reels_strategy v1.0.0

name: "reels_strategy" description: "Plan and run an Instagram Reels growth system: scroll-stopping hooks, retention editing, trending audio timing, posting cadence, and turning viewers into followers. Use when asked to grow on Instagram, plan a Reels content calendar, fix low views or retention, or build a Reels strategy."

Reels Strategy

Purpose

Build a complete, sustainable Instagram Reels growth plan: hooks that stop the scroll in the first 3 seconds, editing that keeps people watching, trending audio used at the right moment, a cadence you can hold for months, and mechanics that turn views into follows. Covers the whole loop from idea to post to review.

Workflow

1. Define the goal and the viewer. Ask what the account wants (followers, sales, authority) and who the exact viewer is. A Reel converts when the right person thinks "that's me." If the viewer is vague ("everyone"), narrow it to one specific person profile first.

1. Audit the last 10 Reels. Pull views, average watch time, and completion rate from Insights for the last 10 posts. Find the weakest link in order: (a) hook failure (drop in first 3 seconds), (b) retention failure (steady drop through the middle), (c) conversion failure (views but no follows or profile taps). Fix hooks before anything else. Reads below 40% completion are hook problems; reads that fall apart mid-reel are editing problems.

1. Design the hook before anything else. Every Reel gets its hook written as one line before filming or editing. Pick a formula from references/hooks.md and adapt it to the topic. The hook must land in the first 1.5 to 3 seconds, visually and in the on-screen text, not just the spoken words. Test risky hooks with Trial Reels first.

1. Build the body for retention. Plan one idea per Reel. Cut every second that does not move the idea forward. Close loops you open. End the Reel so it loops cleanly into the first frame (replays add watch time). Add burned-in captions or on-screen text, since a large share of viewers watch silently.

1. Pick audio deliberately. Use the audio routine in references/audio-playbook.md. Mix: roughly 40-50% original audio or voiceover (builds your brand voice, signals authenticity), 30-40% trending sounds caught early (under ~5K uses, rising arrow), 15-20% evergreen mood music. Business accounts use original audio or Meta's licensed library where commercial tracks are restricted. Post trend-riding Reels within 24-48 hours of spotting the sound.

1. Set a sustainable cadence. For most solo creators: 3-4 high-impact Reels per week, every week, beats daily bursts followed by silence. Use the planner in bin/ to generate a 4-week calendar. Film in one weekly batch block, write captions in a separate block, schedule ahead. Post times come from your own Insights data, not generic best-hours charts (midweek evenings are a fine starting guess for entertainment content).

1. Engineer conversion. Every Reel ends with a specific call to action, and the caption adds one more. Rotate CTAs; always say what the viewer gets by following ("Follow for part 2", not "follow me"). Turn strong posts into numbered series or recurring segments ("Day 3 of 30", "Tip Tuesday") so viewers have a reason to return. Pin a comment with the follow CTA. Stay 5-10 minutes after posting to reply to comments.

1. Review weekly. Compare completions, DM shares (sends per reach), and saves across the week's posts. Double down on the hook style and format of the top performer. Kill what the bottom performer did. The loop is weekly: plan, post, read data, adjust.

Output Contract

Given an account goal, niche, and available filming time, produce:

• A one-line viewer profile ("who is this for")
• A 4-week content calendar (from bin/reel_calendar.py), with each Reel's topic, hook line, audio plan, format, and CTA
• 3-5 ready-to-shoot Reel scripts with hook, beats, on-screen text cues, and ending CTA
• A weekly review checklist with the metrics to compare

Operating Rules

1. One idea per Reel. If a script needs two ideas, it is two Reels.
2. The hook line is written before filming, never improvised.
3. Original content only. Reposts of other people's content lose non-follower reach under Instagram's originality enforcement; use the Repost button or Story share if the goal is to highlight someone else's work.
4. Quality over frequency. A weak extra post drags down engagement-per-reach; skip the slot and rework it.
5. No gimmick hacks. Ignore advice like posting at odd hours to "train the algorithm"; post when your audience is active.
6. Be honest about numbers. When citing benchmarks (completion targets, algorithm signals), frame practitioner-reported data as practitioner-reported. Never present guesses as Meta statements.
7. AI-disclosure: photorealistic AI-generated video or realistic AI audio must be labeled per Meta's disclosure policy. Penalties for hiding it include forced labeling and reach limits.
8. No em dashes, no AI-marketing speak anywhere in the generated plans. Write like a person.