Top Instagram Trends This Week: What to Post for Better Reach in 2025

If your brand or business relies on Instagram for visibility, engagement, or sales, staying up-to-date with what's trending on the platform is essential. Instagram rewards timely, relevant content, and the brands who adapt quickly see the strongest reach and engagement.

Below, we break down the top Instagram trends this week, why they matter, and how you can apply them to your social media strategy in a way that feels natural and on-brand.

1. Carousels Are Outperforming Single Posts

Carousels continue to be one of the strongest formats on Instagram this week, especially those that tell a story or teach something useful.

Why this trend is working:

• Carousels encourage swiping, which increases dwell time (a strong Instagram algorithm signal).

• They allow brands to break down longer explanations, tutorials, or “before vs. after” journeys.

  
  

How to use this trend:

• Start with a bold hook slide. Example:“We increased engagement by 42% last week. Here’s how.”

• Use the middle slides to tell your story step-by-step.

• End with a call to action such as:“Save this for later” or “DM us to try this strategy”.

  
  

Content idea:“5 Things We’re Doing on Instagram This Week That You Can Copy”

2. Trending Audio on Reels Is Boosting Reach

Reels are still being prioritised heavily in the feed, and audio trends shift quickly, meaning timing matters.

How to spot trending sounds:

• Look for the little upwards arrow ↑ next to audio inside the Reels audio page.

• Scroll your “For You” and note sounds that repeat across different creators.

• Use the audio while it’s climbing, not when it’s already everywhere.

  
  

How to use trending audio strategically:

• Adapt the trend to your industry, not the general joke.

• Keep the messaging concise, clear, and on-brand.

• Add text overlays, they increase retention.

  
  

Content idea:Show a “Before and After” of client work using trending audio.

3. Interactive Stories Are Increasing Engagement

Instagram Stories are becoming less about polished aesthetics and more about connection and conversation.

Features performing well this week:

• Poll stickers

• Question boxes

• Emoji sliders

• Countdown timers for launches or announcements

  
  

Why this works: The algorithm measures story interactions (like taps and replies) to determine how often your content appears in a user's feed.

Try this today: Run a poll asking:“What would you like to learn more about?”Then create a Reel based on the most-selected answer.

4. Raw, Unfiltered Content Is Performing Better Than “Perfect”

This week we’re seeing a shift away from overly curated posts. People are responding more positively to:

• Candid behind-the-scenes moments

• Honest insights

• Failures and experiments

• Real customer results and testimonials

  
  

Why this matters: Audiences want relatability and transparency. Perfection looks like advertising. Realness feels like trust.

Content idea:“Here’s what actually went wrong this week (and what we learned).”

Final Thoughts

The strongest Instagram strategies right now combine:

• Relevant trends

• Strong storytelling

• Genuine brand personality

  
  

This week’s platform behaviour is clear: It’s not enough to show up — you need to show up authentically.