The Reel That Got 839K Views (And the One That Didn’t)
I have to tell you about something that happened to one of my clients last week, because it perfectly explains what I want to get into today.
She posts anywhere between seven and 14 posts a week. Two of them in particular are the reason we’re here.
The first one was a super simple tip. Text on screen said something like “the simplest and cheapest way to boost your immune system is cold, wet socks… let me explain.” The video showed her actually doing it on her own kid. Fast jump cuts, one clear idea, and a ManyChat call to action for people who wanted more info.
She almost didn’t post it because she thought it was too simple.
The second reel was one she’d been wanting to make for a while. It packed in four different tips, and honestly, it was a lot. Long, explainy, and kind of hard to follow if you didn’t already know what she was talking about.
So which one do you think won?
The simple one. Not by a little. By a landslide. We’re talking 839,000 views, almost 5,000 likes, over 1,200 comments, 1,800 shares, and 2,000 new followers.
She Slacked me asking why it did so well. So let’s get into it.
Why We Overexplain (And Why That’s Not Your Fault)
If you know a lot about your topic, it feels like you should be sharing all of it. Maybe you feel like the simple stuff has already been said, or you’ve already said it yourself. Maybe you feel like giving just one tip is leaving value on the table.
That instinct makes total sense. I get it.
It’s also completely backwards from what actually gets you seen on this app right now.
A lot of people are taking an entire podcast episode’s worth of information and trying to cram it into 60 seconds. That’s not going to perform the way you want it to.
The 3 Real Reasons Simple Content Wins
1. It gets watched (and rewatched) all the way through
The cold sock reel was short, around 15 seconds, and it showed exactly what she was talking about. The video matched the text on screen and the caption. People watched it, understood it fast, and probably watched it again just to make sure they got it.
A four tip reel is a lot to hold onto. We go to Instagram for a reprieve. We want it to feel light and easy, not like homework. When people bail halfway through, that drop off tells Instagram the content isn’t holding attention, and it stops pushing it out.
2. It’s actually shareable
Think about the difference between sending a friend “you need to see this” for a one idea video versus something you’d have to explain first.
Simple content is share ready. If you’re in group chats where people send reels back and forth, you already know this. The stuff that gets shared is relatable or helpful in about two seconds flat, not stuff you have to sit through to “get.”
3. It has one job
The simple reel had exactly one call to action. The long reel had four ideas and no clear next step, because everything was already given away in the reel itself.
People watched, felt a little info dumped on, and scrolled instead of engaging further. One clear CTA, like “comment this word and I’ll send you more,” beats “comment this, share this, tell me this, DM me this” every single time.
How to Start Making Simple Content Today
The AI Brain Dump Method
Tell your AI tool of choice what you do, who you help, what results you’ve gotten, and what you sell. Then ask it to interview you like an audience member would, asking the questions your audience actually asks. Voice memo or type your answers back. Once you’re done, ask it to pull 10 to 20 simple tips straight from your own words, then pick a hook for each one.
The FaceTime Friend Method
Think of a question you get asked over and over, in your DMs, on discovery calls, wherever. Pretend a friend just called you on FaceTime and asked you that exact question. Answer her exactly like you would in that moment. Off the cuff, no notes, no overthinking. One tip, one idea, one call to action. These can take under 10 minutes start to finish because there’s no script to fuss over.
Simple Doesn’t Mean Dumbed Down
Making your content simple doesn’t mean it’s less valuable. It means it’s usable. Easy to retain, easy to consume.
A long, jam packed reel doesn’t prove you know more. It just means fewer people stick around long enough to find out.
Longer, more explainy content can still work, it’s just a harder skill to master. If you want to build up to a two minute talking head reel that keeps people engaged the whole way through, that’s great. Just don’t start there. Start simple, get confident, then build up.
Recap
- Simple content beats packed content, almost every time
- One call to action beats four
- People need to finish watching before they’ll save or share
- Try the FaceTime friend method: answer an FAQ off the cuff, one tip, one CTA
- Or film the B roll of you doing the thing, with a strong hook on screen and more detail in the caption
Your Action Challenge
Before you close this out, think of one question people ask you all the time. Film yourself answering it off the cuff. If posting it as a reel feels like too much right now, post it to your stories first and see what happens. I promise it’ll do better than you think.
And if the face talking thing isn’t your vibe and you’d rather do the B roll style but you’re stuck on the hook, that’s literally what my membership is for. Every week inside Plug and Post you get three B roll reel ideas, a talking head script, a carousel script, and five days of story prompts, built around what your exact audience is asking about right now. I’d love to have you inside.
Resources:
The Plug & Post Instagram Content Membership: Instagram content ideas, picked by me (an IG strategist) every week based on what’s working RIGHT NOW… so all you have to do is film and press post! – Join here!
100 IG stories that sell – $17
Say Hi on instagram! @nicoleialeggio
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