By Admin 
- Meta Study: Fashion, Beauty Content Most Popular on Reels.
- Reels influence the discovery and purchase of new brands and products.
- Gen Z and rural audiences have been highly influenced by Reels.
- This platform provides 60% more engagement to creators.
Instagram Reels Trends in 2026: The popularity of short video content is continuously increasing in India and it has now become an important part of people’s everyday digital habits. Meanwhile, a new study sponsored by Meta has revealed what kind of content Indian users like to see most on Instagram Reels in 2026. This study was conducted by research agency IPSOS in which more than 4,000 people from 23 cities and rural areas of the country were included.
Beauty and fashion content became the biggest attraction
According to the report, videos related to beauty, makeup, fashion and latest trends are most popular among the Indian audience. 52 percent of the people surveyed said that they regularly engage with such content. After this, videos related to lifestyle and fitness came second, which were liked by 42 percent people. Whereas comedy content was seen and liked by 39 percent people, sports related videos by 38 percent and travel content by 37 percent people.
Reels becomes the most influential platform for creators
The study claims that Instagram Reels provides approximately 60 percent more engagement to content creators compared to other short video platforms. This means that viewers not only watch videos but also participate more actively through likes, comments and shares.
Purchasing decisions are also being affected
According to the report, reels are no longer just a source of entertainment but are also influencing people’s purchasing decisions. The study found that 81 percent people get their first information about new products and brands through reels.
66 percent of consumers view related content on Reels before considering a brand. Reels also influence 47 percent of final purchasing decisions. These figures show that social media content has now become an important part of e-commerce and digital marketing.
Gen Z most affected
The young generation, especially Gen Z, has emerged as the biggest part of this change. According to the report, 84 percent of Gen Z users discover new products and brands through Meta’s platforms. Not only this, 89 percent of Gen Z users watch or join Reels daily. It is clear from this that reels have become a major source of information, entertainment and shopping inspiration for the youth.
Rural India is also rapidly adopting reels
Earlier it was believed that the expansion of video content was mainly limited to big cities, but the new report presents a different picture. 73 percent of rural users surveyed said that they got information about new brands and products through Meta platforms.
Apart from this, the number of users watching videos daily was recorded at 98 percent in urban India and 94 percent in rural India. This difference is very less which shows that now rural and urban audiences are watching almost the same digital content.
Impact increased in automobile sector also
The automobile industry has also been mentioned in the report. According to the study, the share of meta platforms in searches for new cars and vehicle brands has reached 82 percent. At the same time, almost 50 percent impact was seen in the final decisions of buying a car.
India’s video boom now across the country
Meta India officials say that the expansion of video content in India is no longer limited to metros only. The habit of watching videos is increasing rapidly in almost every segment including Gen Z, women and premium consumers. In such a situation, it has become more important than ever for brands to work together by combining content and commerce.
Highlights of the report
Beauty, makeup, fashion and trends were the most popular reels categories (52%). Lifestyle and fitness content was liked by 42% people. Comedy (39%), sports (38%) and travel (37%) were also in the top categories. 97% of users watch videos on Meta platforms daily. Daily video engagement was recorded at 98% in urban areas and 94% in rural areas.
89% of Gen Z users engage with Reels every day. 84% of Gen Z users discover new products and brands through meta platforms. Reels delivers approximately 60% more creator engagement than other short video platforms. Reels influenced 81% of product discovery, 66% of brand consideration, and 47% of purchase decisions.
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