36 Instagram Video Ideas To Boost Your Following (+ Examples)
Struggling to come up with Instagram video ideas? I’ve got you covered.
In this post, I’ll be sharing a ton of ideas you can use as inspiration for your next Instagram video—for both creators and brands.
I’ll explain why each video idea works and why you might want to post them. Plus, I’ll throw in a few real-life examples here and there to provide extra context.
Here we go…
#1 – Tell a story
Stories bring people together. They’re a great way to build a more authentic connection with your audience while driving a ton of engagement.
You might recount a funny anecdote that happened to you that day. Or, you could share an emotional story from your past. Anything you think your audience might find interesting can work.
Here’s an example from creator @djhunts. In this video, he shares the funny story of a time he missed his flight. Viewers loved it and it’s racked up over 3.2k likes to date.
#2 – Share your expert tips
Everybody’s an expert in something, so why not share your expert tips with your audience on Instagram?
If you’re a brand, try to keep it relevant to your niche. For example, a pet toy brand could share a video with 5 expert tips on how to keep dogs happy and healthy.
Or if you’re a cleaning product manufacturer, you could share 3 ways to get stains out of a carpet. You get the idea.
Here’s an example from @blogging.wizard. We shared a video in which they offer 6 actionable tips that explain how to promote a blog effectively through SEO. This appeals to our core audience of would-be bloggers and helps drive social traffic back to our blog.
#3 – Show off your product
If you’re a brand that sells a product, it makes sense to show it off through your Instagram videos. For example, you might share a product demo or highlight a key feature or selling point.
Obviously, you don’t want your whole feed to be nothing but product promotional videos, but they should nonetheless be a major part of your content mix.
#4 – Offer viewers a sneak peek
Planning to launch a product in the future? Working on an exciting new project? Whatever it is, offer viewers a sneak peek of what’s to come in your Instagram videos.
This can help build a sense of excitement in your audience and generate a buzz ahead of launch day.
#5 – Use trending sounds & music
Open up the Reels creation screen on Instagram, then hit the Sound button in the bottom left. From here, you can add trending sounds and music to your clips.
Do this whenever it makes sense as it’ll help to maximize your reach. Plus, videos with trending sounds are more likely to get featured on the Explore page.
#6 – Collaborate with others
Partner up with another influencer or brand in your niche for a collab video. For example, you could co-host a live stream, repost or remix each other’s Reels, or work together on an ambitious video idea.
The great thing about collaborating is that each party gets to tap into the other’s audience and reach a ton of new viewers, so it’s a win-win situation.
#7 – Take part in a challenge
Challenge videos go viral on Instagram all the time. Take part in a trending challenge to tap into the hype, or set up your own challenge for an original video.
Creators @dudeperfect have nailed this video format. They regularly take part in crazy fast-paced challenges that they set up just like this one, and they’re always a hit. This one has had almost 40k views and counting!
#8 – Introduce your brand
If you’re a brand, help followers and potential customers get to know what your business is all about with an introduction video.
In the video, you can explain what your products/services are, what you’ve achieved so far, who your key team members are, what your origin story is, etc. Try to keep it concise and engaging.
#9 – Showcase your values
Another great idea is to make a video that highlights your brand values.
For example, do you only use eco-friendly and sustainable materials to package your products? Are you committed to diversity in the workplace? Make a video that lets your audience know.
#10 – Do something satisfying
For some reason, viewers seemingly just can’t get enough of watching videos of things that they find oddly satisfying.
That might be someone scraping ice off a windscreen, squashing something with a hydraulic press, squeezing a zit, or anything else.
There are a ton of these sorts of videos on Instagram Reels, and they tend to perform really well in the algorithm, racking up thousands of views and engagements.
#11 – Do something creative
The best way to stand out on a saturated platform like Instagram is to do something original and creative.
There are tons of people and brands rehashing the same old videos, and viewers are now craving innovative, original content. So, don’t be afraid to break the mold and do something new.
#12 – Share behind-the-scenes footage
Make a video to give viewers a glimpse of what happens behind the scenes.
For example, if you’re a business, you could show your followers what a typical day looks like in the office, or give them a glimpse of your production line.
#13 – Show your processes
Let’s say you’re a musician that posts clips of your music to Instagram. In that case, you could make a video showing viewers the process of recording, mixing, and mastering your tracks.
If you’re a creator who usually shares funny or epic Photoshop edits, make a video showing how you edit them.
Or if you’re a brand that sells products, make a video showing your product development or manufacturing process. You get the idea.
#14 – Make an announcement
Video is a great format for sharing news and updates with your followers, so use Instagram feed videos to make all your important announcements.
For example, you might let your followers know if you reach an important customer or follower milestone, or if you’re launching a new project or product.
In this Instagram video, @benandjerrys announces the release of their new S’wich Up flavor ice cream. They put the mouth-watering ingredients front and center and make them the focus of the video.
#15 – Run an Instagram contest
Host a giveaway in which your followers can enter for a chance to win a big prize, and announce it in an Instagram video.
You could even make video content a part of the contest itself. For example, run a branded hashtag competition in which users have to make a video showing themselves using your product in order and share it using your campaign hashtag to enter.
Check out my post on giveaway ideas for more help on this topic.
#16 – Repost UGC (user-generated content)
A great way to connect with your audience and build trust is to share their user-generated content to your own feed.
For example, you could use Instagram’s ‘Add Yours’ sticker to ask your followers to take a photo of themselves using one of your products and submit it.
Then, compile the best submissions into a slideshow-style video and share it on your page. This will serve as powerful social proof to build trust with new potential customers.
#17 – Answer questions
Make an Instagram Story asking your followers to share any questions they have for you, then make a Q&A video in which you answer them. This is a great way to engage with your followers on a more personal level, which helps build loyalty.
#18 – Share a recipe
Food & drink videos are some of the best-performing videos on Instagram Reels.
So if you have a recipe that you think your audience will appreciate, share it with them through a video. Start the video with a mouth-watering shot of the finished dish to hook the viewer in right off the bat.
In this video from @buzzfeedtasty, the viewer learns how to make some delicious tater tots. The video has a ton of click appeal and has had over 929k views so far.
#19 – Unbox a product
Unboxing videos are oddly popular. Not just on Instagram, but on other platforms like TikTok and YouTube too. So the next time you buy a new product that you think your audience would be interested in, set up your camera and make a video as you unbox it.
#20 – Review a product
Share your hot take on a trendy new product that everyone’s talking about. If your reviews are popular and you get lots of followers, brands might start sending you their products for free just to have you review them.
#21 – Share an inspirational message
When you’re out of ideas, you can’t go wrong with a simple inspirational message video.
Find an inspirational quote online, or just write one yourself, and place it on top of a stock background image or video. Then, add some inspirational music and share it to your Instagram Stories or feed.
These sorts of videos are super easy to make but if they resonate with your audience, they can nonetheless perform well in the algorithm and get a ton of views, likes, and comments.
The inspirational message in this video from @mindset_raptors is a simple one: believe in yourself. It’s obviously something that resonated with a lot of viewers, though, as the post racked up over 80k likes and 15k shares to date.
#22 – Create a comedy skit
Fancy yourself a comedian? Create a comedy skit video to make your audience laugh. If viewers find it funny, you can bet it’ll get plenty of engagement and could earn you hundreds of new followers.
#23 – Get involved in a trend
Another day, another trend sweeping across Instagram. Getting involved in these trends early is one of the best strategies for building a following, as they’re pretty much guaranteed a wide reach. Remember to use trending hashtags to make your videos more discoverable.
#24 – React to something
Coming up with original ideas for new Instagram video content every day is tough. Fortunately, you don’t have to—you can react to someone else’s content instead.
One way to do this is to use Instagram’s ‘Remix’ feature. It’s similar to TikTok’s ‘Stitch’ feature in that it lets you create a Reel that includes someone else’s Reel.
So, you can take a viral video, remix it to add your reaction to the end, and then share it to your feed.
#25 – Tell a joke
This is another super easy Instagram video idea that you can knock up in minutes.
The idea is the same as inspirational quote videos: Search the web to find a joke that’s somehow related to your niche, or write your own, then add it as text on top of a stock background image or video. Throw in some background music or sounds, and share it to your feed.
The brilliant thing about this idea is that the joke doesn’t even have to be funny, as long as it gets a reaction. Even cringey jokes can rack up tons of engagement as viewers leave comments to tell you how bad they think they are!
Here’s a straightforward example from @blogging.wizard, where I shared a rather “on the nose” joke Google’s algo update. This was a bit more of a meme than a joke specifically, but you get the idea. You can do something similar in a couple of minutes with online graphic design tools like Visme or Canva.
#26 – Repurpose your blog posts
If you’re a blogger, repurpose your blog posts into Instagram videos. The best way to do this is to distill the insights or key takeaways from each post into a few actionable tips, and then make a slideshow-style video in which you share them with your audience.
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT can help with this if you’re short on time. You can feed the AI your blog post and prompt it to repurpose it into a social media post.
For example, we turned a post on the best digital products to sell into this quick IG Reel.
#27 – Repurpose your YouTube videos
If you already have a YouTube channel where you share long-form video content, you can snip clips from each video and turn them into Instagram Reels.
Not only does this give you lots of content to share on Instagram, but it also allows you to use your Reels to cross-promote drive traffic back to your YouTube account.
#28 – Start a live broadcast
A good Instagram strategy includes a varied content mix. So in addition to posting pre-recorded video content, you should mix it up with a few livestream videos here and there. The great thing about live video is that it offers you a chance to directly interact with your audience in real-time
Some good ideas for a live broadcast include a live interview, Q&A session, or product demo.
#29 – Invite viewers to tag their friends
If you want to maximize your video’s reach, ask viewers to tag a friend in the comments.
For example, you could share a video of a stunning holiday destination, and write ‘tag the bestie you’d take with you…’ over the top or in the caption.
However, I would urge caution with this type of video. Some social networks consider this “engagement bait” and frown upon it.
#30 – Recreate a meme
Every week, there are a bunch of new memes trending on Instagram. Get involved by making your own variation of the current trendy video meme. If it’s funny, you can expect a lot of views and impressions.
#31 – Share a tutorial
Use an Instagram video to teach users how to do something. If you’re a brand, the tutorial could be about how to install, use, or get the most out of one of your products.
If you’re an influencer, you could make a tutorial to teach viewers a skill you have or show them how you make your Instagram content.
#32 – Create a photo slideshow
Don’t want to film a video? No worries, you can still make video content by repurposing your still photos into a video. You can do this yourself in minutes using any video editing tool, and there are a bunch of apps out there that can automate the whole process.
#33 – Challenge your viewers
Create videos in which you attempt some sort of feat (this might be a dance, a bottle flip, an exercise routine, or anything you can think of) and then challenge your viewers to do the same. Invite them to share their own attempts using a branded hashtag you’ve set up. If the challenge goes viral, it should provide a huge boost to your following.
#34 – Post an animated video
You don’t necessarily have to record anything to create an Instagram video. Another option is to make animated videos. For example, that might include 2D animated explainer videos, stop motion videos, claymation videos, etc.
#35 – Post a slow-motion video
Grab a camera and shoot something happening in a high frame rate, then change the playback fps to produce a slow-motion video and share it on Instagram.
You’d be surprised how often the most mundane things can look incredibly cool in slow motion. Something as simple as corn popping becomes a cinematic masterpiece.
#36 – Start a weekly video series
If you post the same sort of videos every week, make a series out of it. For example, you could start a ‘#MondayMotivation’ series in which you share an inspirational quote video at the start of every week. Or a #FunnyFridays series where you share a hilarious story or meme every Friday evening.
Theming each day of the week around a specific video series like this makes your posting schedule more consistent, which your followers will appreciate. It also helps you stay organized and ensures a good mix of content.
Final thoughts
Hopefully, these Instagram video ideas have given you some inspiration to get started—the rest is up to you.
Be consistent, keep posting engaging content, and work on promoting your Instagram account, and you should see your followers grow over time.
For more inspiration, check out these TikTok video ideas and ideas for social media posts.
