Instagram Reels 2025:
Key Platform for Brands in the UAE

Instagram has long ceased to be a feed of square photos. Changing user behavior — they read less and scroll more — prompted Meta to rethink the format: Reels has become the main tool for Instagram promotion. Algorithms give it priority because short vertical videos engage faster, hold attention longer and stimulate actions — from reposting to visiting a website.

For businesses, this means a new rule: if you don’t have a Reels strategy, you don’t participate in the distribution of organic reach. Moreover, the advantage is that Reels is a native format that is perceived as “live” and not advertising. It doesn’t need to be hidden, on the contrary — users are more willing to interact with Reels, especially if the video is emotionally rich, locally recognizable and has an element of entertainment.

In 2025, Reels ceased to be an exclusively organic tool — it confidently took the position of one of the most effective advertising formats within Instagram. For large businesses, this is no longer an experiment, but a standard practice built into the media plan, content marketing strategy, and content funnel. It is especially important that Reels advertising is perceived by users not as an annoying pre-roll, but as a logical continuation of the feed, if the creative is made taking into account the behavior of the audience.

Take, for example, Nike, which this spring launched a campaign dedicated to the launch of a series of sneakers for morning workouts. Instead of a classic 30-second video, the brand released a series of Reels, each of which lasted 12-15 seconds and told about one ritual of “starting the day”: the first run, meditation on the balcony, breakfast on the go. The videos were filmed in different cities — from Tokyo to Cape Town — and emphasized the versatility of the product. Visually, it looked like a stylish chronicle with natural light and minimal staging. At the end, there is a short slogan and logo. No call to action to “buy” or discounts. This strategy has become part of thoughtful content marketing, where advertising is not imposed, but builds an emotional connection with the audience through familiar behavioral scenarios. Result: a 68% increase in search queries for the model name on Instagram within a week of launch.

Another illustrative example is IKEA, which adapted the Reels format to micro-stories from the lives of buyers. Instead of studio interiors, the brand showed how a young couple transformed a one-room apartment in Dubai into a cozy space with the help of multifunctional furniture. The 30-second video includes assembly, emotions, and order.

Such content is especially relevant for real estate marketing, where real stories of life in real estate are important. For promotion, precise targeting was used for users in the UAE with interests in “renovation”, “design”, “housing up to 60 m²”. This allowed us to reduce the CPA by 2.3 times compared to classic banners.

Another brand that has cleverly integrated into Reels advertising is Netflix. In 2025, the platform adapted the format of announcements of new series specifically for short vertical video. Instead of 2-minute trailers, there is a quick cut of moments, one quote, one key visual impression. And most importantly, the videos are often edited with the participation of fans. For example, for the launch of the new season of the popular show “Stranger Future”, Reels were compiled from user reactions: how they watch the series, make merch, build theories. The content was partially generated by AI, which reflects current AI marketing trends, where technologies are integrated to create more personalized and engaging content. The result is not just advertising, but a cultural event among subscribers.

One of the common mistakes of foreign agencies trying to enter the UAE market is to use universal, “global” creative. It does not work. The Arab audience highly values ​​respect for culture, details, language and visual code.

Reels with Arabic subtitles, inclusion of local visual elements (traditional clothing, architecture, holidays), with a background in the style of Ramadan or National Day work much more effectively. Such videos do not just collect likes - they cause identification, and therefore - trust and conversion.

In the conditions of high competition in the Emirates, especially in such segments as aesthetic medicine, real estate, education and luxury, advertising services in Dubai require a thoughtful approach. Here it is important not just to “shoot Reels”, but to integrate it into the general marketing funnel: who will see, how will they react, where will they go and what will they do.

By 2025, Instagram has clearly established the technical standards for Reels. If you want your video to look professional, match the profile grid, and display well on a smartphone screen, it is important to adhere to these parameters — the basis of effective design for Instagram.

1. Optimal video size: 1080 × 1920 pixels;
2. Frame rate: 30 fps;
3. Duration: from 3 to 90 seconds, ideally 15–45;
4. Format: MP4 or MOV, up to 4 GB;
5. Aspect ratio: 9:16, when publishing in the grid — 3:4.

Instagram has introduced AI subtitles, stabilization, and sound enhancement. Videos with music, clear text, and dynamic editing hold attention for 40% longer. And Reels, in which the first three seconds are visually and soundfully involved, demonstrate a CTR that is 28% higher compared to “slow” videos.

Reels promotion tools in Meta Ads Manager have become more powerful in 2025. Customizable targeting by Emirates, gender, age, interests, language, and behavior allows you to build advertising campaigns with surgical precision. Reels work especially effectively in the following scenarios:

• product launch with a catchy teaser;

• demonstration of a customer review in a “before/after” format;

• reporting from an event or activity;

• integration with a brand ambassador in a video interview;

• a quick video guide with CTA and a transition to a landing page.

Important: advertising Reels need to be tested as a separate creative. Content that “went in” organically does not always work in advertising. Therefore, A/B testing and working with analytics through Meta Business Suite remain the basis of a successful Reels strategy.

In 2025, popular Reels trends continue to evolve towards maximum authenticity and audience engagement. One of the main trends remains short behind-the-scenes videos — be it the morning rituals of company employees, the process of creating a product, or preparing for an important event. Such videos inspire trust and create a “presence” effect, which is especially valuable for highly competitive markets such as the UAE. For example, a cosmetics brand can show how an order is assembled in the office, and a restaurant can show how a chef prepares a signature dish. This helps in the development of personal branding for companies and their leaders.

The trend for educational content in the “life hacks” or “quick tips” format is becoming increasingly popular — these can be mini-guides on skin care, wardrobe selection for a specific climate, or life hacks for organizing a home office. It is important that such videos make life easier and engage users, causing a desire to save and share.

A separate niche is becoming the “day in the life” format, where they shoot a combination of personal and work time, showing the “human” side of the brand. For example, an international startup can make Reels with office moments from different cities or talk about the cultural characteristics of employees from the UAE.

Challenges and collaborations are no less popular: brands launch their unique challenges related to the product or local culture, and users participate by creating “duets” and remixes. For example, clothing with national motifs can inspire a dance challenge in traditional costumes, and a fitness brand - a series of exercises to local music.

What unites these trends is a bright visual style with dynamic editing, the use of local music tracks and humor, which is understandable to the UAE audience. This creates an effect of belonging and emotional closeness, which significantly increases engagement and trust in the brand.