Instagram Reels remains one of the most powerful tools in social media marketing in 2026. What started as a reaction to TikTok has developed into a standalone format that Swiss companies, from Zurich startups to established Zug-based brands, use systematically to build reach and engage audiences. The format has matured. And so have the strategies around it.
Instagram Reels sets new trends in social media marketing
Operators of high-traffic social media platforms are constantly striving to increase the number of their registered users. Because one thing is certain: The more people are active on a platform, the more its reach increases. This benefits both the platforms and their users. One way to attract more users is to integrate additional features into the platform to make it even more interesting and exciting. The example of Instagram Reels shows how such an “upgrade” works. By integrating reels into Instagram, influencers were able to generate significantly more views in a short time. Despite some critical voices, Instagram Reels brought a lot of new impulses for the social media marketing of Instagram users. Our experience shows that Swiss SMEs in particular benefit from the low production costs compared to classic display advertising.
Instagram Reels , What is it?
For all those who do not know Instagram Reels yet: A reel is a short video clip which can be up to 90 seconds long and can be accompanied by music. Instagram Reels are something like Instagram’s answer to TikTok, the highly successful short video platform. With well over 1.5 billion active users monthly as of 2026, TikTok is one of the largest social media platforms in the world. Influencers around the world use TikTok to market themselves and their products. So Instagram had to do something to counter this in the short video sector. That is how Instagram Reels came into being. Reels was launched as a function in the Instagram app in June 2020, initially in Germany and France. About two months later, the app was launched in larger markets such as the UK, America and Australia. Since then, the format has been continuously expanded and is now a central part of the Instagram algorithm.
Does Instagram Reels only benefit influencers or does it also benefit companies?
First of all, it should be mentioned here that Instagram Reels, like TikTok, appeals primarily to a very young target audience. On the other hand, there is still a certain reluctance among companies to use TikTok. But this has not only to do with the medium short video. It also has to do with the fear of many companies of losing followers if they switch to another platform. With Instagram, companies can now use the new format to present themselves from a different angle. And that without followers having to switch to another platform. This is probably the strongest argument for using reels. Instagram Reels is highly relevant for lead generation and social media marketing in every respect. Ultimately, it depends on how reels are used and what advertising opportunities the platform will offer going forward. Inserting links to your own website is already possible for business accounts, which gives a measurable boost to traffic generation.
Can Instagram Reels generate more traffic?
Increasingly, yes. Business accounts can now add links directly in reels, which was a major limitation in the early days. On top of that, users can use viral effects to significantly increase their reach. Numerous companies are already leveraging these effects and have generated several million views of a single clip. These include not only young start-ups but also established companies such as the luxury brand “Louis Vuitton”. The advantage over TikTok is that Instagram combines its classic network and reels on one platform. Instagram users can thus access an existing network of followers. What we see in practice: accounts that post three to five reels per week consistently outperform those that rely solely on static posts.
Does Instagram Reels stand a chance against TikTok?
Some sceptics believed that reels would have no chance against TikTok in the long run. But looking at the numbers in 2026, that argument has largely faded. Instagram itself surpassed two billion monthly active users, and Reels now drives a significant share of overall time spent on the platform. If anything, the competition has pushed both platforms to improve, which ultimately benefits brands and creators. By the way: When Instagram introduced the Stories function in 2016, many critics thought the clone would have no chance against the Snapchat original. Things turned out differently. The same pattern is repeating itself with Reels.
Social Media Marketing Best Practices from Instagram Reels
In addition to the aforementioned luxury brand Louis Vuitton, other well-known brands now also rely on Reels as a core content format. FC Bayern, Puma and several Swiss brands have demonstrated what is possible with consistent creative output. The following are examples of best practices from companies that have done it well.
Zalando focuses on customizing
The online fashion giant Zalando consistently relies on customising articles for its reels. The clips show how clothing and shoes can be further processed in a highly creative way, for example by embroidering or painting. There are also classic clips in which one person presents different outfits. With this strategy, Zalando also focuses on User Generated Content (UGC). All reels are now well into the six-figure range for views. The numbers on Zalando’s TikTok account have long since been unable to keep up.
Jewellery start-up Purelei uses well-known songs as background
The jewellery startup Purelei relied on Instagram Reels from the very beginning to win new followers. The company has been extremely successful in doing so. This is certainly also due to the high number of followers on Instagram. For recognition, Purelei used songs that they had already used on TikTok. However, the follower numbers and engagement on Instagram Reels significantly outpace their TikTok presence. Almost all reels are in the middle or higher six-digit range.
Just Spices: Sales success with hot spices
Just Spices has not only produced reels reminiscent of cooking videos, but also some clips with visual gags. Experience shows that these are always well received. For example, a scattered sweet potato spice mixture makes a sweet potato grow out of the earth. Another reel shows how a dish is created in a cardboard box after all the ingredients have been tipped into it. The Instagram account has grown well beyond 300,000 followers. Almost all reels can already show low six-figure view numbers. Even though engagement is higher than on TikTok, social media marketing at Just Spices is still run across both platforms.
Food as “stars” at Eatsmarter
The trend towards a healthier and more sustainable diet is gaining more and more supporters and the number of start-ups involved is growing steadily. The nutrition portal Eatsmarter shows how effective reels can be successfully implemented in this segment. Here food is the “star”. This could be, for example, a clip with different sized portions of different foods that all contain the same amount of calories. With more than 200,000 views, this kind of content consistently outperforms static posts. Other successful implementations are sequences of images of food for something (beauty) or against something (dark circles under the eyes). Many reels are repurposed content from TikTok, which is an efficient cross-platform strategy worth considering.
The potential of Instagram Reels in social media marketing
Social media marketing is constantly facing new challenges, which is once again evident under the topic of short videos. In an effort to generate higher numbers of followers, more and more influencers and companies are turning to short clips with funny and informative content. Instagram Reels is one of the major platforms reacting to the rise of short-form video. The advantage of reels is that many users already have high follower counts on Instagram. This means that they now sit in the front row of the short video trend without having to rebuild an audience from scratch. What we see in practice with Swiss clients in Zurich and Zug: those who started early with Reels are now sitting on substantial organic reach that would cost a significant budget to replicate through paid advertising alone.
Instagram Reels also have great potential in social media marketing. As the above examples show, companies with creative reels can reach an extraordinarily large audience. Brands can present themselves in an authentic and dynamic way and generate new followers and customers at the same time. The parallels to the Instagram Stories introduction are striking. Back then, the critics were wrong. They are likely wrong again this time.
This article was written by the ONELINE team. We have been supporting Swiss companies in digital transformation for over 10 years , from SEO and SEA to AI automation and lead generation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can Instagram Reels be in 2026?
Instagram Reels can now be up to 90 seconds long. For most brands, 15 to 30 seconds still tends to perform best in terms of completion rate, but longer formats work well for tutorials or storytelling content.
Are Instagram Reels relevant for Swiss SMEs?
Absolutely. Many Swiss SMEs in Zurich, Zug and beyond are already using Reels to reach local and national audiences without a large media budget. The organic reach of well-produced short videos still significantly outperforms static posts on Instagram.
Can Instagram Reels replace paid social media advertising?
Not entirely. But a strong organic Reels strategy reduces your dependency on paid reach and lowers your cost per lead over time. The two approaches work best in combination. If you want to scale faster, pairing Reels with targeted Google Ads or Meta Ads makes sense.
How often should companies post Reels?
Our experience shows that three to five Reels per week is the sweet spot for building consistent algorithmic reach. Quality matters more than quantity though. One well-produced reel per week beats five rushed clips without a clear concept.
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