Showerthought: Struggling with Reels made me change my tune about video fads

I used to believe Instagram Reels were just a flash in the pan. I hated how long it took to edit them, adding music and cuts. It felt like a waste of time for no reward. Then, I posted a quick, messy Reel from my morning walk. It got way more likes and comments than my polished posts. That showed me people prefer real moments over perfect ones. Now I see short videos aren't going away. They fill a need for quick, genuine connection. My frustration with the process actually highlighted why the trend works.

3 comments

3 Comments

jamie_white1mo agoTop Commenter

So was the hassle actually the whole point?

paul_patel401mo ago

Honestly, @angela416's story makes you wonder if we're all trying too hard.

angela4161mo ago

Tbh, when you said 'was the hassle actually the whole point', it made me think of my friend. She spent hours making a perfect Reel for her small business, adding all the edits and music. It got almost no likes, but then she posted a quick video of her dog messing up her workspace. That messy clip blew up and people said it felt real, like they were there with her. Honestly, the hassle of making it perfect might hide the genuine moments people want to see. Now she barely edits her Reels and her engagement is way better, so yeah, the hassle sort of is the point because it filters out the fake stuff.