Five Years of Instagram Reels How AI Turned India’s Scroll Into Culture

Instagram Reels has completed five years in India, transforming from a TikTok alternative to the country’s cultural engine. Backed by Meta’s AI, Reels now shapes trends, fuels discovery, and delivers unmatched engagement for both creators and brands.

From Experiment to Default Scroll

When Instagram Reels entered India in 2020, it was seen as a fun experiment. Its big break came almost instantly with the ban on TikTok, which left millions of users searching for a new short-video platform. Five years later, Reels has become the heartbeat of India’s social media experience, accounting for nearly half of all time spent on Instagram. A new Ipsos-Meta study reveals that 92 percent of Indian users prefer Reels over other short-form formats, cementing its role as India’s tastemaker.

The Power of Meta’s AI

The secret behind Reels’ dominance is Meta’s powerful AI recommendation engine. More than 60 percent of the content users see on Instagram and Facebook today is not from accounts they follow but from algorithmic suggestions. This intelligent matchmaking has turned casual scrolling into habit loops. Music prompts, editing tools, and even distribution strategies are all powered by AI, giving creators easier ways to produce and audiences broader opportunities to discover. The result is higher engagement, with Reels delivering 33 percent more interactions for creators compared to other formats.

Genres Beyond Memes and Dances

Reels may have started with viral dances and meme culture, but today its content ecosystem resembles an OTT platform in variety. Fashion, beauty, music, and film dominate, but audiences are equally drawn to travel vlogs, fitness hacks, financial advice, spirituality, and advocacy content. Importantly, Reels is breaking stereotypes about who consumes what. Women are increasingly engaging with sports content, while men are watching grooming and skincare reels. The algorithm does not confine users; it expands their horizons, creating a multi-interest world of endless discovery.

Attention as the New Currency

For brands, the power of Reels is undeniable. Studies show Reels ads deliver twice the recall and four times stronger message association compared to longer video formats. Brands such as Hyundai, India Gate Basmati, Myntra, HUL, L’Oréal, and Mondelez have all placed Reels at the centre of their campaigns. Hyundai used click-to-WhatsApp ads on Reels, achieving 52 percent higher journey completion. India Gate saw a 12-point lift in recall after a packaging launch campaign. Myntra recorded a 9 percent improvement in return on ad spend by adding Reels to its catalogue campaigns. For both legacy FMCG brands and digital-first disruptors, Reels is now a must-have in the media mix.

Reels Beyond Gen Z

While Reels found early adoption among Gen Z, it has now expanded across age groups. From college students to professionals in their 40s and 50s, Reels has become India’s cultural front door. In a country with more than 800 million internet users, cheap data, and households often sharing a single screen, the smartphone has become the entertainment hub—and Reels is its most engaging format. It is no longer just a platform for fun videos but also a discovery engine where 80 percent of Indians say they find new brands.

The Cultural Infrastructure of India’s Internet

What makes Reels so impactful is its role as both stage and spotlight. Meta’s AI acts as director, sound engineer, and curator, ensuring every scroll feels personal and engaging. For users, it is a mix of entertainment and discovery. For creators, it is a gateway to massive reach. For brands, it is the most efficient way to capture attention. Five years in, Reels is not just Instagram’s biggest success—it is India’s cultural infrastructure for short-form video.

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