the different images, that's a carousel. When you add trending audio, it can now be shown on the Reels tab. So definitely make sure you're adding audio if you are choosing to play the carousel game. But in terms of follower growth, Reels are still king. Let's talk about why Reels can help
05:38
to support your business or your marketing efforts because I think sometimes there's a disconnect. We come on these social apps to unplug and be entertained and there's a disconnect in our brain of how does this content actually move the needle for my business or my company? So let's get into why Reels are so effective. Number one is Reels tap into short form storytelling.
06:05
People don't come on Instagram to get their MBA. They don't want to sit through a 60 minute webinar on Instagram, but they do want those quick dopamine hits, right? They want to be entertained. They want to learn something new or feel seen or helped by your content. And what I love about Instagram Reels is through video and through your text on the screen, you can tell stories.
06:35
It's important to remember when it comes to marketing that people buy people, not products or services. And so the more you can humanize your brand, the more successful you will be marketing it on Instagram. And stories are the glue that binds us. I was interviewed for a summit earlier today, and I was asked this question, Elizabeth, you're so confident on camera, but.
07:03
A lot of people aren't, they're not confident on camera. So what tips do you have for them or how can they get started? And I told the story that when I was first starting with really showing up and being more visible on Instagram, even though I had a leg up because I was a former professional dancer, I'm not shy, I love being on stage, I love being in the spotlight, but I highlighted the fact that
07:32
as a dancer, I was comfortable communicating through my body, not through my voice, not through my words. I've had to work to become confident speaking on camera. And I'll never forget when I was recording one of my first Instagram stories because I was like, okay, I'm supposed to show up as like behind the scenes, face of my brand. And I was recording an Instagram story about like going to a yoga class or something.
08:00
And the voice in my head seriously was like, no one's gonna care about this, Elizabeth. You're saying way too many words. You're using filler words. No one's gonna watch this story. Like I was berating myself and it was awkward and it was cringe and it didn't perform well, but guess what? These are all skills that we can develop if we continue to practice. And so I share that story with you to highlight that storytelling.
08:28
is a way to build bridges with your audience, right? Like just hearing me tell that story, you're probably like, oh wait, Elizabeth wasn't always this confident speaking, like this is news to me, right? We make assumptions about each other without even realizing we do. So by telling a story, you're building that bridge in connection with your audience. And there's so many different ways that you can do that through Instagram Reels. Like you can literally get on camera and tell a story with your voice. You could tell a story through video.
08:58
You could tell a story with text on the screen. There's so many different ways that you can tell a story, but storytelling builds bridges and helps your brand to really stand out from the sea of sameness that is on Instagram right now. Another reason why Reels really work for businesses and marketers is that Reels give your audience a feel for who you are as a company, what you stand for, what you don't.
09:27
you know, who you're for, who you're not for. You know, if you are marketing to everyone, you're marketing to no one, right? You have to be really clear on that ideal client avatar, who your content is for and like your messaging. All of that is super important. But what I love about Reels and just short form video in general is that it's such a great way to show your vibe, your voice, your values. And the coolest part about where Instagram is right now is
09:58
the overly polished, like it has to look perfect. I have to hire this professional video editor. You don't have to do that. Feel free to do it if you want to, but it's that raw content that was filmed on an iPhone and is imperfect and it just feels like you're FaceTiming with someone. That kind of content is doing so well on Instagram. I think users got really exhausted at this whole like influencer vibe.
10:26
of everything's perfectly curated and polished and people come onto Instagram now to connect, right? They want a sense of belonging. They want to feel less alone. I remember one reel I did where I was like in my pajamas and I showed like a pile of laundry behind you. My point was like, people want to see your mess. Like you don't have to look a certain way, be inauthentic to grow. In fact, it's the opposite, right? Authenticity is really what wins.
10:55
And I know you're listening, you're like, well, how do I do that? And that's where it's experimentation, finding what works for you as the actual creator. Like what kind of content do you enjoy creating for your brand or your business? And what resonates with your target audience? It's those two pieces. And the only way you're gonna discover that is through doing. That's it, you're not gonna discover it by sitting here and.
11:22
writing it all out in a Google Doc and thinking about it for weeks and months. No, you just need to get in action. You need to start posting and just put it out there. Like I said, when I was first doing Instagram stories, it was such a disaster. It was so awkward. And now I can just hop in my story. It's no problem. I know what I want to say. I know why I'm saying it. Like I'm so much more clear. I would never have gotten to this point if I just was frozen in analysis paralysis. So.
11:51
Again, Reels are just a great way to give your audience a feel for you and your brand because that is how you're gonna stand out. There are tons of Instagram marketing coaches, but if you're here listening, you like my vibe, right? You like how I teach, you like how I show up, you like my philosophy around content creation. And I'm not worried that there's other people who teach what I teach because I know that I have my own experiences and my...
12:20
stories and my client results and that's what I get to share and the right people are magnetized and want to work with me and the people who are like, ooh, Elizabeth's too much or you know, whatever it is, they'll go find someone else and it's totally fine. So this is your invitation to just be more you and trust that the right people are going to want to work with you and reels are such a beautiful way for you to showcase your vibe.
12:48
or your brand values or opinions or expertise. And the third reason why Reels actually work to move the needle for not only follower growth, but for business growth is that Reels plug directly into your sales funnel. So I teach all of my clients how to reverse engineer their Reels. It's not just, oh, that's cute or that's entertaining.
13:14
but they're doing the work, the strategic work to actually drive traffic to your offers, to your website, to your freebies. You can build your email list, right? Because at the end of the day, this is a lot of effort. You need to start with the end in mind. Where do you want people to go once they're on your Instagram? A lot of us skip that step, but once you're clear on that, you can absolutely use Reels.
13:41
to move people through your funnel. And I'll give you an example of that. If you want to work with me privately, how my sales funnel works is you have to fill out an application. The application is awesome because it essentially helps me to qualify if it's worth my time to get on a call with you. But it helps you because I ask you all these questions to essentially understand what is your goal with Instagram? What are you struggling with right now?
14:10
what's been working for you, what's not, and where do you wanna go, right? And depending on your answers, if I know in my bones that I can help you that it could be a good fit, then I will invite you into a complimentary Instagram breakthrough session with me, where we hop on Zoom, we connect, and I learn more about your business, your goals, and then of course, if I'm the right person to help you, then we figure out which of my containers.
14:37
is going to get you the results that you're after, right? The right level of support. I just taught you right now, very simple sales funnel, right? For my private coaching offer. So if I was gonna do that with an Instagram reel, I would create a reel that had a hook on the screen that spoke directly to the pain point of my ideal client. So for example, if it was a funny reel, like I love doing these,
15:06
There's one pinned at the top of my grid right now if you wanna go see it, but the hook on the screen is when your last reel got two likes and 47 views, yet you keep showing up. And I'm lip syncing to this Will Ferrell sound and he's saying, come and see how good I look. So that was the hook. And why am I using that hook? Well, I'm writing as if I'm my ideal client, right?
15:32
That's a mistake that we make a lot of times with our hooks is we write from our expert stance versus thinking about where was I five years ago, right? Five years ago, that's how I felt, right? I'm highlighting a pain point of my audience. So a pain point in my audience is they're posting content. It's getting really low views, really low engagement. They feel so frustrated yet they still keep showing up, you know.
15:55
throwing spaghetti at the wall and saying a prayer that eventually their content's gonna start working for them. Okay, so I'm really highlighting that pain point. And then in the caption, and I didn't do this on this particular video, but let's say I was using this video as an example of how I would plug and play this into my sales funnel, is that video would do its job of stopping the scroll, capturing the attention. And then in the caption, like,
16:21
Spoiler alert, most people are not going to read your captions. So if they're reading it, they're actually really interested in what you're doing and what you have to say. You know, when I'm highlighting the pain point, I could say something like throwing spaghetti at the wall and going it alone and saying a prayer is not a strategy. And the lesson I've learned after 15 years of being an entrepreneur is that you need to just hire the person who has already figured it out, who can shortcut the learning curve for you.
16:48
You will grow so much faster, you will be so much more successful, and you'll just feel more fulfilled because you'll be working more in your zone of genius versus spending all this time watching YouTube videos, trying to do it yourself, spending all these hours that you could be spending doing something else that really invigorates your life force. And then of course I would write this in a shorter, more compelling caption, but then I could say,
17:13
That's why I'm so passionate about private mentorship and where I help my clients learn how to create this role-stopping content that not only drives followers, but actual leads and sales from your organic content. Comment, apply below, apply, and I will send you a link to an application.
17:34
to get a complimentary Instagram breakthrough session with me in this call. I'll help you identify your next three action steps and if I'm the right person to support you, I may invite you into one of my coaching containers and if I can't, I will point you in the right direction. Comment apply below and I will DM it to you right away. So you can see how I took a piece of content, I'm capturing attention with the content, I'm helping them feel seen, heard and then my.
18:01
offer is the solution and I have a clear call to action. This can be done in so many different ways, short form videos, seven second videos, 60 second videos. Reels can really be leveraged to help you with your sales funnel. So whether that's growing your email list, driving more people to your freebie, to your sales console, to your shop, to whatever your goal is on Instagram, when used correctly and strategically, Reels can really drive.
18:31
leads and sales to your business. And that's why I'm obsessed with them. And as you just heard me say, I leverage DM automation. So when you heard me say, comment this keyword below, that is because I use DM automation. So when my person comments that keyword, my robot assistant will send them the link that they're needing right away straight to their DMs. So they can just keep on scrolling. And when they think of it, come back to the DMs and get that resource.
19:00
or application or whatever it is that I'm sending them. I am obsessed with DM automation because I can go offline, hang out with my kids, my husband, I come back on and I have new podcast listeners. I have new people on my email list and it's kind of a miracle. I absolutely love it because you put all this effort into content creation. You want it to continue to drive leads and sales for your business. It's a very powerful tool and
19:28
Next week, I'm actually going to be doing an episode in depth on how to use DM automation in your business with your Instagram marketing strategy. I'm bringing on a really incredible DM automation expert. His name is Heston. He is so brilliant. This episode was a fire and he is going to teach you how to use DM automation to build your email list, which is so important. So many good things in store for you. Make sure you have followed
19:57
and subscribe to the show so you don't miss when anything drops. And if you got a lot of value out of today's episode, please share it with a friend. Send me a direct message on Instagram. Let me know your biggest takeaway. I love hearing from my listeners. It truly makes my day. Thank you so much for hanging out with me today. I hope that this three-part series on Instagram growth hacks that are working in 2025 and beyond has been really helpful for you and that you have
20:26
at least one or two really solid takeaways that you can go and implement this week. Thank you so much for being here and I cannot wait to strut it with you next week. Thank you for listening to strut it. If you're ready to start leveraging Instagram to grow your business, then you're gonna wanna grab my free monetize your IG guide where you'll learn seven simple and proven ways
20:54
to finally make money on Instagram. You can grab your guide at ElizabethMarberry.com slash freebies. That's ElizabethMarbury.com slash freebies to get my monetize your IG guide. If you got some incredible value from today's episode, be sure to leave a review and subscribe on your favorite podcast platforms. And I cannot wait to start it with you again next week.
