Reels are where most new people discover an account on Instagram, because they are shown well beyond your followers. For a studio that wants to be found by homeowners who have never heard of it, that matters. It does not mean Reels should replace your carousels.
What our count shows
Across 12 Dubai interior design studio accounts in the 90 days to 13 October 2026, carousels drew a median of 0.4 likes and comments per 100 followers against 0.2 for Reels. Public numbers do not show reach, so Reels may still have reached more people. The likely reading: followers who already like your work engage with swiping through a room, while Reels earn their place by bringing new viewers.
Five Reels a studio can make without a film crew
- The slow walkthrough. Phone held upright, moving slowly from the door to the window, one room only. Add one line of text: the place and the brief.
- The material close up. Hands on the stone, the joinery, the fabric, with a voiceover of one sentence on why it was chosen.
- Site to finish. The same corner on installation day and at handover, cut together.
- The founder’s minute. One question answered to camera, like how long a villa interior takes in Dubai and what makes it longer.
- Handover day. Keys, the final clean, the client’s first look if they agree to be filmed.
How to make them hold attention
Start on the best frame, not the front door. Viewers decide in a second or two. Put a short text hook on screen from the first frame, keep it clear of the top and bottom of the screen and burn in captions if anyone speaks. Choose a cover that keeps your grid looking like a portfolio.
Use your business account’s music library or your own voice. Popular songs added in outside editors can be muted on business accounts.
A sensible mix
For most studios, two carousels and one Reel a week is a good balance. If you are trying Reels for the first time, Instagram’s trial Reels let you test one on non followers before it appears on your profile.
Never fake the room
AI video tools can now generate convincing interiors. Use them to explain an idea if you label it. Never present a generated room as one you designed. The moment a client finds out, every real project on your grid loses value.