42. 7 Viral Instagram Reel Ideas For Your Business (part 2)

If your Instagram content isn’t capturing your dreamboat client’s attention in the first three seconds, it’s not just failing—it’s invisible. But don’t panic! Today, I’m giving you the ultimate tool to change that: viral hooks. These little gems are your secret weapon for stopping the scroll, sparking curiosity, and driving engagement. Get ready, because I’m breaking it all down with actionable ideas you can swipe for your business and start using today!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• [01:19] The Attention Economy: Why capturing attention is the most critical skill for thriving in today’s noisy social media landscape.

• [05:07] Viral Hook Formula #1: Three questions you need to ask before you… See how it applies across niches, from wedding florists to coffee lovers.

• [08:53] Viral Hook Formula #2: This is your sign to… How emotional appeals can drive action and build connection.

• [10:20] Viral Hook Formula #3: Calling out your audience with engaging questions to spark conversation.

• [12:13] Viral Hook Formula #4: POV (Point of View) reels that deeply resonate with your ideal client.

• [13:38] Viral Hook Formula #5: Before and After reels—people love transformations!

• [15:51] Viral Hook Formula #6: Industry trend content and why it positions you as a thought leader.

• [17:14] Viral Hook Formula #7:I wish more… knew… How specificity and empathy make this hook irresistible.

Key Takeaways:

• Attention is the new currency: You need to captivate your audience immediately.

• Your content isn’t a monologue—it’s a conversation. Hooks that invite interaction drive deeper engagement and conversions.

• Transformational stories and specific, relatable hooks create sharable, binge-worthy content.

⏭️Don’t Miss This: Next week’s finale of this three-part series: How to Make Sales with Instagram Content!

Links mentioned in this episode:

JOIN HOT REELS: The 12-Month Instagram Content Lab
An intimate, strategy-packed mentorship for established business owners ready to create killer content that stops the scroll, grows your following and attracts your dreamboat clients (even if you have no idea what to post and feel like you’re always throwing spaghetti at the wall!)

FREE guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Call with Elizabeth

Quote

"If you want new results, you must take new actions. A strong hook isn’t just a tactic—it’s a connection point between your brand and your ideal audience."

S3 Ep42 Transcript: 7 Viral Instagram Reel Ideas For Your Business (part 2)

00:00

Moving into 2025 on Instagram, if you are not capturing the attention of your dreamboat client within the first one to three seconds of your reel, your content will die. But the good news is today I'm gonna arm you with one of the most powerful tools in your social media toolbox, and that is viral hooks. These are simple ideas that are gonna help you stop the scroll, spark curiosity, and drive engagement for your business.

00:27

We'll explore different examples across different niches so you can adopt them to your own content strategy. I'm so excited to support you in learning how to stop the scroll and attract more of your soulmate clients. Let's do this.

00:43

Welcome to Strut It, a podcast about creating bold visibility on social media with zero apologies. I'm Elizabeth Marberry, your host and Instagram marketing coach. I help small business owners get seen on Instagram and monetize their offers so they can make more money doing their sole-led work. If you're tired of spinning your wheels on Instagram and you're seeking simple, proven Instagram marketing strategies that actually work, you're in the right place.

01:12

Let's dive in.

01:19

Welcome back to Strut it, I'm Elizabeth Marberry and each week I work to simplify Instagram marketing so you can use this free tool to build your business with more ease and confidence. Today we're diving into a concept that's shaping everything about how we market, create and connect online and that's the attention economy. So here's the deal, attention is the new currency. In a world where

01:46

Unless content is competing for the same eight second attention span, the brands and creators who can grab and hold attention are the ones who will win. Think about it, when you scroll through your Instagram, how often do you stop? Why do you stop? That moment when someone pauses to watch your content, click your link or engage with your reel, that's not an accident. That's a skill that you can learn.

02:16

isn't just a nice to have, it's a survival skill out here on these marketing streets. Social media is getting noisier and the algorithms are getting crazy and audiences are savvier than ever. So today I'm gonna arm you with one of the most powerful tools in your social media toolbox and we're gonna talk about viral hooks. Now these viral hooks can be used as a verbal hook.

02:43

when you do your talk to camera reels where you're speaking directly to the camera, they can be the start of your caption or they could be text on the screen over some B-roll footage or even the first slide of your carousel or maybe the first slide of your story. But either way, you need to capture attention right away with your content. So by the end of this episode, you're not only gonna understand the importance of hooks,

03:10

but you'll have some actionable ideas to level up your content game and thrive in the attention economy. I also wanna highlight that this is part two of our three-part mini-series that is all about Instagram Reels for Business and really learning how to use Reels to grow your visibility, build that audience, nurture those fans, and of course, convert your biggest fans into paying clients. I'm so happy you've joined me today.

03:39

If you missed last week, definitely go back and listen. I laid the foundation of why Reels need to be a really central part of your strategy. And I even gave you a simple framework for how you can create your Reels and what you should be posting about in your content. So if you missed that, go back and listen to that. And today I'm gonna be teaching you seven viral Instagram Reel ideas that you can use for your business. I'm gonna be giving some different examples within different niches.

04:08

And then you get to be really creative as to how you can reverse engineer these hooks to work for your brand or business. Now, before I share these seven ideas with you, remember that the key with all of your content is to be an empath for your ideal client. You want your ideal client or customer to feel seen, heard, understood, witnessed by your content. So none of these hooks should feel very like,

04:37

clickbaity or inauthentic to your brand, it's really the opposite. It is a way of serving and helping your ideal customer so they really feel seen and understood by your company. And as you build that real connection and you establish yourself as an authority in the field, when they need your product or service, you're gonna be top of mind. And that's when you will start to see your sales increase with your organic content. Now, little disclaimer,

05:07

that all of these hooks are gonna immediately make your content go viral. There's a lot of different aspects of going viral, but having a strong hook is a very solid start. It's one of five components that you need to have in your reel for it to be really effective. I broke down all five of those components in last week's episode, but the hook is really key to capturing the attention of your ideal client. So they're gonna actually want to consume

05:36

your content, hopefully they'll give you the follow, they'll start to binge on more of your stuff, and then of course you're gonna have a clear strategy as to, okay, I wanna get my biggest fans onto my email list, into a space where I own, so then I can nurture them even further, and of course invite them into a sale. That's just one sort of content funnel. There's many different ways that you can funnel your content, but just to give you an example, but if you don't have a compelling hook, you're gonna lose them.

06:04

You're not gonna have those eyeballs on your content and you're gonna struggle to grow your audience. Okay, so your first real idea is this formula. Three questions you need to ask blank before you do blank, okay? So I'm gonna give you a couple examples in different niches. So let's think about the coffee lover niche. Three questions you need to ask before buying store-bought coffee.

06:33

And then another hook at the top line of the caption could say, number two will shock you. Why does this hook work? So list hooks can work really well. So when you say three ways to do this or five ways to do this, in order for them to be effective on Instagram, you have to be really, really specific in what you're calling out. So it used to be that you can be very general, like five ways to grow your business on Instagram.

07:01

But now you have to be even more specific in order for them to be effective because the users on Instagram have seen that so many times. They're tired of the same old hooks. So if you are gonna use a listicle hook like this, you need to be really specific. So that's why it's kind of fun to say, instead of saying like three questions to ask before you order coffee online, we're saying three questions you need to ask before buying store bought coffee. Number two will shock you.

07:31

you can feel how that peaks the curiosity and it creates that intrigue. So a good hook will spark curiosity in the viewer, so they're gonna want to find out the answer. And highlighting a shocking point also encourages users to keep watching so they really find out what they've missed. Another example with this three questions hook, this is for a wedding florist. Three questions you need to ask your wedding florist.

08:00

to avoid disaster. So again, why does this hook work? It's that fear of missing out the FOMO. It really works wonders. So couples planning their weddings, they wanna avoid those costly mistakes, right? So this makes it really relatable and shareable for them because not only are they gonna get value out of it, but maybe their mom sees this reel and she sends it to her daughter.

08:25

This hook is an educational hook and educational content is awesome because it's very shareable. It helps people solve small problems. And if they're your ideal client and you're solving their problems, they probably know other people who are struggling with the same problem and they're gonna share it with them. And of course, the more your content gets shared, the more your brand is gonna get in front of a bigger audience. Second viral real formula is, this is your sign to consider.

08:53

This is your sign to consider hosting Thanksgiving without the turkey. Okay, that's an example of a great hook, right? It's gonna attract a certain type of person. Let me give you some more examples. This is your sign to skip your usual coffee order and try this instead. This is your sign to finally start that DIY project you've been putting off. And again, that is even a little too general.

09:23

But of course for your business, you just need to be really specific. And why does that hook work? There's an emotional appeal to it, like a motivational hook of like, this is your sign to take this action. People really like that. And it taps into that emotional piece. Or this is your sign to fire, chat, GBT, and hire a virtual assistant. So that's compelling, right? If you can really take a stand in your field,

09:51

those kinds of hooks do really well. And again, it has to be authentic to you. It has to be true for you. It's not about clickbait, but the people on social media who are willing to actually say what they think about things, not because they're trying to offend people, but that they're trying to express their thoughts, and by doing so, their people will be attracted to them. So it's very strategic as well.

10:20

Okay, a third viral real idea for you is you call out your target audience and then you ask them a question and you give them two options. So an example in the wedding industry would be brides. Which color palette screams your vibe? Classic romance or bold modern? And in the comments, people would respond, right? They would vote. These kinds of question hooks can work really well.

10:49

to drive engagement. So again, engagement is comments, likes, shares, saves. This one is really encouraging comments. It might not go viral, but it's a great hook to nurture the connection with the audience you already have. And it can sometimes be a great way to do some target market research. There was a poll that was going around that I've seen many times where it was like.

11:15

If you could get 10,000 new followers on Instagram or 10,000 new followers on YouTube, which would you pick and why? And those kinds of questions drive conversations. And remember, conversions come from conversations. Sales come from real connections with people. Remember that your content is not a monologue, it's a conversation. If you can create a hook that really invites people into conversation.

11:44

that works really well. Fourth viral hook idea is POV, so point of view. These videos are fantastic at calling out that ideal client where they read your POV and they're like, oh my gosh, that's me. Like, how does Elizabeth see me? So an example of the formula is POV, your A, and then you describe who your dreamboat client is. And then you

12:13

say their pain point. So I could say, point of view, you're a small business owner who is overwhelmed by Instagram marketing. I'm calling out who my ideal client is, I'm calling out a pain point, and you find my account. This kind of reel is really great to get new followers into your field who want what you're dishing up. Or you could say, and you find this product.

12:41

In recording this episode, I was just scrolling Instagram to find another POV example. So the account is the Caitlin Rhodes and her POV is POV. You got through another week as a business owner without quitting to sell feet picks. Because there's been all these videos going around of I should just retire from my business and sell pictures on my feet on OnlyFans. Okay. So, and she's dancing around, she's having fun.

13:09

And so this showcases her personality, it's identifying with her ideal client who's also a business owner who may be struggling to make sales during the holidays or whatever. So this kind of POV content does really well. Hook number five is before and after. So people love to see transformations. I'm looking at a reel on Instagram right now that is totally going viral. And there's a picture of a girl and it says before, and then the word.

13:38

pops up during and you can kind of see that she's feeling really stressed and she's kind of like crying. And then there's a video of her and it says after. This is her way of telling her story, her personal transformation. People love to see transformation. So that could be you in a really depressed place and then you living your best life. That could be if you are a wedding planner, maybe it's the room before.

14:06

all of the vendors arrive, just a blank slate, and then after, like the room reveal, those do really well on Instagram. Maybe if you're a vinyl record store owner, like one of my private clients right now, maybe he's showing a car full of boxes of vinyl records he just got in, and then the awesome display with like music playing and people jamming out to the records in the store, for example.

14:32

People love to see behind the scenes and then where things go. So even I've seen videos where it's like transporting the florals to the venue, how we do that. But again, it's like the before, like whatever your messy before part of your product is or your service, and then the after. For an online business, the before and after could be sharing a client transformation story. And maybe...

15:00

The video is short and sweet and it has a really compelling hook like before and then this happened and then find out how and then in the caption, you're telling the transformation of your client. So again, people just love to see that before and afters. So don't be afraid to show them the messy beginning, the messy middle, and then what is possible for them if they stick with your product or service and get that.

15:25

final transformation at the end. Sharing trends in your industry is always a really popular hook, especially this time of year, where as I'm recording this, we're approaching the end of 2024. If you have any kind of industry where you can share 2025 trends, those do really well. So for example, 2025 wedding floral trends you'll wish you knew about sooner. Why this works.

15:51

trend focused content positions you as an expert. Like you have a pulse on the industry, you're an industry thought leader, and you're the person I'm gonna go to for this particular product or service. So if you can share any kind of trends in your industry, that can do really well. Another way you can use trends is you can also say like why I ignore trends in my industry. And then again, the more specific you can be the better, but

16:20

Trends are something that of course are huge on social media. So if you can really address the trends in your industry or maybe there's a trend that you hate, that you're anti, maybe talk about that. Again, don't be afraid to take a stand in your content. Another version of that hook, the negative hook would be a 2025 social media marketing trend I won't be partaking in or something like that.

16:47

And that kind of sparks that curiosity of like, huh, what trend is it and why isn't she doing it? And again, that's an opportunity for me to educate my audience that I know what's happening in the industry and I am a thought leader and here's why I don't do that and why I don't teach my clients to do that. Okay, another viral hook. This was on my list, but as I was scrolling through Instagram to prep for this episode, this hook just came up, so I wanna share it with you guys. I wish...

17:14

more and then your ideal client knew that and then their pain point can be fixed with my blank method. So I'm going to give you an example. This account is called hams underscore Hannah. And she says, I wish more women knew that a puffy face fatigue and extra belly weight can be fixed with my three 30 20 method in a matter of weeks.

17:42

Do you hear how specific that is? She's calling out her ideal client, which is women, who are feeling like their bodies are changing, they're feeling puffy in their bodies, they're feeling tired, and be fixed with my, and then very specific, 330-20 method in a matter of weeks. Do you hear how that sparks curiosity of the viewer, and they're like, oh, well, what is that method? And it's calling out that very specific pain point of her ideal client. Okay.

18:10

So here is the formula for that hook. I wish more how you describe your ideal client, new, and then you insert a specific tip or a gentle reminder. I'll say that again. I wish more how you describe your ideal client, new, and then you share a tip or a gentle reminder. So in my industry, it might be something like, I wish more small business owners new.

18:37

that you don't have to post every day on Instagram to grow your following and boost your revenue. You can think about how you can use this in your business or industry. For these hooks, B-roll works really well. Don't overthink it. It could be you pouring a cup of coffee or brushing your hair or walking on the street, or it could be in your shop or your store or in your office. Or you can use these hooks as starters to your direct-to-camera reels where you're speaking

19:06

straight to your ideal client and talking directly to them. I can't wait to see you implement these viral real ideas in your business. When you do, please make sure you tag me on Instagram at Elizabeth Marbury. Make sure you're already following me so I see it. And I will be so excited to see you not only learn but take action because if you want new results, you must take new actions. So your challenge is to take at least one of these hooks.

19:35

I shared it with you today and implement it within the next week. I cannot wait to see what you create. And if you want my eyes on your business, you can really streamline your content pillars and your content strategy. The doors for Hot Reels, the 12-month Instagram content lab are officially open. It's popping in there. It's the most supportive group of business owners really cheering each other on because this stuff can feel hard, it can feel overwhelming.

20:04

And you don't have to figure this out on your own. Each week in our group, I drop in viral hook ideas like this trending audios that you can use. We have group coaching calls where I share exactly what's working on Instagram right now and how that applies to your business. And there is live Q&A so you can get my eyes on your business. In our Hot Reels group, you also can drop your content in and get actual feedback from me.

20:33

so you can start to really learn how to leverage Instagram to grow your business. I'm super excited about it. The doors are only open for a few more days, so make sure you hop in. You can go to elizabethmarbury.com slash hot to learn more and join our group. Again, elizabethmarberry.com slash hot, or you can direct message me on Instagram. Make sure you follow me so I get your message and it doesn't go in my request folder

21:03

Don't look in there as often. Direct message me hot, H-O-T, my little robot friend will send you the link with more info and then I will personally reach out and follow up with you. If you have any questions at all about the program, don't hesitate to direct message me or send me an email. I read each and every email, each and every comment, direct message, I'm here to support you and make this the most fun, effective way of marketing your brand online.

21:33

I cannot wait to see you back here for part three of this three-part mini series. Next week, I'm gonna talk about how to make sales on Instagram with your content. Yes, we're gonna talk about money. We're gonna talk about how all of this incredible content you're learning to create actually increases the bottom line for you and your business. I can't wait to get into it. I will see you back here next week. Thank you for listening to Strut It.

22:01

If you're ready to start leveraging Instagram to grow your business, then you're gonna wanna grab my free Monetize Your IG Guide, where you'll learn seven simple and proven ways to finally make money on Instagram. You can grab your guide at elizabethmarberry.com slash freebies. That's elizabethmarberry.com slash freebies to get my Monetize Your IG Guide.

22:29

If you got some incredible value from today's episode, be sure to leave a review and subscribe on your favorite podcast platforms. And I cannot wait to start it with you again next week.