One-Second Reels?

If you’ve been on Instagram lately, there is a good chance you’ve seen a 1-second Reel.

They’re everywhere.

The most popular audio in this trend is the “blinking sound” which has over 1 million uses. There are other audios that sound identical or similar with hundreds of thousands of uses.

Does that get you excited to jump on the trend wagon and try it for yourself?

Hold on. Hear me out and then decide if this trend/hack is a good addition to your overall social media strategy.

WHAT is the one-second Reel hack 

It’s a Reel that is only one-second long. So it loops. Over and over again. Usually has copy (words) on top of the video so you will want to read it while the video plays multiple times in the background (a loop). 

The idea is that you—the audience—will stay on for a few seconds and Instagram will count each person for multiple views.

WHY it’s being used

It’s an attempt to “trick” the algorithms to show the content to more people.

Instagram has many algorithms that track and measure interest, so content can be as “valuable” as possible. If a Reel gets a lot of views, it is more likely to be shared with more people, and new audiences. If a Reel loops and gets multiple views by one account, the algorithm considers it even more valuable and will push the content to more people.

Cool, right?

So the one-second Reel is an attempt to trick the algorithm. Which is wild, because an algorithm is computer-learning software. The computer learns. It may still show the one-second Reel to people, but it won’t take long for other analytics will be taken into account.

Like watch time. Engagement. Account views. Follows. DMs. And more.

WHO started/is using this trick

A quick search into the originators of this “hack” reveals interesting information. Many of them are not strong, expert accounts. They may have 10 million views on a couple of Reels, but they are not converting to follows and engagement. It’s a temporary concept that is NOT creating trust or relationships.

Those accounts that continue to use it have varied responses on their Reel. Most of the comments I read in a ten-minute search were either unimpressed (upset) or the comments were so low that it was negligible.

The FUTURE of one-second Reels

I don’t know how many different ways I can say this, but social media is NOT about hacks. It’s about connection. It’s an invitation to a relationship. It’s one piece of building trust with a future customer/client/community member.

People are smart. They might not know why someone made a one-second Reel, but they know it isn’t for them. It isn’t to help. They know when they feel tricked.

As consumers of social media, we are CRAVING more than a one-second video hack. 

We want to be inspired! Entertained! Connected!

We are not clicking on the profile of a one-second Reel to “learn more.” We are not wanting to buy the art. We are not following for more tips.

We are disconnecting from the content.

And the algorithms are smart. The one-second Reel is not tricking them. Not for long.

Anything worth doing…

If you want great results in ANYTHING, you’ve got to put in consistent effort and work. The one-second Reel hack is another example of a shortcut that is not only annoying for your viewers, it might negatively affect your long-term content strategy.

But, you know, if you still want to try it… do your thing. ;)

Stay social,

AnnaM