2025 Instagram Trends: Autumn Reels and Latest Tendencies
Instagram never stands still, so staying ahead of the curve is a necessity. If you’re a social media manager, you need to know what’s trending on Instagram, what’s driving engagement, and where the platform is heading in 2025. For professionals relying on this channel for audience growth and communication, keeping up with the latest Instagram trends is a proven content performance enhancer.
Our 2025 Short-Form Video Report showed a 34% increase in Reels posted vs 2024, which aligns with Instagram’s continued focus on authenticity, long-term storytelling, and highly personalized video consumption. We are breaking down the essential Instagram Reels trends for Autumn 2025, as well as a rundown of the year’s most effective trends and formats that you should definitely take into 2026.
Current Instagram Reels Trends: Autumn 2025
Getting a handle on the current Instagram trends is critical for any strategy aiming for growth. Integrating these popular formats, from cinematic editing styles to precise visual effects, helps your content feel native to the feed and significantly boosts its chance of going viral. Here are some of the latest Instagram Reels trends and how the best social media marketers are applying them.
GTA-style Edits
The Instagram trends reels are currently favoring the nostalgic and highly stylized Grand Theft Auto aesthetic, particularly the character selection or “Wasted” screen transitions. This trend involves a creator filming a short, mundane action, which then freezes and transforms the subject into a stylized, often cartoon-like or video game character version of themselves, typically accompanied by the distinctive audio and font from the game.
You can use this trend to humorously highlight your product’s or service’s impact. Film a short clip showing a common struggle or problem in your niche; when the “Wasted” screen hits, the text can be modified to reflect a failed attempt (e.g., “Wasted: Time on a manual report”). The subsequent “new character” reveal can feature a confident team member or the product itself, positioned as the powerful tool that instantly solves the problem.
Cinematic Scrapbook
This is one of the most effective Instagram trends for aesthetic storytelling. The cinematic scrapbook trend involves layering photos and sometimes text overlays over a photo slideshow. The final result feels like a beautifully curated, moving memory book, often set to a melodic or reflective trending Instagram song.
You can use this format for telling comprehensive stories, perhaps compiling user-generated content (UGC), showcasing the history of a product line, or documenting a client success journey. This highly engaging format encourages saves and replays because the viewer must pause to absorb all the visual detail, signaling high value to the algorithm.
Teasing Transitions
The use of “teasing transitions” is a powerful format in Instagram reels trends, focusing on short, abrupt visual changes that build immediate anticipation for a reveal. But there’s a catch… The big reveal doesn’t happen! (until the next video) To take part in this Reels trend, create a transition video in your normal style, then cut it after the before section, saving the reveal or after section for a future video.
You can use this to quickly showcase before-and-after scenarios for services or products. Film a scene showing a messy workspace (Before); use a sharp hand-over-camera transition, and instantly reveal a clean, organized space (After) thanks to your organizing product or service. This rapid change satisfies the viewer’s curiosity and provides instant gratification.
Audio as Part of Narrative
Moving past simple background music, the best Instagram Reels in Autumn 2025 emphasize integrating trending audio and songs as a direct part of the narrative. This trend utilizes specific sound effects, short dialogue clips, or original voiceovers that function as the setup and punchline of the content. Sounds are no longer just supplements.
For your content, use a short, relatable soundbite (perhaps a famous movie line or a popular TikTok quote) to represent a common audience thought or objection. Your visual content will act as the direct, clever response to that audio-based prompt, immediately connecting with the viewer through shared cultural language and framing your brand as the answer to the unspoken question.
Still Subject, Moving Background Videos
This technique creates a mesmerizing visual effect where you keep a central subject perfectly still (or only slightly moving) while the background is in rapid motion. It is highly effective at stopping the scroll due to its unusual, slightly surreal nature.
For commercial content, this is a phenomenal way to make your product the focal point. Place your product, logo, or key team member in the foreground; film a busy street, office activity, or a continuous process behind them. The viewer’s eye is locked onto your still subject, making the key visual element of your message impossible to ignore, regardless of the chaos happening behind it.
Strut to Reveal
The “Strut to Reveal” is a strong visual format among Instagram Reels trends used for showcasing personal style, transformations, or the end result of a process. The trend features the creator confidently walking or “strutting” toward the camera, often starting with a mundane look or backdrop, and then using a quick cut (often a snap, hand wave, or turn) to transition to a powerful, fully realized “after” state, such as a complete outfit change or a dramatically improved setting.
For brands, use this to showcase the power of your solution. Start the strut in the “before” state (unoptimized website, sad desk setup); use the transition to reveal the fully functional, beautiful “after” state achieved by using your service or tool. This connects confidence and success directly to your brand offering.
If you want to find more Instagram Reels for yourself, check out our guide:
This Year’s Biggest Instagram Trends For Social Media Marketers
Here’s a look at general Instagram trends we’ve observed in 2025 and how social media marketers can use them.
1. AI-Generated Content Is Taking Over
Hate it or love it, artificial intelligence is everywhere, including Instagram. AI-powered content creation tools like Metricool’s social media post generator make generating captions, hashtags, and CTAs easier than ever. Writer’s block or dips in creativity are no longer excuses for social media managers. Expect more brands to lean into AI for automated yet highly personalized content.
Using AI (correctly) can also help save time and improve your content strategy. As well as helping with your posts and captions, AI tools like ChatGPT can also take the stress out of planning when used for brainstorming ideas and creating templates.
2. Extended Reels (Yes, Longer Videos Are Back)
Short-form content isn’t going anywhere, but Instagram is now experimenting with longer Reels. What’s the sweet spot for Reels? How long should they be? This depends on your content. Longer videos allow you to go into greater depth but don’t just make extensive reels for the vibes alone. Follow these guidelines to choose the right Reel length for your content:
- Meme videos, quick tips, and random fun: 3-15 seconds
- Basic how-to guides, product previews, and funny stories: 15-60 seconds
- Detailed stories, mini vlogs and step-by-step tutorials: 60 seconds – 3 mins
If you’re not already testing out longer-form storytelling, now’s the time.
3. The Rise of Instagram Notes
Instagram Notes, you know, those little blurbs in DMs, are everywhere these days. Users share daily thoughts and updates with these notes. They’re informal, fleeting, and perfect for staying top-of-mind.
Messaging and Profile Notes
These disappearing short posts only last 24 hours and can be shared from your inbox or your profile. You can use them for:
- Flash sales
- Daily tips
- Micro-influencer collabs
- Competitions (like quizzes)
Reels Notes
You can also add notes to posts or Reels you see, which accounts that follow you will be able to interact with. These last 3 days before they disappear, making them perfect for short-term offers and exclusive perks you want to share with your trusted community.
4. Private Communities & Close Friends Lists
Speaking of trusted communities, this is one of the biggest trends we’ve spotted on Instagram and other social media platforms in 2025. Public posts? Great. Private content? Even better. More brands are shifting toward Close Friends stories, exclusive group chats, and community-driven experiences to boost engagement and build loyal audiences.
Make your followers feel more connected to you and your brand with sneak peeks, and early access to content, products, and services.
5. Instagram Search = The New Google
Users aren’t just scrolling; they’re searching. Instagram’s search bar is becoming a primary discovery tool, especially for Gen Z, who make up the majority of users on the platform. So, you’ll want to optimize captions, bios, and hashtags for what’s trending on Instagram and relevant keywords. SEO isn’t just for Google anymore!
6. Authenticity Over Perfection
The days of everyone on the internet pretending to be perfect are over (hang your head in shame if you still use filters on every selfie). Polished, curated feeds are fading. The focus is shifting toward real, unfiltered, behind-the-scenes content. Think: photo dumps, candid Reels, and less “Instagram-perfect” aesthetics. Here are some authentic content ideas you can try:
- #BeautyRoutine videos: Ok, fine. You can show yourself looking perfect, but only if you show how you got there.
- Fitness content: No, I don’t mean cute pictures in your athleisure wear. I mean videos during your sweaty, grueling workout or exercise class. You’ll be surprised how many of your followers relate.
- Day-in-the-life videos: Show your followers how your typical day looks, like this example from @figisisters
7. Multi-Format Posting for Maximum Reach
One type of content isn’t enough. The most successful brands are mixing static posts, Reels, Stories, and carousels for maximum exposure. There isn’t one format that’s going to take your page to the next level, so try them all!
8. User-Generated Content (UGC)
UGC is huge in 2025, because people trust other people’s opinions. Invite your audience to create and share content featuring your brand. Not only does it build trust, but it also increases organic reach.
You can encourage your followers to give feedback on your products or services in exchange for gifts or discounts, but the ideal scenario is that they do it without an incentive. One of the best ways to achieve this is by sharing positive content from your followers and responding to their feedback, good or bad.
For more UGC inspiration, check out our latest Metricases Video, where we studied how Rare Beauty has used it to build trust with its customers.
9. Interactive Stories & Polling for Engagement
Gone are the days when Instagram Stories were just for quick updates. With so many interactive options now available to be added, Stories should be a vital part of your Instagram strategy in 2025.
Use stickers to guide your followers to where you want them to go. If you have more than one site in mind, you can add multiple links to your stories with Metricool’s Smartlinks, which are 100% customizable with clicks tracked and analyzed.
Polls are perfect for boosting interactions on your profile and getting real feedback from your followers. They can also be used for fun games and competitions so if you’re not using them, you’re missing out.
10. Trendjacking: Jumping on What’s Trending on Instagram Now
Spot a viral challenge? A trending meme? A viral sound or song? Hop on it, fast. We all know how quickly social media moves these days, so brands aren’t only getting involved in trends that align with them, or waiting to see how they develop. Jump on as many positive bandwagons as possible to increase visibility and engagement without spending a dime on ads.
11. The Micro-Influencer Boom
It’s no secret that the biggest influencers are the most expensive. Micro-influencers are authentic, and affordable, and often drive higher engagement. Look for creators in your niche that fit your brand’s ethos and target audience for more successful collaborations.
12. Shoppable Content: Seamless Buying Experience
Instagram is doubling down on shopping features. More brands will integrate product tags, live shopping events, and in-app checkouts. If you sell products, make sure your IG Shop is optimized with these features:
- Well-categorized products with accurate tags
- High-quality product images
- Detailed product descriptions
13. Sustainability & Social Responsibility Content
Consumers care about values. Brands that focus on sustainability, inclusivity, and ethical practices are leading the way in 2025. However, unlike memes and funny trends, you can’t just jump on whatever’s popular at the time. Find causes and movements that make sense for you and your brand to avoid being seen as attention-seeking or performative.
14. Get personal
Lastly, don’t forget what social media was originally made for: connecting with people and sharing experiences. No one truly feels connected to faceless profiles or influencers who don’t share their personal lives. Share personal stories, triumphs and memorable moments with your followers to increase your bond and improve engagement.
Need more Instagram content tips? Check out this video:
Stay Ahead with Metricool
Keeping up with these trends means executing them strategically. That’s where Metricool comes in. With powerful analytics, post-scheduling, and trend-tracking features, we help social media managers stay on top of Instagram trends and implement winning strategies effortlessly.
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