Instagram reels vs posts

You have limited time to create content.

So you need to know: should you make reels or regular posts?

The answer used to be simple.

Photos worked great, then carousels dominated, and now everyone says "just post reels."

But is that actually true?

Do reels always get more reach?

Or are there situations where posts still win?

In this guide, I'll break down exactly which format gets more reach in 2025, when to use each, and how to decide what to create based on your goals.

Let's start with the data.

What gets more reach

Reels:

• Small accounts (under 10K): 2-5x follower count

• Medium accounts (10K-100K): 1.5-3x follower count

• Large accounts (100K+): 1-2x follower count

Photo posts:

• Small accounts: 0.3-0.8x follower count

• Medium accounts: 0.4-0.7x follower count

• Large accounts: 0.5-0.9x follower count

Carousel posts:

• Small accounts: 0.5-1.2x follower count

• Medium accounts: 0.6-1x follower count

• Large accounts: 0.7-1.1x follower count

So, reels get 2-5x more reach than photo posts on average.

But the engagement quality, follower conversion, and time investment?

Why reels get more reach

They keep people on the app longer.

When you post a reel:

• It shows to your followers first

• If they watch it (high retention), it shows to similar users on Reels feed

• If those people engage, it shows on Explore page

• If that performs well, it can reach millions

When you post a photo:

• It shows to your followers in their feed

• That's mostly it

Reels have multiple chances to reach new audiences.

Additional factors:

Instagram is competing with TikTok and YouTube Shorts.

They need video content to compete, so they algorithmically boost reels to encourage more video creation.

We covered the full algorithm breakdown in how Instagram's algorithm works.

When photos/carousels win

Despite reels getting more reach, there are situations where posts can outperform:

1. When you need high-quality engagement

Reels get views from casual scrollers who don't really care about your content.

They watch, maybe like, then keep scrolling.

Photo posts and carousels get engagement from people who actually follow you and care.

Comparison:

• Reel: 50,000 views, 500 likes, 10 comments, 5 saves

• Carousel: 5,000 views, 400 likes, 50 comments, 200 saves

The carousel reached fewer people but got:

• Higher engagement rate

• More meaningful comments

• Way more saves (strongest algorithm signal)

2. When you're teaching something complex

Carousels are perfect for:

• Step-by-step tutorials

• Detailed breakdowns

• Lists and frameworks

• Before/after with explanation

You can fit 10 slides with detailed text, people can go at their own pace, they save it to reference later.

Reels are terrible for complex information.

Too fast, can't pause and study, hard to reference later.

3. When you want to build authority

In-depth carousel posts position you as an expert.

Entertainment reels get views but don't build credibility the same way.

4. When your audience is on feed, not Reels

• B2B audiences (they're on LinkedIn more than Reels)

• Professional services (they engage more with posts)

• Older demographics (less likely to scroll Reels)

5. When you're promoting something

Promotional reels get killed by the algorithm.

Instagram doesn't want to distribute ads for free.

But a well-crafted carousel about your offer?

That can perform well with your existing audience.

The engagement quality difference

Let's talk about what really matters: not just reach, but who you're reaching and how they engage.

Reels typically get:

• High view counts

• Low follower conversion (1-3% of viewers follow)

• Lots of likes, few saves

• Surface-level comments

• Views from people who will never see your content again

Posts typically get:

• Lower view counts

• Higher follower conversion (5-10% of viewers follow)

• More saves (people want to reference it)

• Thoughtful comments

• Views from people who already care about you

Example:

Creator A posts a trending reel:

• 100,000 views

• 2,000 likes

• 50 comments

• 100 saves

• 500 new followers

Creator B posts an educational carousel:

• 8,000 views

• 600 likes

• 80 comments

• 400 saves

• 600 new followers

Creator B got 12x less reach but more followers.

Why? Because they reached the right people with valuable content.

Time investment vs. results

Let's be honest about the effort required:

To create a good reel:

• Filming: 30-60 minutes

• Editing: 30-60 minutes

• Finding trending audio: 10-20 minutes

• Total: 1-2 hours, maybe more

To create a good carousel:

• Research/writing: 30-45 minutes

• Design: 20-30 minutes

• Total: 45-75 minutes

To create a photo post:

• Photo: 5-30 minutes (depending on setup)

• Caption: 10-20 minutes

• Total: 15-50 minutes

If you have limited time, you need to consider ROI:

• One reel (2 hours) = 50,000 views, 200 followers

• Two carousels (90 min each) = 15,000 views, 400 followers

Which is better? Depends on your goal.

The optimal posting strategy for 2025-2026

Here's what actually works:

The 70/30 split:

• 70% reels (for reach and discovery)

• 30% posts/carousels (for authority and conversion)

How to decide: reel or post?

Ask yourself these questions:

Question 1: What's my goal for this content?

Goal = Reach new people → Reel Goal = Convert existing audience → Post Goal = Build authority → Carousel Goal = Sell something → Carousel or photo post

Question 2: Is this timely or evergreen?

Timely content (trends) → Reel Evergreen content (tutorials) → Carousel Personal updates → Photo post

Question 3: How much time do I have?

Limited time → Photo post or carousel More time available → Reel

Question 4: How complex is the information?

Simple tip → Reel Step-by-step process → Carousel Deep dive → Carousel Single image/moment → Photo post

Question 5: What's my audience expecting?

Check your insights. Which format gets better engagement from YOUR audience specifically?

Making reels work harder

If you're going to invest time in reels, maximize ROI:

1. Ride trends early

Don't make random reels, please, make trending reels while they're still getting algorithmic boost.

Use Clyren to find what's trending in your niche right now, post in week 2-3 of the trend lifecycle.

We covered this in detail in how to make Instagram reels go viral.

2. Optimize for watch time

Hook in 3 seconds, keep it under 30 seconds, pattern interrupts every 2-3 seconds, and captions for silent viewing.

High watch time = more reach.

3. Create series that bring people back

• "Day 1 of 30 days of [topic]"

• "Part 1: [topic]" (then make part 2, 3, 4)

• Weekly recurring format

4. Repurpose your best reels

If a reel does well, turn it into:

• A carousel with more depth

• A photo post summarizing it

• Multiple reels exploring each point

One successful reel can become 5 pieces of content, or even more.

Making posts work harder

1. Write compelling captions

Your caption should:

• Hook in first line (people see this in feed)

• Provide value or tell a story

• End with a question or call to action

Long, valuable captions increase saves and engagement.

2. Design for stopping the scroll

Your first slide/image needs to make people stop:

• Bold text

• Contrasting colors

• Interesting visual

• Clear value proposition

3. Make it saveable

People save content they want to reference later:

• Tutorials

• Resources

• Templates

• Data and insights

Saves are one of the strongest ranking signals.

4. Encourage actual conversations

End your caption with a specific question. Reply to every comment. Start real conversations.

This signals to Instagram that your content is valuable.

The hybrid approach: carousel + reel

Create detailed carousel posts, then turn them into quick reels.

Process:

1. Make an in-depth carousel on a topic

2. Let it run for 24-48 hours

3. Create a 15-second reel summarizing the key points

4. Link to the full carousel in caption

Why this works:

• Reel gets reach (new audiences)

• Carousel gets engagement (existing followers)

• You maximize content ROI

• Less total creation time

This way one piece of research becomes two formats.

The numbers

Start tracking these:

• Reach from non-followers (are you growing your audience?)

• Follower conversion rate (what % of viewers follow?)

• Saves (strongest algorithm signal)

• Profile visits (are people interested enough to check you out?)

• Engagement rate (total engagement ÷ reach)

A reel with 10,000 views and 500 saves is better than a reel with 100,000 views and 50 saves.

The honest truth

More reach doesn't equal more success.

You know what matters more than reach?

• Reaching the right people

• Converting them to followers

• Building actual relationships

• Creating content they value

I'd rather have 1,000 engaged followers than 10,000 random ones.

We covered the full organic growth strategy in how to grow Instagram followers organically.

And remember: the best format is the one you'll actually create consistently.

One reel per week you actually post beats five reels you plan but never make.

Now stop overthinking, go create something.

Want to maximize your reach?

Learn how to make reels go viral, what counts as viral, and current Instagram trends.

In case I don’t see you, good afternoon, good evening, and good night. Use Clyren 🫶