78: Instagram Growth in 2025: Why Reels Still Work (and How to Do Them Right)
If you’re posting Reels without seeing growth, you’re not alone. Reels are still the #1 driver of reach on Instagram, but most business owners are missing a few key steps that make the difference between content that falls flat and content that attracts clients.
I’m walking you through the three non-negotiable steps to creating Instagram Reels that actually grow your business. You’ll also hear how the newest Instagram updates—Trial Reels, reposts, and deeper analytics—impact your strategy in 2025.
If you want to stop wasting time on content that doesn’t convert and start creating scroll-stopping Reels that bring the right people into your world, this episode is for you.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
[02:12] Why Reels are still the #1 driver of visibility in 2025
[04:01] Step 1: Clarity and focus—why niching down is the foundation of growth
[06:45] Step 2: The 3 E’s of high-value content (educate, entertain, engage)
[10:20] Step 3: The mindset shift that makes Reels easier and more effective
[13:32] How Trial Reels work—and how not to get penalized by the limits
[15:08] New analytics that show exactly when people drop off and engage
[16:40] Why reposts are on the rise and how to leverage them for visibility
[19:27] Behind the scenes of Hot Reels—how members are applying this system
Key Takeaways:
Clarity wins on Instagram. If your niche and message aren’t clear, your content won’t connect.
The three E’s (educate, entertain, engage) make your Reels binge-worthy and shareable.
Reels are still the most powerful visibility tool on IG, but they only work when tied to your business goals.
Trial Reels, reposts, and analytics give you more tools than ever—if you use them strategically.
Growth doesn’t come from being “viral” or funny. It comes from content that connects with your dream clients.
Hot Reels is OPEN
Enrollment is officially OPEN for Hot Reels, my 12-month Instagram content lab. This is your chance to:
✔ Get my personal coaching and feedback on your content
✔ Learn the proven Reels system behind hundreds of client wins
✔ Stop guessing and finally grow your business with Instagram
Doors only open a couple of times a year. Once they close, they’re closed.
If you have questions about the Hot Reels program , email me at support@elizabethmarberry.com
A Truth You Need to Hear:
“Reels are still the fastest way to grow on Instagram, but not all Reels work. The ones that grow your business are the ones that connect with your dream clients.”
S3 Ep78 Transcript: Instagram Growth in 2025: Why Reels Still Work (and How to Do Them Right)
00:00
If you want to grow fast on Instagram, reels are still the number one way to get seen by your ideal clients or customers. In today's episode, I'm giving you three simple steps to start creating reels that actually work for your business so you can attract the right audience, host with confidence, and stop wasting time on content that doesn't convert. Are you ready? Let's do it.
00:27
Welcome to Strut It, a podcast about creating bold visibility on social media with zero apologies. I'm Elizabeth Marbury, 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 led 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.
00:56
Let's dive in.
01:06
Welcome back to the show. Thank you for spending your precious time with me. I've got so much goodness in store for you today and I want to kick it off by saying today is the day that Hot Reels, my 12 month Instagram content lab, officially opens the doors to the public. I only open it up a couple times a year and if you have been wanting my eyes on your business and your content and wanting live group coaching with me every single month,
01:34
Hot Reels is for you. Just this past week, Danny posted in our group, got to 17K followers this week. I'm so thrilled. Thank you so much for your help, Elizabeth. Hot Reels has far exceeded my expectations. Ellen also shared, I have added 57 new subscribers to my email list. Conclusion, this works.
01:57
And Caroline shared this win in our group, which really touched me. She said, I'm starting to care less about the opinions of others and I've done a lot of inner work, huge thanks to this group and realize how much that has been holding me back. And Martine shared that she's celebrating two high ticket clients who found her studio on Instagram and she closed 3K in sales in one day just from her Instagram content.
02:25
If you are wanting to grow a personal brand or a small business, Hot Reels, the 12 month Instagram content lab is my high touch live group coaching program. I get to be your mentor and supporter for an entire year. It is so special. And if you're curious about it, you can head on over to Elizabeth Marberry, M-A-R-B-E-R-R-Y.com slash hot. And you can get the program information there.
02:55
And of course, if you have any questions, can always email the team. We'll link that email down in the show notes or send me a direct message on Instagram. You can text me over there in the DMs or even send me a voice memo if you have any clarifying questions. Of course, we want to make sure it feels super aligned for you and your business and your goals this year. So don't hesitate to reach out and very excited to support you in that container.
03:22
Instagram has been keeping me on my toes as per usual. Of course, they're announcing updates, what feels like constantly. And one thing I want to just be totally transparent with you about is I don't share every single update with you because not all of them really matter or will be super impactful for you as a business owner, entrepreneur, or creative. My goal is to simplify Instagram.
03:51
and so many of these new updates don't really apply or matter and they're kind of distractions. So please know that if I bring you an update here on the podcast or in one of my coaching containers, it's because it actually does impact us as marketers and people looking to grow our brands and drive more leads and sales with our organic content. So I got you.
04:17
and thank you for trusting me to be your guide. The first update I wanna share with you is around trial reels. Now, I'm sure you've heard about trial reels. Trial reels are a great way to test out new content or new content ideas or even A, B, test your hooks or different videos. Trial reels are pushed out to non-followers. So it's a really great way to collect data and information before you would push it out to your followers.
04:46
They recently announced that they are now limiting trial reels to five per day. So if you exceed this limit, they may suspend you from posting trial reels for anywhere from one to 30 days. It's not the most clear communication from Instagram here, but my feedback to you is if you are leveraging trial reels, which I hope you are, do not post more than five per day or you could be
05:16
penalized for that. Instagram introduced a few new stats this week, which I think are really helpful to us as marketers and businesses. And I'm going to share just two of them that I think are most relevant. One is that you can see exactly when someone liked your post. So there will be a graph specifically, like let's say you shared a nine second reel and you're wondering when people actually hit that like button.
05:44
It will show a graph showing you the exact second that someone liked your video. And with carousel posts, it will show how many likes each slide received. So it's kind of cool because it's a way for you to track at what point in consuming your content did the consumer feel inclined to actually take action and like your video. Pretty cool. The second stat I think is really helpful and that is
06:14
most followed Reels. It's going to be a new part of your professional dashboard where it will show you of all the Reels you've posted, which ones have generated the most followers. And of course that will be super helpful. So you can study that, see what converted into maximum followers and then either repurpose that content or do more content like that to keep increasing your followership. So really good data to have.
06:43
In the last update, everyone was losing their mind over, I'm sure you've heard about it, and it is called reposts, R-E-P-O-S-T-S, reposts. So this is a really cool feature. It's essentially a way to share other creators' content with just a single tap of your finger. There's this little icon that I'm sure you've seen pop up where it's two arrows kind of moving in a circular motion.
07:11
And that is the repost button. And when you tap that, you're essentially reposting someone else's content to your followers. It will not show up on your main profile grid, but it does show up under a new tab on your profile. So when you test this out, you'll see what I mean that this additional category essentially comes up on your feed and you can see the content that you have reposted.
07:40
You can also add a little note. There's a little profile photo of you and you can add a little note if you want to add something on there. One of my clients reposted one of my reels and she said, meet my IG coach, right? So just, there's not a lot of space to type, but it's a really cool way to highlight other creators. And from a marketing standpoint, it's a good reminder that you want to create that content that someone is going to want to read.
08:10
post. Adam Ozari, the CEO of Instagram, has already said, really focus on that shareable content. You that content that people are going to want to share and that is going to be the best way to get your content in front of more people. The prediction I have is that reposts are going to be up there with that now. So you have to think about, why would someone repost this piece of content? And when you think about reposts, you want to think of that
08:39
audience. Who is going to be entertained by this? Who is going to be educated by this? Definitely check it out and it's powerful for us because if your people are reposting your content, you're going to get so many more followers. You are going to get so many more eyeballs on your brand. So it's another opportunity to get seen and get paid for your work. That wraps up the Instagram updates that I wanted to share with you.
09:06
Today, I want to go back to the basics of how do Instagram Reels connect into marketing your business and how does it work? You're listening to this podcast because you want to learn about Instagram. You want to simplify Instagram.
09:28
and you're looking to grow your brand or business on Instagram. I mean, that's why you're here, right? So today I wanna break down the first three steps that you need to take to really leverage this tool so your content can work for your business while you're offline living your life. Sound good? Step one is you have to focus your account. If you are serving...
09:53
everyone or your messaging or your content is all over the place, it's gonna be confusing and people do not follow when they are confused. They don't buy when they are confused. So you will grow so much faster on Instagram if you can specialize and become known for one thing. And I have a great example of this just before I recorded this podcast.
10:20
I led a virtual marketing chat for Nace Denver, which is an event association here in Denver. And one of the people on the call, she owns a cake company and she does wedding cakes and cupcakes and all of that. When we were talking about the focus of her Instagram bio, we were just looking at that. She was saying that she does cakes and cupcakes. I told her, you don't even need to mention cupcakes, just mention cakes.
10:49
Focus on cakes. That might seem a little bit crazy, but the more that you can really simplify and become known for that one thing, as people come into your world, remember Instagram is just the top of your funnel, you're going to be able to expose them to the other layers of your business or your product or service offerings, right? I wanna be clear on this. Your feed, so like your posts that are on your feed,
11:20
I really recommend in general, they are around that niche, that focus for your account. So for example, with my account, it's Instagram marketing tips, strategies, all of that. Now, sometimes do I break my own rules? Of course I do. I need to have fun with my content. I want you to have fun with your content. So sometimes you'll see that I'll post something about being a working mom or running a business while your kids are home for the summer.
11:49
Is that totally outside my niche? Not really, because I'm still speaking from that standpoint of being a female entrepreneur and business owner and wanting to relate to other people who are in that same boat. But it's not like my content is focused around being a mom or my kids or anything like that. So sometimes I will shake it up. But in general, your content should be very focused so people know exactly what they're gonna get when they come to your account.
12:17
Now, side note, you can go wild in your Instagram stories if you want, okay? I'm just talking about your feed posts. So you gotta focus your account. Old Instagram, like five, seven years ago, was that perfectly curated feed. It had to be color coordinated, grids and all of that. It was a lot of work, many hours in Canva trying to make sure everything looked super buttoned up. The IG of today is raw, it's approachable, it's authentic, it's real.
12:47
That came up in the call today too. Someone had asked about, know, I feel like Instagram is so polished and it's not where I should share any behind the scenes stuff. And I said, whoa, wait a second. That was IG a long time ago. Now the IG of today, you know, they really followed the TikTok trends of that raw, authentic, approachable content is doing so much better than the super overly curated content. So.
13:14
try to not put too much pressure on yourself of getting it exactly right. I just want you to get that content out there. So that's step one, focus your account. Step two, consistently post high value content. Now, what does high value content mean? I'm gonna teach you the three E's of top performing content. Those are educational, teach me something new. If I can learn something in 60 seconds, fantastic.
13:43
that gives me a lot of value. Emotional content, inspire me, move me, make me cry, make me believe in myself again, motivate me, right? Entertaining content, that relatable, make me laugh, make me DM it to my husband and so we just sit on the couch, the kids are in bed and we crack up laughing, right? Making me laugh, inspiring me, teaching something new, all of that is considered high value content.
14:13
So you want to figure out for you and your brand what resonates for you as the creator. Do you have to do all three? You don't. I'll never forget I had Wave Wild on the podcast. She is a TikTok influencer with over 400,000 followers on TikTok. And she said, Elizabeth, the entertaining content is just like not my vibe. Like I just do straight educational. That's all I do. And I'm like, I love that. So you have to find what works best for you and your brand.
14:42
For me personally, I like to tap into all three of the E's, the educational, the emotional, and the entertaining. And if you can create a reel that does all three, bam, that is gold. But that really should be the focus of your content. And if you go on Instagram right now and you scroll through and you see a reel that you liked, I bet you it fit into at least one of those three E's. So you have an idea of what kind of content to create now.
15:11
actually put on the screen. Like, what are the hooks that you're using? What are the captions? What are the words you're choosing? So your content should speak directly to your dreamboat client or customer, okay? You're gonna be speaking to their specific struggles or their specific pain points or needs, or you are going to be speaking to their desires or their dreams or what they want. And the key with content that really does well on Instagram is don't be a gatekeeper.
15:40
You know, don't be worried about, I'm just going to give away too much. Don't overthink this. Be generous. Be giving. Like, think about what I do on this podcast. I give you so much for free without you even working with me. And what does that do? It builds your trust with me, right? It establishes me as an expert. I hope that when you think of, I need help with my Instagram marketing strategy, I'm going to go book a call with Elizabeth, right? I serve.
16:08
from that place of no gatekeeping and being really generous and knowing that my people are still gonna wanna hire me to implement this and get my eyes on their business and simplify it and streamline it for them, right? So same thing for you and your clients or customers. So don't worry about sharing too much. Show up with a heart of service and your content is gonna perform really well. This is where it goes back to the reposts.
16:35
this new update, right? You want to think about as a brand now, how do I leverage reposts? Because that's huge for us. Like if someone reposts your content, your content is going to have legs, right? It gets in front of so many more people. We want people to repost our content. We want people to share it. We want people to comment on it and save it and like it. So before you post something, look at it and say, if I was my ideal client,
17:01
Is this so valuable that I'm gonna share it with someone that I know? Does it teach me something new where I need to save it and come back to it later? Asking yourself that question before you post it will help you to even improve your content more. So you focus your account, step one. Step two, you are consistently posting those high value reels and content. And you might be asking, by the way, how often is consistent? It totally depends on you, your goals.
17:30
your capacity, your team, all of that. So I don't have a magic answer for you, but you definitely need to be showing up consistently each week on Instagram if you wanna grow. And step three is prioritize reels, okay? If you had limited time, what kind of content should you focus on? I would recommend that you prioritize reels. You need an audience filled with hot prospects, right? You also already have an audience. So whether you have 100 people,
17:58
in your audience or you have a thousand people in your audience, there's people already following your brand who are just waiting for you to invite them into the next step to buy your product or service. So the best way to grow and nurture your audience on Instagram is still Reels. Post more Reels, post high quality Reels. Reels still receive the highest reach and engagement over all other forms of content on the platform.
18:24
So remember with Reels, you've got to play the long game. You have to be consistent over time. You have to bring the value. We already talked about what is the value. It's the three E's. Teach me something new. Entertain me, make me laugh. Inspire me, make me feel. And lastly, be yourself. Authenticity wins. Truly, the more that you can allow,
18:50
your most real and raw self to come through. And maybe for you, that's just in your Instagram story and your feed feels more curated. There's no one way of doing this, but I can tell you that you are the it factor behind your brand and the energy behind your content comes through. So I really encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and post the video. What's the worst that'll happen? It'll flop. Moving on, you post another piece of content.
19:19
Don't make it about you. Focus on serving your ideal client. And when you do that, you're gonna get more follows, right? One question I like to ask myself is, what's in it for them if they follow me? Like, if you don't know me, why would you wanna follow me? And I ask myself that question and that helps me to keep my content quality high.
19:46
It keeps me being of service to my audience and it keeps those aligned followers coming in to my business. So those are the first three steps of really leveraging Instagram to grow a business is number one, focus your account. Number two, commit to showing up consistently and posting that high value content that focuses on the three E's.
20:13
And step three is prioritize reels because they're still the best way to reach new audiences and nurture your current one. And I wanna highlight this, you do not have to go it alone. When you plug into a proven system, when someone has already figured this out, it goes so much faster and your strategy will be so much more effective because as you're learning these things,
20:40
You are not just learning, but then you are implementing. Success goes to the implementers, remember? The piece that I love about Hot Reels, my 12-month Instagram content lab, is in addition to our twice-a-month live group coaching calls, where I bring in trainings for our group and also do live Q &As, so you get my eyes on your business and you get that personalized support, we have a private group where you can share two pieces of content with me every week.
21:10
and get my feedback on your content. So it's not just that you're learning this and then you're getting overwhelmed and then you forget about it. Throughout the year, you're slowly up leveling each week and you're getting better. And that's why I'm so obsessed with this program is I know that if I was starting out trying to grow my Instagram, trying to find my ideal clients and customers on Instagram, this is what I wish.
21:38
I had instead of spending five years figuring it out like I did, you can do it in months stepping into the program. So if you haven't already, definitely go over to Elizabethmarbury.com slash hot. That's Elizabeth Marberry, M-A-R-B-E-R-R-Y.com slash hot to read about the program, check out the investment, see if we still have spots open, because I do limit it.
22:05
I keep that page totally up to date, so you can check that out. And remember, if you have any questions, reach out to me, reach out to my team. We are here to support you. And if you're not already, make sure you're following me over on Instagram at Elizabeth Marberry, M-A-R-B-E-R-R-Y. You can DM me the keyword hot, H-O-T, and my robot assistant will send you over the link to learn more about Hot Rails over there. And of course, you can feel free to message me
22:34
in the DMs and I will get back to you ASAP. I hope you got so much value out of today's episode. I hope you're excited about those new Instagram updates and you're walking away with one to two things you're gonna go and implement this week. Remember, if you want new results, you've gotta take new action. So go out there, create something that you're proud of that serves your ideal client and I cannot wait to start it with you again next week.
23:03
Thank you for listening to Struttit. 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 to finally make money on Instagram. You can grab your guide at ElizabethMarberry.com slash freebies. That's ElizabethMarberry.com slash freebies.
23:30
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 platform. And I cannot wait to start it with you again next week.
