5 Brands Beating the Instagram Reels Algorithm

Instagram debuted its short-video format, Instagram Reels, in 2019 amidst the soaring popularity of TikTok. Creators can make videos up to 60 seconds long and edit them to add eye-catching effects, stickers, and filters. This popular feature offers brands a golden marketing opportunity because, unlike other Instagram content, Reels are much more frequently surfaced as suggested content to users beyond your actual followers.

While managing the massive engagement Reels can generate is easier than ever with Emplifi Fuel and a strong Autonomous CX strategy, the first step is creating content that actually stops the scroll. To inspire your Instagram Reels strategy, we’ve curated five examples of brands that take full advantage of the feature and maximize the reach of their social content.

5 brands that get Instagram Reels right

Here are brands that are maximizing the value of Instagram Reels.

1. Yakima

Car rack brand Yakima has built an Instagram following of 90,000+, and its social strategy is a big reason why. The team posts a mix of sports content (from rock climbing to racing and fly fishing) that appeals to different audiences while showing real people actually using the gear.

Because Yakima goes beyond product shots and leans into the broader outdoor lifestyle, both everyday users and influencers end up sharing their own related Reels. This hiking clip from outdoor influencer @chasing.sage, for instance, pulled in thousands of views. That’s the kind of content that holds attention and pulls new followers back to Yakima’s own page.

The brand also runs the hashtag #yakimaracks, making it easy for fans to find (and create) more content. Behind the scenes, Yakima uses Pixlee TurnTo (an emplifi company) to instantly surface, curate, and republish that user-generated content wherever it’s tagged or mentioned.

Key takeaways

1. Look for interest areas adjacent to your product with a built-in audience. Yakima isn’t an athletic company, but sports content still makes sense given what its products are for.
2. Use a branded hashtag so viewers can easily find more of your content.

2. Puma

Puma’s Reels feature a mix of influencer posts, like Dua Lipa modeling a new clothing collection and brand-created product announcements that are unique and aesthetically pleasing. The key to creating branded Reels that people actually want to watch is ensuring the content’s style aligns with UGC shared by everyday Instagram users. It’s essentially a native ad disguised as an Instagram Reel, but it doesn’t stick out or feel sales-y.

In addition to selecting impactful influencers and creating sleek product-focused Reels, Puma also maintains a portfolio of Instagram accounts that highlight different aspects of the brand. Each niche account, like @pumarunning and @pumasportstyle, features Reels that are tailored to those topics. This is a great social strategy for larger brands, as breaking your target audience into different groups based on interests can foster a stronger connection and greater brand affinity.

Having multiple accounts enables the brand to drill down into specific topics its followers care about. For example, the Puma’s running profile has Reels like “3 tips to survive trail running” and sneak peeks of new running shoe designs. Puma’s marketing team makes sure to co-post Reels with influencers and across the brand’s portfolio of niche accounts. This ensures maximum viewership and is mutually beneficial for all accounts.

Key takeaways

1. If you’re a large brand, consider creating multiple Instagram profiles to highlight all aspects of your brand, and share your Reels across all accounts.
2. Any brand-created Reels you post should perfectly fit the aesthetic of the UGC your customers share and interact with.

> How do social media algorithm’s work? Modern social media algorithms analyze user behavior, preferences, and interactions to personalize the content you see. Learn more.

3. Delta

Delta often creates interactive Reels based on trends, asking users to answer questions and engage with the video. In this reel, the brand used a clip of an idyllic beach sunset and asked viewers, “If you could squeeze in one more trip before the end of the year, where would you go?” It has over 90,000 views and 700 comments, which shows how effective Reels can be as a conversation tool.

The airline also regularly shares dazzling videos of destinations worldwide from customers, influencers, and crew members to inspire future travelers. UGC that shows authentic, stunning travel content — created by people like the viewer — is a fantastic way to motivate people to start planning a trip. Weaving this diverse community content into the branded content it shares, Delta consistently shares fresh, authentic posts across its Instagram profile.

Another Reels tactic that Delta does well is reusing Tweets overlaid on videos to maximize cross-channel content exposure. Adapting content from other social platforms makes marketing dollars stretch further because the team isn’t always creating content from scratch.

Key takeaways

1. Get interactive. Use Instagram Reels to ask your community questions, promote UGC, and get people engaged.
2. Reuse content from your other social platforms. Overlay Tweets on video as Delta does, or take a YouTube video from your channel and edit it down to a short, compelling reel.

4. Mapiful

Mapiful, a company dedicated to helping customers preserve special memories with custom maps and prints, features UGC in Reels to show customer love for the brand. These Reels showcase Mapiful’s products in customers’ homes, making it easy for viewers to imagine how it would look in their homes.

Mapiful’s Reels are fantastic at evoking emotion and a human connection because they highlight the sentimental stories behind why a customer chose a map of a specific street or constellation. The videos are personal, and viewers feel strongly connected to them and the brand.

The company also uses Reels to post tutorials and inspiration for home decor enthusiasts and newcomers alike. Like Yakima, Mapiful taps into a larger industry related to its products rather than siloing Instagram content to focus only on products. This educational content also provides value to viewers by giving them the skills they need to design a home they love. When it comes time to purchase prints for their home decor, Mapiful will be top of mind for them.

Key takeaways

1. Get in touch with your emotions. Sharing content that evokes emotion in viewers is a great way to create strong connections.
2. Share UGC Reels that show your products in context to help viewers understand how it might work for them.
3. Educate your viewers with tutorials on topics in your industry.

5. Alo Yoga

Alo Yoga is a popular brand for yoga apparel and accessories. The brand’s strategy for Instagram Reels is largely focused on influencer and brand ambassador content from fitness- and health-focused creators. The videos are an effective tool because they spotlight products in action rather than on a static model, which helps viewers contextualize potential purchases.

While the main focus is on influencer content, the brand also creates Reels for social media contests and giveaways. These generate a lot of comments and shares, and it’s a great way to get new followers.

When Alo Yoga posts Reels that contain products, they always tag them. This enables viewers to easily purchase the clothing they see in the video while the influential content is still fresh in their minds. Product tags also generate new website traffic. Once viewers land on your site, they’re more likely to see additional must-have products.

One way to take the value of your brand Instagram Reels a step further is to publish Reels content on your eCommerce website. Emplifi allows brands to create and automatically publish their Reels content in on-site galleries, connecting their marketing avenues on the foundation of social commerce.

Key takeaways

1. Tag products in your Reels to encourage viewers to buy and send more traffic to your website.
2. Create Reels around social media contests and giveaways to stir up interest and engagement.
3. Share Reels that put your product into context in a dynamic way.

It’s your brand’s turn to rock Reels

There’s no one industry dominating Instagram Reels, which means there’s plenty of room in this space for your brand. The common thread across all five examples: a mix of brand-made and community content, plus a real plan for engaging with what comes back (comments, DMs, shares) once a Reel starts to take off. That last part is increasingly where brands either keep pace or fall behind, especially as the volume of engagement scales faster than most teams can handle by hand.

Ready to fuel your CX and social media marketing?

At emplifi, we view every social media touchpoint as a piece of the larger customer experience: a vision we bring to life through Autonomous CX.  That mindset is a key reason why we believe emplifi was named a Leader in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Social Media Management and Listening.

Powered by Fuel AI, the Emplifi Fuel platform helps brands seamlessly manage the massive engagement generated by content like Instagram Reels. Whether you run a lean team or a complex, multi-brand operation, our platform is designed to:

• Handle Engagement Spikes: Keep up with viral reach without needing to increase your headcount.

• Boost Team Efficiency: Automate routine tasks so you can free up your team for strategic, high-level work.

• Multiply Your Impact: We give you the tools to make a team of 5 feel like a team of 50.

What can you expect at emplifi?

• A partner who actually cares about your goals
• A live demo showing what sets us apart
• No pressure, just advice

Book a personalized demo today.