Instagram reels research
Hour Two reads reels in their first hours, measures each against its own account's usual, and tells brands what is breaking out, why, and what to post next. Every call we make is scored in public, misses included.
Every call is recorded when it is made and judged 14 days later. Claims are written down before the data that tests them exists. Figures as of 7 October 2026; the first calls scored at 14 days publish on 17 October.
Public reels only. We never log into your account and never post for you.
About 4,900 accounts, new reels read as often as every 30 minutes: 1.7 million timed readings so far.
Each reel against its own account's usual at the same age, not against followers.
Reels on course for 5x their usual are flagged early, with whether their growth is still speeding up.
An AI viewer describes each breakout and an ordinary reel from the same account, without knowing which is which.
Every call is checked at 14 days. Hits and misses are both published.
We compare each breakout with an ordinary reel from the same account, so the account's size and audience cancel out. 785 pairs so far. When only one reel in a pair had the feature:
| Feature | That reel was the breakout | Read |
|---|---|---|
| A partner or collab in it | 7 times in 10 | Pays |
| Funny | 2 times in 3 | Pays |
| Surprise or shock | 2 times in 3 | Pays |
| Hook type, subtitles, cuts, length | about 1 in 2 | No difference |
| Low energy, calm delivery | 2 times in 5 | Underperforms |
| Product showcase | 1 time in 3 | Underperforms |
We publish what didn't hold up, too. Bold-claim openings looked like a winner on 500 pairs and failed on the next 52, so we stopped saying it.
Built with B Corps
We read every certified B Corp in B Lab's public directory that has an Instagram account. Their audiences engage as much as anyone's, but their reels reach about half as many of their followers as accounts the same size, and the typical brand posts a reel every two weeks or less.
The good news is specific: for B Corps, the funny reel was the breakout 31 times out of 45, a person on camera beat the product shot, and partner reels did best of all.
Small B Corps pay less, and nonprofits get their audit free. Reach shouldn't depend on budget.
We read public view counts only. If you share your Instagram Insights, they stay private and are never sold or shown to anyone else.
A research partner, not another dashboard to check.
Your last 90 days against your own usual and 12 peers, what your best reels have in common, and a four-week plan.
Every Monday: your reels, your peers' breakouts and what to try next, in plain language.
When a peer's reel, or yours, starts taking off, while there is still time to act on it.
A short checklist on a reel before you post it: what the evidence says to keep, change or test.
Priced by account size, because the value of extra reach grows with your audience. Every plan starts with an audit, free for founding clients.
Your numbers, your peers, and the next month of reels, in one 30-minute walkthrough.