Meta Shares Expert Tips to Maximize Reels Reach for Marketers

Meta has released fresh guidance for brands on improving Reels performance. The insights come from research conducted by Toluna. The study analyzed a wide range of brand-originated content on Instagram and Facebook. The findings reveal which strategies work best to boost both brand engagement and direct response.

Based on this research, Meta outlined five strategies for brand building and six strategies for direct response marketing. Reels now drive almost all engagement growth on Facebook and Instagram.

For marketers, these insights are critical for content planning in 2026.

Why Reels Matter

Reels combine entertainment, education, and inspiration in a single format. For brands, this means the focus should go beyond “making a good ad.” Marketers need to craft experiences that resonate with audiences. Reels allow brands to connect with users in authentic, immersive, and attention-grabbing ways.

Meta emphasizes the importance of Reels in today’s social media landscape.

• Over 50% of time spent on Instagram is now on Reels.

• Video time on Instagram has grown 30% year-over-year.

Brand Advertisers: 5 Key Tips

Meta shared five strategies specifically for brand campaigns on Reels:

1. State Your Case Early
   Show both the brand and main message within the first 5 seconds.
   Doing so makes content 1.7x more likely to rank in the top 20% for purchase intent.

2. Dynamic Branding
   Display your brand multiple times across different scenes or positions.
   This increases the chance of ranking in the top 20% by 1.8x.

3. Leverage Speech and Music Together
   Combining spoken words with music boosts brand interest performance by 2x.

4. Say It Out Loud
   Deliver the message using both audio and visuals.
   This approach improves brand interest ranking by 1.8x.

5. Slice of Life
   Feature people in everyday activities to make content relatable.
   This increases purchase intent by 1.5x.

Key takeaway: Capturing attention quickly, reinforcing your brand, and including relatable human elements drives stronger results.

Direct Response Advertisers: 6 Key Tips

Meta also shared six strategies for direct response (DR) campaigns:

1. Product is King
   Show the product multiple times.
   This makes it 2.7x more likely to rank in the top 20% for purchase intent.

2. Support Your Product with Brand
   Include the brand for no more than 25% of the ad duration.
   This strategy increases purchase intent ranking by 4.8x.

3. Tell Your Story
   Add context, such as features, USPs, or benefits.
   Doing so boosts the likelihood of ranking in the top 20% by 5.3x.

4. Use a Call to Action (CTA)
   Include a visual or audio CTA to guide the viewer.
   This increases purchase intent ranking by 1.9x.

5. Leverage Speech and Music Together
   Just like brand campaigns, combining speech and music improves results by 2.1x.

6. Experiment with Native Elements
   Using emojis or other native features can boost purchase intent by 2.5x.

Extra Tip: Hook Your Audience Early

Meta added a tip to enhance performance: Use visual and audio hooks within the first seconds of the Reel. This increases purchase intent ranking by 1.5x. Hooks capture attention immediately and improve retention in feeds crowded with content.

Read More: 7 Psychological Tricks for Hooking Readers from Your First Line

Why These Tips Matter

Reels are now central to the Facebook and Instagram experience. For brands, ignoring Reels is no longer an option. With more ways to produce video content than ever—including AI-generated video—creating Reels is easier and more accessible.

Using these strategies can improve:

• Audience engagement

• Brand awareness

• Purchase intent

• Content discoverability

Brands can now align with shifts in user behavior and emerging trends in social media marketing.

Read More: Instagram Marketing Strategy in 2024 | Social Media Marketing

Bottom Line

Meta’s research offers actionable insights for 2026 planning. Brand campaigns should focus on clear messaging, dynamic branding, relatable storytelling, and audio-visual integration. Direct response campaigns should highlight the product, include CTAs, tell a story, and experiment with native elements.

Hooks and early messaging are critical for cutting through the noise in crowded feeds. Brands that adopt these tactics can boost engagement, conversion, and ROI on Reels. Reels are not just a trend. They are a strategic lever for social media growth and brand dominance.