Instagram is no doubt one of the most popular social media platforms today, accounting for over 28% of the world’s internet users. Statistics show Instagram will have more than 1.44 billion monthly active users by 2025. The growing number of users has impacted intense competition, with brands constantly looking for new ways to stay relevant and engage their audiences. New Instagram trends and features come up regularly, shaping how people interact with content on the platform. Staying ahead of those trends is essential to building a powerful and up-to-date Instagram marketing strategy.
The following article digs deeper into the top Instagram trends to watch in 2025. It will cover innovative tactics like AI content creation and show you creative new ways to engage your audience.
Top Instagram Trends in 2025
The following are the hottest Instagram trends that will shape content creation and engagement on the platform in 2025 and beyond.
- Video Takes Priority over Images
Video content will continue to take precedence over other types of content on Instagram in 2025. That is instantly noticeable when you open your own Instagram Feed. You will notice that Reels usually appear in the first few posts. You will also see a similar trend when you open the Explore page. That speaks volumes about how Instagram prioritizes video over other content types such as images.
Besides, Instagram users love video. According to the latest social media video stats, about 81% of consumers want to see more short-form videos from brands.
Leaning hard into video content is not just encouraged but, essential for every brand and business that wants to thrive on IG. Posting more videos on Instagram will not only help you to build genuine connections with your audience. It will also appeal to the Instagram algorithm. Thus, creating and posting videos is an effective strategy for driving your reach and engagement on the platform.
Check out these tips on how to boost Instagram engagement.
Instagram Reels Trends for 2025
Launched in 2020, Instagram Reels is a micro video addition that was created to compete with TikTok and Snapchat. It has significantly grown into popularity. Stats show many content creators and brands will repurpose their videos across major platforms including TikTok, IG Reels and YouTube Shorts. Some of the most popular Instagram Reels trends this year include;
Social media managers acting as brand ambassadors
Instead of hiring paid actors to deliver scripted messages, social media managers are not stepping in front of the cameras to create Reels. Social media managers have an intimate understanding of the brand’s voice and values. And, they can quickly create content that deeply resonates with the audience at a fraction of the cost. Besides, the appearances of social media managers help to put a human face to your brand. That is essential to building stronger connections between the brand and its customers over time.
Video memes
Memes are not going anywhere soon and, they continue to be one of the biggest Instagram Reels trends. Brands are maximizing meme Reels with trending audio. They are putting their own spin on funny clips or pop culture references to be relevant to their brand.
Check out the following post on how Lego added a twist to the ‘’photo we posted vs. the conversation we had’’ meme trend.
When posting IG Reels, you should remember to align your meme with brand values while also giving the audience a lighter side of your business. You can drive lots of positive engagement when you are conscious to portray your brand as relatable and culturally sensitive.
POV videos
Content creators and brands are going ham about POV videos. Traditionally filmed from the creator’s perspective, POV videos have evolved into a type of video meme.
Although the videos are no longer necessarily captured from the viewer’s perspective, they focus on portraying a given feeling or situation. They include a text overlay describing the experience to make it more relatable to the audience. That is a great way to engage your audience by immersing them into the brand experience.
For example, Kayali Fragrances creatively use a POV video to share a teaser for their upcoming product launch. The IG Reel shows a silhouette of a hand holding several tall containers against a red backdrop and text overlay that reads ‘’POV: You discovered your next fragrance obsession’’
- AI Content Creation
Like most other tech brands, Instagram and its parent company Meta continue to invest in Artificial Intelligence. This trend could significantly change how marketers create content. Instagram currently offers various features for content creators in specific regions.
- AI Generated Stickers: Users can enter prompts to create custom AI stickers which they can then, send in chats and add to stories.
- Start a Chat with AI: Ask for recommendations and advice, talk about interests. You can also view and follow AI profiles and the content that they post.
- AI Backdrops for Stories: Whenever you share a photo to your story, use the AI backdrop tool to create a new background based on text prompts.
- AI Reels creation: IG now offers an AI-powered tool for sharing ready-made Reels using images and videos from your account and device. That streamlines the process of creating Reels with the option of editing the clips as you want.
Besides Instagram’s in-built AI features, brands are using third-party tools to create content with ease. However, that does not mean AI will completely replace social media managers. AI social media tools can help marketers to automate some tasks and save time on creative processes. That will help to drive more engagement and, is essential to staying ahead of the competition.
- Longer Carousels
Longer carousels are also among the top Instagram trends that will shape content creation and engagement in 2025. While videos may be much more engaging than static images, Instagram carousels are the exception. A past study by Socialinsider established that carousel posts are the most engaging type of content on IG.
As Instagram expands the limit to 20 images, carousel posts provide an even better opportunity for engagement. That offers users more photos to swipe through, keeping them engaged for much longer periods. Whether you are sharing step-by-step visual instructions or giving your followers glimpses of brand events, longer carousels give you the room to pain a full picture.
For example, Huda Beauty, used this update to share images and videos from its Ube Collection launch event.
Longer carousel posts also provide the ideal opportunity for jumping in on the ‘photo dump’ IG trend. The photo dump trend entails sharing a series of images that may seem candid and unrelated at first glance. However, they collectively tell a story or a theme. It is like flipping through someone’s personal photo album, offering a glimpse into behind-the-scenes moments.
Those moments could include user-generated content (UGC), events and photoshoots. The above example of Huda Beauty is also a type of photo dump that features curated and candid moments. You can combine that with other current Instagram trends to create relevant, up-to-date content. For example, you could bring in some drunk, blurry photos for a dump that looks authentic and candid.
- User-Generated Content (UGC)
With many hard selling promotional content failing to work, brands are constantly embracing the power of user-generated content. Many stats indicate UGC as one of the top Instagram trends that will continue to shape content creation and audience engagement even beyond 2025. People are craving authenticity and relatability especially on a platform that they are spending hours on daily.
The strongest brands tap into these free marketing by creatively repurposing posts from real customers. It is the most powerful way to build trust, boost engagement and drive growth on the platform.
The big question is, how do you get your hands on quality Instagram User-generated content?
Big brands such as BMW, Apple and Samsung use hashtags to source UGC. Check out the following stats.
- #shotoniphone has 31 million posts
- #bmwrepost has 3 million posts
- #withgalaxy has 2.1 million posts
Samsung has even created a separate IG account for showcasing user-generated content. Creators tag photos shot with their Samsung devices using the hashtag, #withGalaxy. That gives them a chance to be featured on Samsung’s Instagram page, which boasts a massive following of 4.8 million users.
Another way to encourage user-generated content is to host competitions and reward the best entry or entries. You can also partner with influencers and creators in your niche. Ask them to share honest product reviews or send them free promotional packages to create unboxing videos you can repost on your brand’s page.
You can post organic Stories and posts from on-influencer public accounts. When they tag you or mention your brand, ask for permission to re-use their content. Those are highly effective as they show genuinely happy customers using your brand in their lives.
- Instagram SEO
Social search is another rapidly growing trend. Today, an estimated 31% of consumers are using social media to find answers to their questions. And, about 29% of Gen Z and Millennials even prefer to search on social media instead of search engines.
Optimizing for native search is more important than ever. The Instagram algorithm is constantly working to personalize the Feed for every user. That means delivering strategic content that is relevant to their interests. Marketers should have an Instagram SEO strategy that goes beyond just the right hashtags to stand out.
The following tips can help your Instagram content to rank higher in Explore and user Feeds.
- Find the right keywords
- Optimize subtitles and captions
- Follow and engage with similar accounts
- Follow and engage with the same accounts
- Add alt text to your posts
- Jump onto the latest trends
- Ensure your content follows the official Instagram recommendations and guidelines
- Paid promotions
Paid promotions are also among the top Instagram trends in 2025. As social media platforms’ popularity escalates, there is also a growing need for algorithms to best serve their users. And, you might see a decline in reach when an algorithm is deciding who gets served your content. It is because of that reason that Instagram paid promotions keep soaring in popularity in 2025.
You will notice a good number of sponsored posts in between organic content when you open your IG Feed. For example, the following Thou Beauty ad showed up as the third post in my IG account Feed. There are higher chances that many users will have the same experience with ads tailored to their individual interests. Thus, there is a good chance that investing in Instagram ads can boost your reach.
According to the latest IG Stats, ad reach on the platform is growing at an average rate of 12.2% annually.
Drive IG Engagement with Superior Social Boost
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